Now, ask your friends, family, partners, colleagues, or acquaintances. Do you think their answer will be the same? Not likely. This is because everyone has a different way of interpreting happiness.

These beliefs will determine the experience of happiness itself, whether they enable or inhibit it. Thus, it is necessary to be aware of how you think about happiness and whether it could be beneficial or detrimental for you.

This article will explore how various conceptions of happiness shape your experience, and how you can intentionally redefine the beliefs to support greater happiness and well-being. Take a look at your beliefs and consider ways to harness them in your journey toward happiness.

Conceptions of happiness

To gain a deeper understanding of your thoughts on happiness, research on lay conceptions of happiness may offer some insights.

In this study involving Korean and Canadian samples, conceptions of happiness refer to the beliefs about the nature, value, antecedents, and outcomes of happiness. The primary finding of this study is that these conceptions of happiness are significantly associated with an individual’s overall happiness and well-being.

The researcher noted that the following conceptions of happiness seem to improve happiness and well-being:

• Valuing happiness. The belief regarding the value of happiness is that it is crucial to obtain and maintain (e.g., “It is important for me to feel happy“).
• Eudaimonism. The belief about the nature of happiness and how it extends beyond the mere absence of negative feelings and the presence of enjoyment and happy feelings. Instead, it consists of self-actualization, meaningful pursuits, and a profound understanding of life’s meaning (e.g., “I believe happiness is having a sense of purpose in life“). 
• Transformative suffering. The belief that revolves around the nature and consequences of unhappiness is that suffering is a part of well-being and should be embraced, as it can sometimes be positive and lead to personal transformation (e.g., “Sometimes sadness can lead us to happiness“). 
• Inclusive happiness. The belief concerning the nature of happiness, on how it depends on others’ happiness and well-being. This includes other people’s, animals’, and the environment (e.g., “To be happy, others around me should be happy as well“).

Negative conceptions of happiness

But while there are conceptions of happiness that could cultivate its experience, some beliefs do not generate a similar output.

Recognizing these beliefs is necessary because they could hinder you in your journey toward happiness. Below are conceptions of happiness that are associated with less happiness and well-being:

• Fear of happiness. The belief regarding the value and consequences of happiness on how it will cause negative things to occur (e.g., “Bad things can happen from having too much fun“).
• Fragility of happiness. The belief concerning the nature of happiness, on how it is fleeting and can easily turn into less favorable states, making it difficult to sustain (e.g., “Happiness can be lost at any time“).
• Externality of happiness. The belief about the nature of happiness is that it is primarily determined by external factors instead of one’s control (e.g., “Happiness is beyond my control“).
• Inflexibility of happiness. The belief related to the nature of happiness, on how its levels are fixed and unchangeable (e.g., “Some people have a happy personality, some people don’t. So, people can’t change how happy they are“).

In short, some ways of understanding happiness are more effective at nurturing happiness and well-being, while others are less than ideal in this regard. 

How to shape what you think about happiness

Based on the findings of the study, it can be inferred that cultivating happiness and well-being involves fostering certain beliefs while regulating or reframing others.

Here are some tips for you to do so:

Reflect your current beliefs

Now that you have gained the insights regarding the categories of happiness-related beliefs, take a moment to reflect on your own beliefs. This can be beneficial because it helps you identify the beliefs that are contributing to your happiness and the ones that hinder it. 

To do so, grab a piece of paper and jot down the answers for the following prompts:

• For me, the definition of happiness is …
• What are the things that made me experience happiness?
• Aside from quick pleasure and comfort, what are the other things that cause me to experience happiness?
• Compared to other things in my life, how important is happiness for me?
• Should unhappiness and difficulties be avoided at all costs?
• Aside from myself, do I think connection with others, animals, or the environment helps me experience happiness?
• Does happiness depend on my external circumstances?
• Is happiness temporary or permanent? 
• Do I ever hold back from happiness because I believe that something bad will happen after?
• Do I believe my “happiness set point” is fixed, or that I can grow happier over time?

Once finished, you now have a written form of the beliefs you have about happiness. Congratulations on taking this first step! With this awareness, you now have the power to determine which beliefs should be adjusted, released, and nurtured.

Read more: Why You Should Have Many Different Definitions of Happiness

Normalize and explore the roots of your beliefs

After identifying the conceptions of happiness that you held, you may notice that you have some beliefs that are associated with less happiness. That is totally okay! You are not the only one who develops these beliefs. Everyone has their own unhelpful beliefs at some point in their life. 

So, remind yourself that having less-than-ideal beliefs about happiness is a regular part of the human experience. What matters is that you are now aware of the beliefs you should reframe in your journey toward happiness and well-being.

What you can do right now is to explore the origins of these beliefs. Most beliefs about happiness don’t appear out of nowhere. It could be from your childhood experiences, cultural and religious teachings, or any other factors. 

For example, some people avoid happiness because they come from a culture that believes expressing happiness can anger a supernatural deity.

To do so, revisit the list of beliefs you have generated before. For each of those beliefs, answer the following prompts:

• Where did I first internalize this belief?
• Has holding this belief served a purpose for me in the past?
• Does having this belief serve a purpose for me right now?
• Do I still agree with this belief?

Doing this practice could help you trace back the origins of your beliefs and reflect on whether they still reflect your values today, especially after understanding that some beliefs could inhibit and enable one’s happiness. 

By looking back on its origin, you have now given yourself the space to consciously decide on what to do with those beliefs.

Reflect the impacts and reframe the beliefs

Now that you have the idea of what beliefs you had and where they came from, you should connect how they’ve affected your life. This would help provide the evidence on why various conceptions of happiness could be truly beneficial and detrimental to your happiness and well-being.

In addition to that, it could give you the motivation to reframe the beliefs that could inhibit you from happiness. You can do this through the ABCDE model, which was proposed by Martin Seligman, an American psychologist and the author of “Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life.” 

With the ABCDE Model, you can assess the impact of your beliefs and develop a strategy for moving forward by reframing them.  The steps are as follows:

1. Adversity (A). Identify and describe the adverse event or situation you are facing that inhibits you from experiencing happiness.
2. Belief (B). Recognize the beliefs or thoughts that arise in response to adversity. You could connect this with the previously mentioned conceptions of happiness that are related to less happiness and well-being.
3. Consequences (C). Observe and record the emotional and behavioral outcomes resulting from holding these beliefs.
4. Disputation (D). Challenge and dispute the beliefs using the following techniques:
   1. Evidence. Provide evidence that contradicts the negative belief.
   2. Alternative explanations. Consider alternative reasons or explanations for the event.
   3. Usefulness. Assess whether the belief is useful or helpful.
   4. Implications. Evaluate the implications of the belief and its accuracy.
5. Energization (E). Note the shift in your psychological state after disputing the beliefs. You should also record how this change affects the way you perceive happiness.

In conclusion 

Think about the time before you read this article. Back then, did you take the time to reflect on the beliefs you have about happiness? Were you aware of certain beliefs that held you back from happiness?

Right now, you are a newer version of yourself. You now know that specific ideas about happiness may make or break your experience of happiness itself. 

With the knowledge of the previously mentioned conceptions of happiness, you may now recognize which beliefs to embrace, which to reframe, and the practical steps to move forward.

As you move forward on your journey toward happiness, nurture the beliefs that uplift you and transform those that hold you back.

If you want to see more resources on happiness, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by Freepik

The post How You Think About Happiness Matters; Here’s How to Use It appeared first on Insights.

Most likely, your answer is ‘no’. For many people, participating in such leisurely activities as hobbies may be a luxury due to the responsibilities they need to attend to.

However, you should consider changing this. Indeed, these activities may look like a non-productive way to spend your time. However, hobbies can play an important role in helping individuals experience a happy life. 

This article will elaborate on the role, barriers, and practical tips for finding or reclaiming hobbies that can re-ignite your spark. So, stay tuned and embark on your journey to rediscover happiness through hobbies.

Why hobbies are essential to happiness

As life gets busier with adulthood, many adults gradually lose touch with their hobbies. Work, family responsibilities, and daily routines usually take center stage, leaving little room (or none at all) for personal interests.

Exactly why does this happen? Here are some factors that contribute to this shift:

• Time constraints. Workloads and family duties often lead to less free time for hobbies. For many people, hobbies are a luxury that they don’t have time for.
• Technology. The convenience of digital entertainment reduces the likelihood of participating in hands-on or group activities. Many people spend their limited free time on screens rather than engaging in hobbies.
• Economic pressure. Some hobbies can be costly and, in turn, discouraging. There is also a recent trend to turn interests into income. Although beneficial in its own way, this trend can also add pressure and offer minimal enjoyment.
• Social dynamics. Changes in work environments and social circles can affect group hobbies; it may become inconvenient to join or maintain group activities when people’s schedules don’t align.

