THE EDITOR hat makes you happy? It is a question that has puzzled many. Because life can get busy, so many go through it on autopilot without taking the time to think about what they really want. A few weeks ago, I watched the movie Happy, directed by Roko Belic, who set out on a worldwide search for the answer. In the movie, people with cultural differences, in different countries, were observed and asked what made them happy. In many cases, it was the simplest of answers: when the wind blows through, when they arrive home from work to see a child, when they can spend time with their neighbors, were just a few responses. There is much published information about happiness, and as I was reviewing several articles, The Happiness Quotient (HQ) caught my eye. It’s a basic tool designed to help you understand how you feel about seven aspects in life. The HQ explains life integration, or seeking balance. Everything in life is linked and when something is out of whack, it has an impact on the overall quality of life that directly translates to happiness. With your overall “vision” in the center (see diagram), the seven areas are fitness, family, friends, finances, fun/fulfillment and work/ career. Here’s an overview: Fitness Our body and mind are connected. Being active is good for our physical health and it also makes us happier. It instantly improves our mood and can even lift us out of a depression. We don’t all need to run marathons, but there are simple things we can all do to be more active each day. We can also boost our wellbeing by unplugging from technology, getting outside, and ensuring that we get enough sleep. n Letter from By Debby Zelman Rapoport W The constitution guarantees the American people only the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself. – Benjamin Franklin “It isn’t what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about.” – Dale Carnegie Family and Friends The happiest people spend time with those they love, including family, partners and/ or friends. A simple strategy for increased happiness is to accept social invitations whenever possible, or to initiate social gatherings with family and friends. Face-toface meetings make us happier than online networking, since hugging and other forms of physical touch release endorphins. People with strong and broad social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Close relationships with family and friends provide love, meaning and support, and increase our feelings of self-worth. Broader networks bring a sense of belonging. Therefore, taking action to strengthen our relationships and build connections is essential for happiness. n Kahneman says that ”further increase in income no longer improves individuals’ ability to do what matters most to their emotional wellbeing, such as spending time with people they like, avoiding pain and disease, and enjoying leisure.” Fun/Fulfillment While “fun” can be tied to activities we enjoy, fulfillment often comes from within. Attributes like spirituality, mindfulness, acts of kindness, gratitude, giving to others, optimism, counting your blessings, learning and managing stress are examples of things that we may find to be fulfilling. n Finances Can money make you happy? When I asked my daughter, she said, I don’t think it would make me sad! While I agree, scientifically, there is a point of diminishing returns. According to a 2010 study by Nobel prize-winning scholar and psychologist Daniel Kahneman and his colleagues at Princeton University, “When people have a lot more money, they can buy a lot more pleasures, but there are some indications that when you have a lot of money, you will savor each pleasure less.” What happens above the $75,000 threshold? n Work/Career We are happiest when engaged in activities that make us forget ourselves and lose track of time. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi calls it the “flow” experience. Flow can be achieved when we create music, engage in gardening, play with children, participate in sports, write or even pour over a spreadsheet. According to Csikszentmihalyi, doing what you do best is the best way to achieve flow. In an ideal world, our work/career is built around what we do best. n The formula to finding happiness is not the same for everyone. It’s important to be comfortable with who we are and to accept ourselves. With happiness, the more we have, the more we spread to others, so take some time to figure out what truly makes you happy. April 2016 n Beachwood Buzz 3