The 10 Times We’re Happiest

After hearing such raving reviews about it, I decided to watch the documentary “Happy,” and I’m so glad I did. The movie talks about what really makes us happy as human beings.

As a nation, we strive to be happy, but did you know that the US is the 23rd happiest country in the world? The successful online shoe business Zappos understands that we want to be happy, so much so that their tag line is “Delivering happiness.” They even wrote a book on how they deliver happiness to their clients by providing exceptional customer service and satisfaction.

So what truly makes us happy? Is it money? Success? Health? Family? The movie examines this through research on happiness, visiting the happiest and unhappiest countries and people, and talking to a field of psychology experts who study “happiness.”

Although they didn’t list them out, I decided to take notes during the movie and found that there are basically 10 times when we’re happiest:

1. When we’re exercising – Exercise releases dopamine, a hormone that makes us feel good
2. When we’re in “flow” on a regular basis – Being “in the zone,” having a sense of complete mastery of an activity where your skills are being used to the utmost
3. Having resilience when we’re faced with tough times – When we encounter adversity, we are able to recover more quickly
4. Having our basic needs met – “The Hedonic Treadmill” implies the more we have, the more we’ll want. However, once you have your basic needs met, you don’t need more “stuff” to make you happy
5. When we have close and supportive family and friends – We feel loved, supported, and cared about
6. When we are intrinsically motivated – When our motivation is driven by internal rewards, meaning we find joy in the process and are motivated by the feeling of wanting to improve ourselves, as opposed to being extrinsically motivated, meaning your motivation is based on external rewards such as praise and recognition from others
7. When we give to our community – Volunteering helps us realize how much we have when help others who have less
8. When we experience social bonding, social interaction and cooperation with another human – Being part of a team, working together, and support from others who share a common vision or goal
9. When we show acts of kindness – Doing things to help someone out without expecting anything in return, like putting money in the parking meter for a stranger or helping a friend move
10. When we care about something bigger than ourselves – Believing in a higher power or being a part of a vision that has a larger purpose

What do you think of the list? Do any or all of these bring you happiness? I’d love to hear from you. Reply back and tell me what makes YOU happy!