Bringing hobbies back into your routine, even in small ways, can provide valuable outcomes. If you ask yourself, “Why would I need a new hobby?”, the answer could be explained by a recent review article. A group of researchers investigated the relationship between hobbies, mental health, and well-being by analyzing 12 studies published between 2014 and 2024. 

The findings show that the benefits of hobbies are as follows:

Reduces stress, anxiety, and depression

The findings show that hobbies reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety and mitigate stress. This means that taking up hobbies could be an outlet to relieve your stress and anxiety, as well as a preventive measure from developing depression.

This suggests that having fun with hobbies doesn’t necessarily mean wasting time and being less productive. Given how vital hobbies are for stress relief, mental health, and happiness, it’s important to make time for them. Even more so when life feels busy and stressful.

Creates purpose and satisfaction

Individuals with hobbies are 85% happier than those without hobbies. In fact, 61% of UK adults now use hobbies to boost their mental health. 

So, don’t think that participating in hobbies will derail your journey in life. Instead, think of it as the side-quests that will help you build a better and happier life.

Creates opportunities for social interaction

Maintaining contact with old friends nowadays may seem impossible due to each one’s differing schedules and responsibilities.

Having hobbies can be a solution to this problem. The study mentioned above noted that hobbies provide individuals with the opportunity to improve social interaction, foster a sense of community, and reduce feelings of loneliness.

Research shows that life satisfaction rates increase with shared hobbies, with 46% of 2,000 UK adults reporting higher satisfaction with hobbies shared with others.

Read more: The Benefits of Hobbies and Interests Outside of Work.

How to rediscover happiness through hobbies

Recognizing the connection between hobbies and happiness, you might consider exploring new ones. You don’t have to start from scratch (although you can if you want to). Here are some tips on how you can rediscover your spark for life through hobbies:

Reflect on past interests and forgotten passions

Reconnecting with old hobbies can be surprising (or even emotional), especially if they’ve faded quietly into the background. Adults often lose touch with their hobbies as their priorities shift, time becomes scarce, and their circumstances change.

Invite hobbies back into your life rather than waiting for them to reappear. Here are some tips:

• Reflect. Consider the things you used to like doing. What pastimes used to thrill you? When was the last time you felt “in flow”?
• Encourage yourself. Try easy techniques like making a short list, looking through old pictures, or even asking friends and family what they remember you enjoying.
• Take action. If something jumps out, start small. You could go over it again for 10 minutes, or look for a beginner’s class or video to see if your enthusiasm returns.

Explore new hobbies to try

In addition to reminding yourself about your past hobbies, it’s also not too late to start exploring new ones. Here are some tips to get you started on your exploration:

• Research. A quick search can help you brainstorm hobbies to get started on.
• Check what hobbies your friends, family, and colleagues have on social media. Ask them about their hobbies and get their recommendations.
• Prioritize and commit. Once you have your list, you should realize that you can’t do it all at once. When the priorities have been set, keep a commitment to yourself regarding these activities. You can start by trying at least one new hobby from the list, such as taking a class or attending a workshop. 
• Reflect and adapt. Regularly assess your engagement with the hobbies you dabble with. In this, you should assess whether the hobbies are a good fit for you. To do so, you can ask yourself:

• • What is my progress in this hobby?
  • Did I enjoy this hobby?
  • What did I compromise for this hobby?
  • What did I gain from this hobby?
  • Is this hobby worth it?
  • Are there any adjustments I should make for this hobby?
  • Should I keep this hobby?

Once you come up with your answer, adjust your exploration. You can decide which hobbies to invest more resources in and which ones to stop doing.

Address the barriers

In your effort to cultivate happiness through hobbies, you will face many challenges. But giving up together should not be the first option. Below are common challenges you may face in your journey and how to overcome them:

“I don’t have time for hobbies.”

It’s easy to assume that hobbies require a significant time commitment, but this isn’t always the case. If you start small, hobbies can fit into even the busiest days. Below are some ideas to make time for hobbies:

• Set a 10-minute timer. Pick an activity that interests you and do it for ten minutes; there’s no pressure to do more. Try doodling or sketching, attending a yoga session, or solving a brainteaser or small puzzle. You can also read a few pages of an article or book, or take pictures of interesting objects in your surroundings.
• Schedule “micro-hobby” time. Just like you would for a meeting or errand, set aside a brief, precise period each day on your calendar.
• Pair with routine activities. Pair a hobby with a routine, such as knitting during TV commercials or listening to a podcast on the commute.

“I am not good enough.”

Fears of failure or judgment can prevent you from trying at all. Action is the first step toward changing your perspective and creating space for development. Below are some ideas to encourage yourself:

• Cultivate self-affirmation. Before you begin, write or say out loud, “It’s okay to be a beginner,” or “Progress matters more than perfection.” Repeat to help reframe self-doubt.
• Set achievable goals. Start with easy-to-achieve tasks, such as learning just 3 guitar chords or drawing for 2 minutes.
• Practice “safe failing.” To make mistakes seem less daunting, consider starting your hobby practice privately at first, or only sharing your early attempts with friends.
• Celebrate every step. After each session, record or discuss your accomplishments, no matter how small.
• Normalize mistakes. Seek out online discussion boards or videos where people discuss their novice errors; this normalizes flaws and progress.

Read more: From Perfectionism to Progress: Steps to Break the Cycle for Productivity 

“I have no one to do it with.”

Even if the people closest to you are busy or uninterested, you can still build a community around your hobbies. Below are some ideas to create a hobby community:

• Join local or online groups. Locate people who share your interests through websites like Meetup, neighborhood community centers, or forums dedicated to a particular hobby.
• Find a “hobby buddy.” Discover if a coworker, neighbor, or online friend would be interested in sharing progress or checking in weekly, even virtually.
• Attend events/lessons alone. Enroll in a class or event on your own; many hobbyists attend alone and are open to meeting new people.
• Share progress online. If you feel comfortable doing so, share your journey on social media or a hobby-focused app. The goal is to connect with and find support from people who are following your path, rather than seeking likes.
• Volunteer or work together. A lot of hobby groups (like music, gardening, or crafting) offer volunteer days or cooperative projects that are perfect for beginners.

Regardless of their schedule, level of skill, or social circle, anyone can incorporate hobbies into their life by removing obstacles and following these simple, achievable steps.

In conclusion 

Busy routines and responsibilities can push happiness and hobbies to the background. But this could be a mistake.

Making time for the things you love isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessary step on the path to better balance and wellbeing. By embracing hobbies in your life, you can enhance your mental well-being, overall happiness, and social interactions. 

So, bring back your old hobbies or find something new today!

If you want to see more resources on hobbies, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by drobotdean on Freepik

The post Rediscover Happiness Through Hobbies appeared first on Insights.

For some, it may be financial abundance. For others, it may be starting a family. Maybe you’re happy right now, reading this article, as you sip a simple cup of coffee. There is no “one-size-fits-all” definition for happiness.

This article will explore how happiness is seen differently across cultures and disciplines. Hopefully, this will help you build a foundational understanding of what happiness is and aid you in embracing different definitions of happiness on your journey towards it. 

By widening your perspective, you will be more equipped to challenge your limiting beliefs about happiness and discover new ways to foster happiness in your life. So, open your mind to these perspectives and discover how these could resonate with you and your journey towards happiness.

Exploring the different definitions of happiness

To understand what happiness is, the first step you can take is to learn more about the different definitions of happiness. Below are the various perspectives on the meaning of happiness:

Dictionary

The dictionary definition of happiness in the dictionary could provide the historical background of this often-used term.

The Online Etymology Dictionary noted how the word “happy” appeared in the late 14th century. The word was initially considered as an adjective that means “lucky, favored by fortune, being in advantageous circumstances, prosperous.” This shows that back then, happiness was largely linked to chance or luck.

By the 1590s, the meaning of “happiness” had evolved into a “pleasant and contented mental state.” The meaning has shifted, beginning as a term rooted in external fortune, to one’s internal state.

In a modern sense, the Oxford English Dictionary has provided various definitions of the word “happiness”, which are as follows:

• “The quality or condition of being happy.”
• “Good fortune or good luck in life generally or in a particular affair; success, prosperity. Now rare.” 
• “An instance or cause of good fortune. Frequently in the plural (in later use often as part of a stylized formula for wishing good fortune).”
• “The state of pleasurable contentment of mind; deep pleasure in or contentment with one’s circumstances.” 
• “An instance or source of pleasure or contentment.”
• “Successful or felicitous aptitude, fitness, suitability, or appropriateness; felicity. Also: an instance of this. Now rare.”

