THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS:

Question: So, are you “happy”? (the primary goal of 70% of people)
• Define “happy”:
• Positive emotion and pleasure- least important
• Engagement- most important
• Meaning- most important

Answer:
Yes, and No.
• Most people report that they feel “pretty happy” which is a little above average.
• Typical Return To Neutral Baseline
• Neutral to slightly positive set-point for most
• Very few intensely positive moments
• Very quick adaptation to change, positive and negative
• Or heighten/lower expectations
• Positive emotions good temporarily to prompt approach/exploration and practice build behavioral repertoire

• “Hedonic treadmill”- constantly going from one pleasure to the next, because positive emotion / pleasure are fleeting- we’re pursuing the wrong things.

• So, overall, we’re neutral usually.

• What are your expectations?
• What is your baseline level?
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 What leads to happiness?

 NOT: Education, income, friends, religious faith, intelligence, physical attraction, physical health TOGETHER account for ~20% of variance in happiness.

 (Example: high level of happiness in poor countries like Brazil / Argentina, low level of happiness in wealthy nation of Japan. Why? Connection, gratitude, culture/tradition, expectations)

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Happiness comes from:

 Personality:
 Optimistic (“Realistic Optimism”) (Schneider, 2001)
 Explanatory style (outcomes)
 Hope for low risk, even knowing high risk
 Credit for good, failures attributed to the situation
 Without blaming, draws a line
 Overestimate control of environment
 See self in overly positive light
 Accept reality to find new meaning- reframe
 “reality” is fuzzy, has latitude
 Refocus to positive aspects
 Redefine goals if too much negative evidence
 Appreciate, find beauty in the moment
 Process focus- look for opportunity
 Expectations
 Values, goals
 Participation, flow, engagement, awareness

• Goals
 Success goal (v. avoid failure)
 See progress, committed
 Goals don’t conflict with personal motivations
 Goals valued by culture
 Intrinsic: emotional intimacy, personal growth, connection

 Cognitive responses / Perceptions:
 Frame/perceive in positive ways
 Expect positive in the future
 Feel control over outcome
 Confidence regarding abilities (self-efficacy)
 Positive illusions (self, future)
 Positive meaning from negative events
 Use humor, spirituality, faith, play, creativity
 Use social comparison adaptively (peers, past, ideals)
 Self-reflection minimized- no dwelling on moods, outcomes

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Strength Centered Therapy (ST) (Wong, 2006)

 Explicitizing
 Reframe, point out, reflect, label strengths

 Envisioning
 “I am more likely to achieve my goal of (blank) if I am a (blank) person.”
 Think of those they admire, choose characteristics to cultivate
 Picture what you would look/be like

 Empowering
 Develop a habit to use the strengths, practice them
 Journal
 Metaphor toward change (e.g., you’re on the 3rd floor now…)
 Determine who, when, where to use

 Evolving
 Review, predict (“What strengths could you use if (blank) happened?”
 “What would your life be like in six months if you continue (blank)?”

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Specific Activities (Seligman, Steen, Park & Peterson, 2005)

 3 Good Things
 Three things that went well each day and why, write in journal

 Use Strength in New Way
 Every day for one week

 Gratitude Visit
 Write and deliver

 You At Your Best
 What happened? Reflect on personal strengths, review 1x/day

 Identify Signature Strengths

 Early Memories
 Write about early memories when you felt strong, alive