This shows that even in the dictionary, the word “happiness” has varied meanings, from external good fortune to the internal emotional state of contentment and joy, and everything in between. 

From this, you’ll see how the meaning of happiness evolved over time and how it shapes the way people perceive happiness today. This could serve as a reminder that, indeed, luck can contribute to your happiness, but you can also reclaim happiness as something within your control.

Philosophy

The question of what happiness truly means has been wrestled with by many philosophers for centuries. Each offers unique perspectives shaped by their own cultural, ethical, and metaphysical views on what it means to truly live a happy life.

Learning more about these perspectives can be beneficial, as it challenges you to reflect more deeply on your values and the kind of happiness you believe deserves to be pursued.

Below are some of those philosophers and the way they interpret happiness, which is elaborated in a chapter from “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Utility: Happiness in Philosophical and Economic Thought” by Anthony and Charles Kenny:

Aristotle

Aristotle is one of the earliest philosophers to question what happiness is. He argued that happiness (eudaimonia) is the supreme good that provides meaning and measures the value of all human endeavors.

He asserted that a truly happy person lives virtuously, appreciates pleasures in moderation, and places the highest value on contemplation.

Epicurus

Epicurus explains happiness as pleasure, but highlights that not all pleasures are equal. He favors simple pleasures and a modest life that is more focused on sobriety, justice, and friendship. Thus, he argued that luxuries and sensual excess are not necessary for true happiness.

In short, happiness, according to him, lies in the freedom from pain and the satisfaction from simple and natural desires.

Stoics

From the perspective of the Stoics, virtue is considered the sole source of happiness. This means that they see happiness as self-sufficient and immune to external influences. 

However, their perspective illustrates happiness as unrealistic because it ignores the frailty and vulnerability of human life. 

Economy

As cliché as the “money can’t buy happiness” sounds, the saying is actually true. In his paper, Richard Easterlin asserted that, indeed, rich people tend to be happier than the poor. However, he also asserted that richer countries are not necessarily happier than poorer ones. This shows that an increase in national income does not necessarily lead to happier societies.

From this, he emphasized that economic welfare is not the mere measure of happiness. Instead, it is also measured in the broader aspect of life that extends beyond the material domain (e.g., health, family, sense of purpose, etc). 

In a world that often equates happiness with profits, this perspective can remind you that money alone can’t be the sole source of your happiness. Understanding this could remind you that the goal is to be happier, not wealthier.

Cross-cultural perspective

People worldwide have diverse ideas about what constitutes true happiness. A group of researchers conducted a study examining the global definition of happiness.

From the 30 countries they analyzed, they found that 24 of them defined happiness as being associated with good luck and favorable external conditions. Furthermore, they also noted that people with this perspective feel less in control of their happiness and make fewer intentional efforts to seek it. 

Interestingly, the study also found that the presence of this fortune-based definition was linked to the nation’s distance from the equator, specifically to the countries farther from the equator. They argued that the harsher climates (which influence one’s need for external fortune) in these countries could explain why they see happiness as something dependent on luck and fortune.

On the contrary, people who viewed happiness as an internal and achievable feeling tend to be happier than the previous group. This may be because, in cultures that view happiness as a goal, people make choices based on what they believe will bring them happiness. 

So, what’s the point of learning all this?

This insight could remind you that where you are in this world, along with other external factors, could play a part in shaping your happiness. However, it is also important to take ownership of your happiness. 

Psychology

In his review article, Diener elaborated that the perspective of psychology defines happiness through three lenses:

• Normative definition. In this perspective, happiness is viewed as dependent on external standards such as virtue, morality, or success.
• Subjective evaluations. This approach views happiness as an individual’s assessment of life in relation to their personal standard.
• Emotional experience. Within this perspective, happiness is viewed as experiencing more positive emotions than negative ones.

This illustrates that the term ‘happiness’ is ambiguous. Hence, Diener introduced the term “Subjective Well-Being” (SWB). SWB is an individual’s general evaluation of life that comprises three components: Positive Affect, Negative Affect, and Life Satisfaction.

The emotional components of SWB are the Positive and Negative Affect. Positive Affect is the experience of pleasant emotions, such as joy, love, and serenity. On the other hand, Negative Affect refers to the experience of unpleasant feelings, such as sadness, anger, and anxiety. 

Life satisfaction is considered to be the cognitive component of SWB. It is one’s global cognitive judgment of one’s life. Individual evaluations are very subjective in generating this judgment. This is due to various factors in one’s life circumstances and priorities. This is why people have different ideas on defining happiness.

This is particularly helpful, considering the ambiguity and philosophical variability in defining happiness. Understanding this could help you get a clearer picture of what happiness comprises in general and the areas you should attend to in order to foster it.

By understanding the components, you can begin to reflect on what can help you achieve emotional well-being and increase your overall life satisfaction.

Read more: What ‘Life Satisfaction’ Truly Means

How to cultivate a multi-dimensional approach to happiness

From each discipline and perspective, you can see how subjective and multi-interpretative happiness is. However, each shows a certain understanding of what happiness is and the many ways to find it. Thereby, you should understand that there’s not only one road to happiness.

Here are some ways you could find and cultivate happiness from many sources of life:

Practice cultural and philosophical openness

Firstly, it is important to note that there are no bad interpretations of happiness. Instead, every perspective could enrich your knowledge regarding many ways to find happiness.

Therefore, do not solely focus on one notion of what happiness is. Try to be open to understanding and seek these many forms of happiness. 

Reflect on your happiness

Once you understand what happiness is, try reflecting on the sources of happiness in your life. Some exercises could help individuals reflect on their happiness. Here is one of the ways to do so:

• List things that make you happy. Recall and write down the things and instances that bring you happiness.
• Use prompts. To find out what makes you happy, you can complete the sentence “The things that make me happy are…” Write down as many endings to that sentence as you can. 
• Find the theme. Read those sentences and note the current themes from them.

With the help of that exercise, try to incorporate your recent insights regarding happiness from various perspectives and disciplines. Below are some ideas based on each viewpoint:

Happiness is pleasure

This viewpoint sees happiness as something that is experienced by activities and experiences that bring immediate pleasure. With this perspective,  you can complete the sentence with:

• Weekly yoga
• Delicious matcha
• Traveling the world

Happiness is luck

This viewpoint sees happiness as something that happens by chance, unexpected good fortune or serendipitous moments. Thus, you can complete the sentence with:

• The time I met my best friend at a concert.
• I’m fortunate to have been accepted in my current job, despite my limited work experience.

Happiness is an internal state 

This viewpoint sees happiness as an internal emotional state of the preponderance of positive emotions rather than negative ones. Thus, you can complete the sentence with:

• Peaceful morning walks
• The pride of finishing my deadline on time
• The warmth I experience after talking to my loved ones

Happiness is life satisfaction 

This viewpoint sees happiness as a big-picture assessment of how well life aligns with one’s values and goals. Thus, you can complete the sentence with:

• Watching my children grow exceptionally.
• Seeing how good I am at balancing my work and life.
• Excel in my career without compromising my values.

Map your way

Now that you have reflected on the sources of your happiness, you are equipped with the knowledge to cultivate it. So, it is time to move forward by mapping your happiness journey.

Below are the steps to do so:

1. Make an activities log. First, reflect on your current activities for the past 1-2 weeks. List down each of those activities along with their duration. Then, rate them on a scale of 1-5 in terms of how much they cultivate your happiness.
2. Assess and improve your current life. Reflect on the sources of your happiness and assess your current life. Then, ask yourself:
   1. What is missing? 
   2. How do I bring more happiness to my life?
   3. What should I do less?
3. Design the schedule. Once you have the activities, create a plan for the week to implement them. Try to prioritize the activities that bring you happiness in these schedules. 
4. Be realistic. Don’t overschedule and aim for perfection. Be realistic and leave room for things that are beyond your control. Also, focus on quality rather than quantity.
5. Execute the schedule. Live through the week and make another daily activities log. As in the previous log, jot down the name of the activity, its duration, and a scale from 1 to 5 on how much it cultivates your happiness.
6. Review the map. At the end of each week, compare your map with that week’s activities log. Review your progress and adjust your goals. 

Read more: How Much Happiness Do You Really Need?

In conclusion 

It is incorrect to assume that happiness is limited to certain things. It comes in many different forms and is highly personal depending on the individual. 

Knowing many interpretations of happiness equips you with the knowledge that the journey toward happiness is not merely a single lane.

So, embrace the ambiguity of happiness and realize how beautiful it is to know that the sources of happiness are limitless.

If you want to see more resources on happiness, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by Priscilla Du Preez on Unsplash

The post Why You Should Have Many Different Definitions of Happiness appeared first on Insights.

There is an assumption that anger and happiness cannot coexist. People think that happiness is good, while anger is bad.

Indeed, anger is a negative and displeasing emotion, but it’s not an all-destructive and inherently bad emotion that you should avoid at all costs. Instead, experiencing anger could lead to some positive outcomes. 

This article will illustrate the outcomes of anger, both the good and the bad. It will also suggest ways to get the best out of this emotion. So, scroll more to learn ways to be happy by being angry.

The benefits of anger

According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, anger is an emotion characterized by hostility and tension. The definition also notes that it arises from frustration, real or imagined injury by another, or perceived injustice. 

Anger is inevitable. Everyone has experienced it and deemed it a destructive emotion that should be avoided at all costs. However, despite its unpleasant nature, anger can also bring some good.

Signals for correcting any harm or injustice

In a paper exploring the role of anger in relationships, researchers noted that anger acts as a signal to inform individuals of any harm or injustice that has occurred. This signal will accompany the physiological arousal that prepares them to take correctional actions.

The role of anger as a signal could be seen in many circumstances. For example, in a romantic relationship, you could be angry with your partner for frequently forgetting to take the trash out of the house.

In this situation, your anger signals a problem in their relationship that needs to be addressed. This anger could motivate you to take corrective action, such as giving your partner clear and assertive feedback.

Anger can affect one’s happiness because it motivates corrective action. The Theory of Positive Balance explains this, arguing that this correctional action signal is why a certain degree of negative emotions (anger included) is needed for happiness. 

With anger, you can address problems and seek better outcomes, leading to positive behavioral changes.

Thus, in the theory of positive balance, positive mental health is an overall state in which positive emotions surpass negative ones. However, this doesn’t imply that negative emotions are completely absent.

Motivator for goal attainment

In addition to being a corrective action signal, anger also plays a part in goal attainment. 

Researchers from Texas A&M University show this in their study. They suggested that anger motivates individuals, making them more driven and determined to overcome obstacles and achieve their goals.

A meta-analysis pointed out that successful people tend to experience higher levels of happiness and subjective well-being. Thus, goal attainment plays a role in shaping one’s happiness.

In other words, anger plays a part in your happiness. It helps you recognize your issues, resolve them, and pursue your goals. Thus, the notion that anger and happiness could not co-exist is incorrect.

Read more: Unraveling the Relationship Between Achievement and Happiness

The pitfalls of uncontrolled anger

Despite being able to generate positive outcomes, this does not mean you should not control your anger. When unregulated, the dance of anger could generate many negative outcomes, such as the following.

Narrowing perspective

Anger could narrow your perspective. Researchers from Georgetown University and Wharton School explain that this could happen because when experiencing anger, individuals tend to be fixated on their viewpoint and find it difficult to consider other perspectives. Their anger causes them to direct their focus on the triggers.

Disrupting sleep

Researchers from Iowa State University found that people with poor anger control tend to sleep poorly. Conversely, those who can control their anger impulses sleep better. In short, controlling anger is necessary to avoid disrupting sleep quality.

Practices for harnessing anger effectively

With the benefits one may reap from experiencing anger, it is important for individuals not to shun anger entirely. Meanwhile, the pitfalls that could come from unregulated anger could be detrimental.

With that in mind, finding the balance between dealing with anger and experiencing it healthily is important. Below are some ways you could employ to do so:

Establish timeout

In circumstances that elicit anger, taking a timeout to cool down and regain composure is helpful. This anger management strategy could help individuals not to engage in destructive behavior. Here are the steps to do so:

1. Communicate the duration of the timeout. If other people are involved, communicate your intention to take a timeout. Let them know how long you’ll need to set clear expectations for yourself.
2. Physically leave the situation. Remove yourself from the premises to create a physical separation. This will give you space to calm yourself.
3. Engage in healthy activities. These include activities that could reduce your anger arousal, such as walking, meditating, reading, etc. However, refrain from activities that may harm you, such as driving. Also, don’t consume alcohol and other substances, as they could exacerbate emotions and impair judgment.
4. Resume the discussion. After the agreed-upon timeout period, check to see if both parties are ready to discuss the issue calmly and constructively.

Recognize anger triggers

The first step in managing anger effectively is to be aware of your triggers. To do so, take some time to reflect on the circumstances under which you experience anger.

Grab some paper and take notes on those triggers by answering the questions below:

• What are the signs of your anger?
• In what ways could your anger benefit you?
• In daily life, what everyday situations anger you?
• In what ways does your anger become destructive?
• What are the anger-eliciting situations in your past that you find hard to let go of?
• What are the actions you do when you are angry? What are the impacts of those actions?

Reframe the angry thoughts

Once you’ve identified the triggers, identify and reframe the cognitive distortions behind them. 

Cognitive distortions are inaccurate thought patterns. Identifying and challenging cognitive distortions is important, as it helps reduce the intensity of the anger. Below are the common anger-eliciting cognitive distortions and ways to reframe them:

Labeling

These are the distortions where you generate overly simplistic and negative judgments about others. Reframe this distortion by focusing on the specific behaviors, not the person. For example:

• Distortion: “He is awful.”
• Reframing: “He may struggle with personal issues.”

Shoulds 

This is when you hold unrealistic expectations for others or themselves. Instead of demanding, it will be better to express wishes or desires and reframe these distortions. For example:

• Distortion: “She should not have done that.”
• Reframing: “I wish she would’ve behaved differently.”

Blaming

Rather than taking personal responsibility, you may assume responsibility for the situations toward others. With this kind of distortion, individuals should recognize their reactions. For example:

• Distortion: “He is an annoying person.”
• Reframing: “I am annoyed with what he did.”

Blowing things out of proportion

This is a distortion where you magnify situations to see something worse than it really is. For example:

• Distortion: “My life is over!”
• Reframing: “I am disappointed with their actions, but it is not the end of my life. ”

Therefore, you should assess and acknowledge the situation as it is without any exaggeration.

Mind reading

This is when you assume you know other people’s intentions or thoughts without evidence. To reframe this distortion, individuals focus on facts instead of speculating. For example:

• Distortion: “He is trying to gaslight me.”
• Reframing: “This is just my interpretation, not a fact. I don’t know what is in his head. Maybe I do have some responsibility for this problem.”

Fortune-telling

You do this when you predict negative outcomes without evidence. To reframe this kind of distortion, avoid assumptions and acknowledge uncertainty. 

For example:

• Distortion: “She’ll never change.”
• Reframing: “She may be resistant to change right now, but change is still possible.”

Read more: Anger Management: How to Tame Your Temper

Channel healthy anger into positive outcomes

Instead of destructive outcomes, channel your anger into positive results. Below are some steps you can take to do so:

• Appraise the situation. Reflect on the anger-eliciting situation and recall your thoughts on it. Remember your immediate thoughts regarding the situation. Next, reflect on whether you handled the situation effectively  
• Brainstorm the positive outcomes. Identify three positive ways you could have channeled your anger in that situation. This could be the solution to resolve the situation, engaging in expressive activities (writing, painting, etc) or actions that could impact a broader societal change (activism, volunteering, and advocacy).

Channeling anger into positive outcomes is a transformative experience. It turns a potentially destructive emotion into a powerful force for personal growth and meaningful change. 

However, there are times when you can’t regulate anger on your own. Addressing this is necessary, as it may cause you to be violent to others and yourself. When this happens, you should seek professional help. 

In conclusion 

Try to reflect on when you feel anger bubbling up inside you.

At that moment, you may realize that it is not merely an unpleasant feeling. Rather, it is also a message to act and fix the situation. Recognize that anger is not a villain. That being said, it is essential to manage anger and experience it healthily. You should not let it consume you.

So, take a step toward happiness by embracing and managing anger.

If you would like to see more resources on anger, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by diana.grytsku on Freepik

The post The Benefits and Pitfalls of Anger appeared first on Insights.

It is common for people to feel powerless during tumultuous political and economic times. Failing to manage this distress could lead to “learned helplessness.”

This article will delve into the psychological mechanisms behind learned helplessness and offer practical ways to overcome it. So, navigate through these challenging times and reclaim control over helplessness.

What is learned helplessness?

The most accepted learned helplessness definition is that it is a behavioral response that occurs when individuals fail to use any control options toward any circumstances (even if they are changeable) due to exposure to uncontrollable stressors. 

The term “learned helplessness” was first coined in animal studies, particularly in a study on dogs. This study examined how exposure to inescapable shocks could affect the dogs’ ability to learn and perform escape and avoidance behaviors in new situations. 

The study shows that exposure to inescapable shocks can lead to a state of learned helplessness. This is when the dogs give up trying to escape or avoid aversive stimuli because they perceive them as uncontrollable. 

This shows how exposure to uncontrollable stressors can affect one’s behavior.  Humans could also show the same responses. When repeatedly exposed to difficult things you can’t control, you may eventually feel powerless and give up trying. The next sections will go into more detail about this fascinating phenomenon.

Causes of learned helplessness

Experiencing distress in life is inescapable. However, being repeatedly exposed to negative events does always lead to learned helplessness. Here are the factors that lead to this psychological state:

Exposure to uncontrollable stressors

Drawing from the findings in the animal studies, scientists further explored the concept of learned helplessness in psychology. They asserted that when experiencing uncontrollable events, individuals could become passive and helpless in acting to change their situations. 

Learned helplessness is not just a consequence of stress, but it is specifically linked to the uncontrollability of the stressors. Uncontrollable stressors cause changes in your neurobiological pathways, particularly in the role of the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus, serotonin, and Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone:

• Dorsal Raphe Nucleus (DRN). DRN is a part of the brain crucial to generating serotonin (a hormone vital in stress response). When faced with uncontrollable stress, the nerve cells in this area become more sensitive. So, when you encounter that stressor again, your brain releases excessive serotonin, leading to passivity and even depression.
• Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone (CRH). When experiencing stress, the CRH is released and kicks off the body’s fight-or-flight response (the immediate reaction to danger). When the stressor is uncontrollable, CRH could work more actively. This affects the serotonin-producing nerve cells in the brain, leading to feelings of helplessness.

Pessimistic explanatory styles

The American Psychological Association defines explanatory style as “an individual’s unique way of describing and explaining some phenomenon, event, or personal history.” These styles shape your interpretation and reaction toward any situation and event. Thus, it plays a crucial role in how you perceive those experiences. 

Explanatory styles could be divided into two categories : 

• Pessimistic/depressive explanatory style. Here, individuals attribute negative events as stable, global, and internally caused, while positive events are seen as temporary, specific, and external. 
• Optimistic explanatory style. The explanatory style in which individuals attribute negative events as temporary, specific, and externally caused, while positive events as enduring, global, and internally caused

A pessimistic explanatory style is more likely to lead to learned helplessness. Attributing negative events this way could make you expect that your actions are ineffective in controlling outcomes, leading to a sense of helplessness.

For illustration, in a situation where the unemployment rates are rising in a country, a citizen with a pessimistic explanatory style may think that:

• “This situation will never get better.”
• “This country is beyond repair.”
• “It is caused by our country’s incompetence.”

On the other hand, an individual with an optimistic explanatory style may think that:

• “Things will get better in the future.”
• “This country still has many other sectors that are currently flourishing. Despite the current barrier, it does not mean that this is the downfall of this country.”
• “This country is not the sole reason these things are happening, as the global economy is a very complex matter.”

Learned helplessness due to political and economic instabilities

Among all other things, global events are stressors that could cause you to feel helpless.

The Munich Security Report 2022 highlighted a significant sense of helplessness among people across various countries in response to global events. This feeling of helplessness is tied to multiple risk factors, such as political instability and economic challenges. 

As the uncontrollable global events alone could be detrimental, being exposed to the news regarding these issues could further exacerbate the distress. Frequent exposure to distressing news is associated with increased negative feelings and decreased positive feelings. 

This shows how crucial it is to manage the stress from the political and economic landscape. Failure to do so would lead to learned helplessness. 

Consequences of learned helplessness

After getting a clear picture of learned helplessness, do you wonder if it is really that bad? Could it be just another niche topic within psychology?

Unfortunately, learned helplessness isn’t something to brush aside. In reality, it could cause real consequences for you and your loved ones. Here are a few examples to illustrate its significance:

Inhibits happiness

Life satisfaction, a key component of happiness, reflects individuals’ satisfaction with their lives. Achieving this requires personal growth or one’s gradual psychosocial change. The Personal Growth Process Model highlights autonomy as essential in this growth, which is the ability to take responsibility for one’s actions.

Thus, your autonomy is essential to your happiness. However, experiencing learned helplessness could inhibit you from achieving this. 

When faced with uncontrollable stressors (including political and economic instabilities), you may feel you cannot influence the circumstances due to external factors. Hence, your sense of autonomy diminishes. Due to that, your process of personal growth could be stalled and inhibit you from experiencing life satisfaction and happiness. 

For example, say there’s a person affected by widespread layoffs. With job opportunities becoming scarce, they may believe that their efforts to find new jobs are futile. With this sense of helplessness and diminished autonomy, it could be hard for this person to be satisfied with their life. 

This sense of learned helplessness can lead them to stop applying for jobs altogether, further diminishing their sense of autonomy. Consequently, their personal growth stalls, resulting in decreased life satisfaction and happiness as they struggle to cope with their circumstances.

Reduces achievement

In a study on Italian students, researchers from the University of Messina found that learned helplessness is associated with lower achievement. In contrast, higher levels of mastery orientation — the pattern of behavior where individuals take a proactive approach to challenges — are correlated with better achievement. 

This shows how important it is to overcome learned helplessness, as it could affect your achievement. In the case of political and economic turmoil, you may believe that your efforts to achieve your personal and professional goals are futile. Thus, you must foster mastery-oriented attitudes to enhance your ability to perform even in an unstable climate.

Introduces risks of depression

Learned helplessness is a risk factor for depression. When people perceive the world as uncontrollable, they may behave in a way that supports this perception of helplessness. This would exacerbate the possibility of depression.

Political and economic stressors should also be considered. The perception of uncontrollability from these could make you feel helpless and adversely affect your mental health. Thus, you need to overcome the learned helplessness to avoid the possibility of depression.

Ways to overcome learned helplessness

In a tumultuous political and economic state, one can’t solve these complex issues alone. Due to the uncontrollable nature of these stressors, what you can do is manage them to avoid the learned helplessness that may come from them. 

Here are a few ways that you can overcome the sense of helplessness that comes from political and economic instabilities:

Take a break

Constantly focusing on what’s wrong in the world could be exhausting. Plus, being preoccupied with this distressing information would further cause you to be helpless.

Instead of paying attention to one distressing news after another, switch off the TV and your phone and take a much-needed break. Focus on yourself first. Here are some ideas on how to better spend your time.

• Meditate. This practice helps you calm your mind and reduce the stress you experience. There are numerous varieties of meditation that you could explore. You could access these through YouTube videos or mindfulness apps. 
• Take a nature walk. Walking in nature helps you reduce your stress and improve your mood. So, try to incorporate nature walks into your life, be it walking in the park, the beach, or simply admiring your own garden.
• Practice self-care. Engage in activities that nurture your well-being. These practices could include a spa treatment, binge-watching your favorite TV show, cafe-hopping, etc. Every person has different needs, so try to reflect and engage in activities that help you to feel fulfilled and balanced. 
• Set achievable goals. It may feel hard to experience personal growth because of current political and economic news. By focusing on things you can change that directly affect you, you may reduce your sense of helplessness and regain your sense of control.

Read more: Love Languages and Self-Care: Nurturing Yourself According to Your Unique Needs

Identify and address sources of helplessness

Next, reflect on the aspects that cause you to feel helpless. This is crucial as it allows you to see and resolve the issues instead of succumbing to helplessness. The steps are as follows:

• Identify the issues. Reflect on the political and economic issues that make you feel helpless. List it down and analyze the causes of these specific issues,
• List down the uncontrollable and controllable factors. Once you have identified the issues and the causes, the next step is to list down factors you can and cannot control. For example, you cannot control other people’s behavior, the economy, and other people’s decisions. On the other hand, you can control your own behavior, reactions, and decisions.
• Review the factors. Once you have identified the factors, examine if you feel attached to the outcomes related to these uncontrollable aspects. Investigate the reasons behind these attachments. Instead, you should concentrate on managing and improving the controllable aspects of your lives.
• Create a letting go statement. Write a statement summarizing the decision to let go of the event, decision,  relationship, or memory causing your helplessness. Post the statement somewhere visible (e.g., above the desk, on the refrigerator) as a constant reminder. 

Reframe negative thoughts

A pessimistic explanatory style, or attributing negative events as stable, global, and internally caused, tends to exacerbate learned helplessness. 

Therefore, regarding the unstable political and economic states, you should reframe the thoughts to fit more into an optimistic explanatory style. This means that you should attribute these thoughts as something that is:

• Caused by other people or circumstances outside of yourself
• Something that will change over time
• Having a limited impact on a specific situation.

Martin Seligman, an American psychologist and the author of Learned Optimism: How to Change Your Mind and Your Life, proposed the ABCDE model. This model could help you to reframe your negative thoughts. The steps are as follows:

1. Adversity (A). Identify and describe the negative event or situation you are facing. This could also apply to the political and economic issues that made you feel helpless.
2. Belief (B). Recognize the negative beliefs or thoughts that arise in response to adversity.
3. Consequences (C). Observe and record the emotional and behavioral outcomes resulting from holding these negative beliefs.
4. Disputation (D). Challenge and dispute the negative beliefs using the following techniques:
   • Evidence. Provide evidence that contradicts the negative belief.
   • Alternative explanations. Consider alternative reasons or explanations for the event.
   • Usefulness. Assess whether the belief is useful or helpful.
   • Implications. Evaluate the implications of the belief and its accuracy.
5. Energization (E). Note the shift in your emotional state and energy level after disputing the negative beliefs. You should also record how this change affects their ability to handle the situation.

Practice small acts of kindness

Changing the world could feel impossible, knowing that this huge place has endless complex issues that a person cannot solve alone.

Instead of being helpless about what is happening in the world, you could make an impact on a smaller scale. And a small act of kindness could be a means for that. 

Here are some small acts of kindness that, in some ways, could help in making an impact in the broader political and economic instabilities:

• Promoting a local business on your social media account
• Donating some amounts of money to charity
• Encouraging people around us to donate
• Sharing job opportunities with people who need it

Read more: Why Kindness Matters

Seek support and connection

When the world starts to take a toll on you, seeking help from your support system will always be a great help. Having someone to express your frustrations and sense of helplessness can help to take the load off your mind. 

So, reach out to friends and family that you feel comfortable with. And when it is still not enough, consider getting the help you need from professionals.

In conclusion 

Politics and the economy often become significant sources of stress. Due to its uncontrollable nature, it often causes individuals to experience learned helplessness. This sense of helplessness can lead to various problems, including inhibited happiness, reduced achievement, and even the risk of depression.

Indeed, the world is too big to handle alone. However, you can overcome the sense of helplessness by addressing things under your control. By following the practices above, you can gradually shift from a state of learned helplessness to a more empowered and proactive mindset. Ultimately, this helps you nurture your happiness.

So, despite the uncontrollable and difficult circumstances, reclaim the control and alleviate the helplessness!

If you would like to see more resources on learned helplessness, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by ArthurHidden on Freepik

The post Overcoming Learned Helplessness During Political Instability and Economic Hardship appeared first on Insights.

Have you ever thought the same way? You are not alone. This is part of a trend called “girl math,” which frames spending and budgeting in a humorous way. It can help people approach self-care purchases with less stress. However, over-relying on this logic can lead to poor financial decisions and a cycle of constant spending that causes you to be stuck in the “hedonic treadmill.” 

Despite its playful nature, it’s important to use girl math mindfully. This article will explore the psychology of girl math, self-care, and the hedonic treadmill. So, girl-math your way to life without compromising your happiness and wallet.

What is “girl math”?

“Girl math” is a term popularized through TikTok, particularly among women. It’s a whimsical approach to justify one’s spending decisions. It is often a self-deprecating joke to poke fun at one’s financial decisions. 

According to TikTok Creative Center’s data, the popularity of the hashtag #girlmath started to rise in July 2023 and reached its peak in October 2023. Until August 2024, the hashtag was used by approximately 155k posts worldwide. 

Girl math and mental accounting

Essentially, girl math is just a form of mental accounting. An American economist, Richard Thaler, defined mental accounting as “the set of cognitive operations used by individuals and households to organize, evaluate, and keep track of financial activities.” With this cognitive process, people tend to allocate their money into various accounts (e.g., household expenses, savings, entertainment, etc.) and treat them differently. 

As girl math involves justifying spending through creative budgeting methods, it often leads to financial decisions prioritizing immediate enjoyment over long-term stability. While this helps simplify financial decisions, it can lead to poor choices if not managed carefully.

For example, girl math often involves people maintaining separate budgets for “fun money” and “household needs,” which can lead to overspending on fun activities. They perceive the money allocated for fun as “extra cash,” distinct from their main budget. 

Below are some girl math examples and the mental accounting behind it:

“An item that originally cost $200 is on 50% sale. That means I just made $100 and I can spend it on other things.”

People may see the $100 discount as “extra money” instead of a reduction in the cost of that item. This leads to the idea that the “extra money” is the available funds they can spend on other items.

“It is better to buy an additional item that costs $50 to get free shipping instead of paying a $15 shipping fee.”

In this context, individuals treat the shipping fee and the additional purchase as two different “accounts.” The shipping fee is considered a fixed cost associated with the purchase. Spending the additional $50 is considered justifiable as it allows individuals to avoid this fixed cost. 

“I bought the concert ticket a year ago. So on the day of the concert, the ticket cost is basically free.”

This thought could be explained by the sunk-cost effect, which is the greater tendency to continue something once an investment in money, effort, or time has been made. So, the purchased ticket is now considered mentally “spent” and no longer part of the present budget. 

Girl math and self-care

A study published in the Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment considers self-care as proactive steps to enhance one’s resilience and well-being.

The study asserts that self-care practices have two main aims: limiting the negative and enhancing the positive outcomes. Additionally, they highlighted that self-care requires a holistic approach that incorporates various domains of life. The domains are: 

• Physical
• Professional
• Relationship
• Emotional
• Psychological
• Spiritual

Self-care practices fall within the emotional domain in relation to girl math purchases. In this domain, self-care practices are activities that minimize negative experiences and promote happiness and well-being. 

This is supported by a study on hedonic product consumption. The products that are mainly characterized by affective and sensory experiences that provide experiential enjoyment, excitement, and pleasure are referred to as hedonic products. The study shows that frequent consumption of low-cost hedonic products can enhance one’s happiness.

In engaging in these self-care practices, people may often use “girl math” to rationalize these purchases. A study that explored emotions’ role in financial decision-making could explain this. 

They highlighted how individuals can experience a strong emotional pull towards spending, driven by the belief that it will improve their mood or make them feel better in the short term. This instant gratification can overshadow more rational financial planning. They also found that consumers often rationalize their spending, even if it hurts their finances because they feel immediate emotional benefits from their purchases.

In simple terms, self-care is often used as a rationalization for “girl math purchases.” But while rationalizing like this may provide short-term happiness, people should be more mindful of girl math. Not being mindful of their justifications can trap people in the “hedonic treadmill.”

Girl math and the hedonic treadmill

There are two main approaches to pursuing happiness: hedonic (seeking pleasure and comfort) and eudaimonic (seeking purpose and growth). Research from the University of Rochester suggests combining both for a balanced life.

Girl math can help fulfill hedonic motives by making spending on pleasures seem more justifiable. However, you should be more mindful of your pursuit of pleasure, as it could lead you to be stuck on a “hedonic treadmill” or “hedonic adaptation.” It is the phenomenon of pursuing one pleasure after another.

This endless pursuit occurs due to the initial surge of happiness from a pleasurable experience. However, it eventually returns to its stable baseline. So, no matter how often you achieve peak pleasure, the happiness will eventually wear off.

This cycle is a normal experience. However, failing to manage one’s pursuit of happiness generates various negative consequences, such as:

• Lower life satisfaction. Engaging in unhealthy pleasure-seeking behaviors could lower one’s life satisfaction and flourishing. Therefore, girl-math-ing your purchases in the name of happiness is irrelevant, as pursuing pleasure does not guarantee your overall sense of satisfaction with life.
• Overconsumption. The hedonic treadmill can drive individuals to overconsumption. The never-ending pursuit of happiness through material possessions hurts your wallet. So, solely trusting your girl math and prioritizing your pleasures would eventually be bad for your finances.

Read more: Managing Post-Concert Depression and Breaking Free From the Hedonic Treadmill

Techniques for mindful spending

Indeed, individuals must prioritize self-care, and girl math can be a helpful tool for it. However, doing this all the time can be bad for your happiness and personal finances. Therefore, you must be more mindful of your financial decisions. Below are some ways where you can be more mindful of your purchases and not be easily swayed by girl math:

Be more aware of your spending habits

When you are about to purchase something, your girl math rationalization probably strengthens your motivation to buy it. However, you should be more aware of your spending habits. This is important for you to avoid the impulsive urge to purchase things driven by your girl math rationalization. 

To do so, you should reflect on the money you have spent lately. This means you should track your spending and understand how these expenses align with your needs and financial goals. 

Therefore, regularly checking your account balance and history would help you gain the necessary insights. You’ll understand your spending habits and adjust.

So, before you decide to buy that particular item for self-care, make sure you check your account balance and history first. This could help you protect your financial health instead of succumbing to the temporary satisfaction from those purchases.

Set clear goals and budgets

To avoid overconsumption, it is important for you to set clear financial goals and budgets.

This will give you direction in ensuring that your money is spent on what truly matters to you. It will also help you avoid impulsive purchases that seem rational due to girl math calculations. 

Below are the steps to do so:

1. Reflect. Know your priorities and values, especially about money.
2. Budget. Once you have realized what area to prioritize to spend your money on, create a budget plan to allocate your expenses. You could use the 50/30/20 budgeting rule, where you allocate the percentage of your income into three groups: 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings.
3. Make a visible reminder. This will prevent you from being tempted to do unnecessary girl math shopping. You could put a reminder on your phone wallpaper, bedroom wall, or fridge.

Read more: Efficient Budgeting: Optimizing Your Financial Management

Find non-material forms of self-care

To be happy, you should not solely focus on materialistic things. You could still engage in emotional self-care practices that do not require more money.

You should also attend to your other life domains that also need self-care. As previously mentioned, there are many more domains of life in which you could direct your self-care practices. To do so, take a moment to reflect on each of these domains and list down ways to practice self-care in these domains. 

Whether it is through going for a run, practicing yoga, reconnecting with your friends, and so on, the options are limitless.

Read more: Love Languages and Self-Care: Nurturing Yourself According to Your Unique Needs

In conclusion

Indeed, girl math could make self-care purchases less daunting. Unfortunately, the ease does not come without risks. The continuous and unconscious use of girl math can trap you on the hedonic treadmill, leading to overconsumption and lower life satisfaction. 

This does not mean that you should abandon self-care practices to be frugal. Instead, find the balance between prioritizing self-practices and still being responsible with your spending behavior. 

So, ensure the girl math trend won’t compromise your happiness and wallet.

If you would like to see more resources on self-care & hedonic treadmill, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by tonodiaz on Freepik

The post The Psychology of Girl Math: Self-Care or Hedonistic Rationalization? appeared first on Insights.

These trends frequently involve people documenting their daily routines in the form of aesthetically pleasing videos. Despite being fun to watch, these videos might convey the idea of what a perfect daily routine one must have. Each person has distinct needs and lifestyles, so these idealized daily routines might not fit everyone.

This article will explore these trends more and explain how you could opt for more realistic, practical, and personalized daily routines. 

Get ready with this article for a more realistic daily routine.

Understanding the GRWM and other routine-related trends

‘Get Ready with Me’ (GRWM), ‘A Day in My Life,’ and ‘That Girl’ are all trends that showcase people’s daily routines, encompassing productivity, personal care, and lifestyle aspects. Each type is somewhat different but broadly similar. The differences between these trends are:

• GRWM: Featuring beauty routines such as skincare and makeup applications and outfit selections. 
• A Day in My Life: Featuring a structured full-day activities coverage of a person, often highlighting an integration of work, physical, social, and self-care activities. 
• That Girl: Featuring an idealized lifestyle of “that girl,” portrayed as a woman who gets up early, works out frequently, eats properly, keeps up a tidy appearance, and is very productive.

These videos primarily introduce viewers to fresh perspectives on their daily routines. A study by Adrian Meier and colleagues shows that exposure to others’ positive self-presentations on social network sites like Instagram can trigger upward social comparison, where individuals compare themselves to others perceived as superior in a particular aspect. This comparison could lead to positive outcomes such as media-induced inspiration, which can enhance well-being.

Therefore, witnessing the experiences and achievements of others online may motivate you to strive for personal growth and fulfillment in your own lives.

However, these inspirations do not mean that you should fully replicate the content creators’ entire life experiences and routines. Below are the common pitfalls of these trends that you should be mindful of:

Impersonal and unachievable expectations

These content creators live a different life with you. They have a different lifestyle and resources. In addition to that, the contents these creators showcase are often the glorified version of their realities. These trends might give off the idea that this life portrayed on screen is realistic and unattainable, where, in reality, it is a mere polished facade.

Having these unrealistic expectations could be detrimental to you. When unrealistic expectations are not achieved, individuals are more likely to feel despondent, frustrated, and give up on their process. 

Reduced subjective well-being

Indeed, social media content could be an avenue for individuals to obtain inspiration. However, comparing oneself to unrealistic internet content is often detrimental to one’s subjective well-being. 

A review article highlights how social networking sites often lead to reduced subjective well-being through social comparison. These platforms often present an abundance of overly positive content, fostering unrealistic standards and feelings of inadequacy or dissatisfaction when one compares one’s own life to the curated content. This can lead to envy, inferiority, and diminished self-esteem.

Overconsumption

The routine-related videos usually featured the products, clothing, and experiences that are part of their idealized daily routine. This could motivate individuals to make purchasing decisions to emulate that lifestyle. 

This phenomenon is observed by Ally Consumer Research’s survey of 1,000 Gen-Z and Millennial American women. They found that after seeing it on GRWM videos on TikTok, 52% of the participants purchased the product showcased in the video. 

Additionally, a study points out that influencers significantly impact followers’ desires to mimic them and their sense of materialism, ultimately affecting buying intentions. Plus, the fear of missing out (FOMO) factor further moderates the relationship between exposure to influencers and materialism and purchase intention.

However, it is important to be mindful when purchasing these products to emulate other people’s lifestyles. Since these creators usually promote luxury products and services in their content, simply buying what they have could result in overconsumption, even financial strains.

Practical steps for creating your personalized daily routine

Interestingly, it was proven that one’s happiness and meaning in life do not necessarily rely on grand and extraordinary experiences. It was shown that the mundane activities in one’s daily routine impact happiness and meaning in life, as they provide a sense of significance, purpose, and coherence.

However, it is important to note that everyone has different perspectives on what brings happiness and a sense of significance. Therefore, no one-size-fits-all daily routine guarantees meaning in life. 

Thus, understand that these trendy routine videos are not the blueprints that guarantee your happiness. Instead, focus on creating a personalized routine that reflects your unique lifestyle needs and preferences. Below are the practical tips on how to personalize your routine:

Tailor a realistic plan

One of the most important steps to create a personalized daily routine that works for you is to plan. To be more precise, it is important to plan realistic goals. The goals you are about to achieve serve as a guide for your desired routine. To do so, you should avoid setting vague goals, such as ‘living a healthy life.’ Instead, you should break it down to be more specific and detailed,

By breaking down larger objectives into smaller, achievable steps, you can manage competing demands and maintain a sense of equilibrium between work, personal life, and self-care. Below are some examples of specific and detailed goals:

• Going to the gym at least three times a week on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday
• Sleep eight hours a night (from 10 PM to 6 AM)
• Not skipping breakfast every day

Start small 

When watching the content creators’ videos, it is normal to want drastic, one-eighty-degree changes in your life. Unfortunately, Rome was not built in a day, and the same is true for the routines you aspire to have. 

So, begin by incorporating small, manageable changes into your daily routine. Once you feel comfortable and confident, you can gradually adjust the changes you want to make.

For example, if you have been accustomed to going to bed after 12 AM, trying to fall asleep at 10 PM may be very hard. So, you could start with a smaller change by aiming to sleep at midnight. 

Set priorities

Once you have come up with a set of goals, the next thing you need to do is to make sure that it reflects your needs, preferences, and resources. Setting priorities would help you to create a rhythm and consistency in your routines, fostering stability. The ways to do so are as follows:

1. List it all. List down each task you plan to incorporate into your routine. This should cover every domain of your life, including work, personal interest, caregiving, and self-care.
2. Evaluate the cost. Once listed, you should evaluate the opportunity costs associated with each of these tasks. This includes the financial, time, energy, and social capital needed to execute the activities.
3. Identify the crucial tasks. After identifying each of the costs, you should notice which activities are crucial (achieving the work deadline or feeding the cat) and optional (learning a new language or binge-watching a TV show). This will allow you to get a clear picture of what needs to be done and what would be nice to do, which will allow you to allocate your time and energy accordingly.

Keep yourself accountable

Sometimes, you may find yourself procrastinating on the tasks you have committed to your routine. To mitigate this, you have to keep an eye on how you employ the plan you have set. Here are a few ways for you to do so:

• Identify a target behavior. Select a goal that you tend to put in the back of your mind.
• Set a scheduled time. Set a time when you can check in and reflect on your goal accomplishment. 
• Record. Write down the execution of this goal, whether in the paper, journal, or on the phone. You should note the frequency, duration, or intensity of the targeted behavior.

Be open to inspiration

Indeed, it is important to have a personalized daily routine that works for you. However, this does not mean that you should completely avoid adopting the positive behavior that you saw in the influencers’ routine videos. These positive activities may suit you and help you live a happier life. 

Read more: How to Build a Morning Routine That Boosts Your Energy and Focus. 

Here are the steps you could take to adapt the inspirations to fit your real life:

1. Identify and write down the positive activities you consider incorporating into the daily routine.
2. Jot down the specific experiences or achievements you may obtain by incorporating the positive activities you have previously come up with. This could be better work-life balance, relationships, personal growth, etc.
3. Write down the cost of resources needed to employ these positive behaviors. This would allow you to consider the attainability of this activity by being aware of the potential hazards or difficulties involved. For example, if you are planning to incorporate a daily run every morning, you may have to spend some money on good-quality running shoes and other activewear. 
4. Reflect on your personal values and how these behaviors can resonate with them. This will allow you to decide if these new behaviors are important to what truly matters to you. So in regards to daily running, you have to spend some money. However, if your priority lies in the importance of health, then this task would be considered important and worth the cost.
5. Decide on whether the activities should be included in the routine.

Be kind to yourself

Sometimes, you may fail to achieve your goals. That is okay. Remember that ‘perfectly imperfect is perfect,’ so you won’t be fully disappointed when you fail to execute the plan.

So, when you feel overwhelmed by the thought of having to go to the gym three times a week, you should not feel like an utter failure. Instead, you could adjust the plan, make it once a week, and gradually increase it once you feel comfortable.

Read more: How Your Daily Routine Can Cause Hurry Sickness (And What to Do Instead) 

In conclusion

The problem with the routines featured in the GRWM, ‘A Day in My Life,’ and ‘That Girl’ videos is that they are not a blueprint that will fit everyone.

However, the solution is not to avoid these social media-influenced routines at all costs. Instead, individuals should stay open to the inspiration from this video while being mindful of whether these activities will work with their needs and preferences. 

So, shake up your daily routine and be the director of your own life.

If you would like to see more resources on daily routine, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by Freepik

The post How to Make Personal and Realistic Daily Routines appeared first on Insights.

This experience is common for many concert-goers and is commonly referred to as post-concert blues or post-concert depression. This can leave you in a bad mental state, where you can make bad financial decisions and experience low levels of flourishing and life satisfaction.

There are many ways for you to cope with this experience. However, hopping from one concert to another may be less ideal and possibly cause you to become stuck on the hedonic treadmill. 

Keep scrolling to learn more about post-concert depression, the hedonic treadmill, and practical ways to address these experiences more healthily.

Music and pleasure

Music is a stimulus that causes individuals to experience pleasure. A study showed that music allows individuals’ brains to release dopamine, commonly known as the “feel-good” hormone. This effect is similar when individuals experience tangible rewards such as food, money, or drugs, which eventually leads to craving for more. 

There are many ways for individuals to experience music, and attending live concerts is one of them. A study pointed out how live music events provide hedonic and eudaimonic outcomes. Hedonic well-being is the happiness that one obtains from present-moment pleasure and positive sensations. The hedonic outcomes that one could experience from live concerts are relaxation, comfort, fun, and pleasure.

On the other hand, eudaimonic well-being is the happiness that comes from having meaning, purpose, and personal growth. The eudaimonic impacts that live concerts generate are meaning, personal growth, expressiveness,  and self-actualization.

Nevertheless, too much of anything is never good. If you focus too much on the physical pleasures (hedonic well-being) of attending your concerts, you can drift further away from its eudaimonic aspects. This can cause you to fall into post-concert depression.

Understanding post-concert depression

Indeed, the pleasure one could obtain from music and all its attached experiences are beneficial. Unfortunately, like all good things, initial pleasure and positivity would eventually fade and lead you to long for that same happiness again. This could be the reason why concert-goers experience post-concert depression.

Despite having the word “depression,” this term is not a clinical diagnosis of depression after a concert. Post-concert depression (PCD) is a popular term that most people use to describe the negative states one experiences after attending a concert. Usually, individuals in this state experience:

• Sadness 
• Emptiness
• Lack of motivation, concentration, and excitement to return to normal life 
• Fears of never experiencing the same emotional high again
• Wanting to go back to the day the concert occurred

When experiencing PCD, some people may be motivated to go to other music concerts to cope with this negative experience. However, you must be more mindful before making this your go-to solution when experiencing PCD, as it could potentially make you stuck in an endless pursuit of a “hedonic treadmill.”

Understanding hedonic treadmill

The “hedonic treadmill” or “hedonic adaptation” is a phenomenon where individuals tend to pursue one pleasure after another.

This is because the initial surge of happiness after the concert experience eventually goes back to the stable baseline. This means that despite moving from one pleasure to another, individuals always get back to where they are (in terms of level of happiness), hence the use of the word “treadmill” in the concept.

The Hedonic treadmill is a human experience. However, going on a maladaptive and endless pursuit of pleasure would be less than ideal as it could generate several adverse such as:

• Lower life satisfaction. Engaging in maladaptive pleasure-seeking behavior would lead to lower life satisfaction and decreased flourishing. This shows that pursuing pleasure does not guarantee one’s overall sense of fulfillment and satisfaction with life.
• Unethical behaviors. A recent study explored the dark sides of the pursuit of happiness and found that people with hedonic motives are more likely to engage in unethical behavior. This is due to the strong association between hedonic motives and materialism, suggesting that individuals driven by hedonic motives may prioritize materialistic pursuits over ethical considerations.
• Overconsumption. The hedonic treadmill would be able to drive individuals to overconsumption. When purchasing things that excite you, you may find yourself attempting to recapture that feeling by purchasing more things you do not necessarily need. The never-ending pursuit of happiness and fulfillment through material possessions could be harmful as it can result in financial strain

When experiencing PCD, you may be motivated to plan other concerts to attend to experience a similar hedonic experience. However, when you keep purchasing ticket after ticket and hopping from one concert to the next, you may realize that this activity no longer brings pleasure as it was before. 

While concerts are the main topic of this article, examples of the hedonic treadmill also apply to everyday life, such as:

• The fixation on getting a raise
• Experiencing  milestones in a relationship, such as getting engaged or married
• Discovering new songs
• Buying new and increasingly expensive things

This is why you should be more deliberate in deciding whether being stuck in the hedonic treadmill cycle is the solution for your PCD. 

Breaking free from the hedonic treadmill

Here are some ways for you to address PCD healthily without having to be stuck in an endless cycle of a hedonic treadmill:

Being grateful for the experience

Once the sadness and emptiness sink in, one way to cope is to practice gratitude. This means not dwelling on the things that have passed by and how you may never experience the same thing again. Here are some ways you could do so.

• Reflect. Think back on the positive memories, acknowledge the enjoyment you acquire from them, and be grateful for being able to experience them.
• Relive. You could relive the experience by rewatching the photos and videos you took on the day of the concert. 
• Journal. Jot down the positive things that made you feel grateful in your journal. This could be a healthy outlet for you to bring back positive emotions.

Read more: From Gratitude to Life Satisfaction

Talk about it with fellow concert-goers

Another way to mitigate PCD is to talk about it with the friends you attend the concert with. If you went there alone, you could reach out to other fans through social media. You could talk about your favorite songs, moments, or interactions from that day, allowing you to recall the positive aspects of the experience. 

Best believe that you won’t be the only one who experienced the PCD. So, talking to them would also be a great way to handle the post-concert negative emotions. This would allow you both to address the negative emotions and realize that you are not alone. 

Realize that concerts are not your only source of happiness

Indeed, concerts may bring pleasure, but making this your sole source of happiness would eventually reduce its effect and may no longer be effective in navigating your PCD. Therefore, you should explore more activities that could bring you happiness. Here are a few of the many activities that could be your source of joy.

• Hitting the gym
• Traveling to other places
• Reading exciting books

Additionally, in finding happiness, you must pay attention to eudaimonic activities.  A few examples of these activities are: 

• Volunteering
• Learning new skills
• Engaging in creative pursuits

Basically, eudaimonic activities encompass things that pursue virtues and meaning, which generate long-term happiness instead of mere fleeting and temporary pleasure. 

Read more: Seeking Pleasure and The Pursuit of Happiness

Anticipate PCD

You can’t entirely avoid the upcoming PCD when you go to the next concert. However, you can anticipate it to avoid excessive PCD. This could be done by consciously acknowledging how this experience would be enjoyable and how it is normal for the excitement to eventually wear out afterward. 

Anticipating the negative emotions you could encounter would allow you to reduce the amount of discomfort that may come after the concerts.

In conclusion 

It is normal for individuals to experience a surge of negative emotions after experiencing a concert.

However, addressing the PCD by indulging in hedonic activities, such as hopping on to the next concerts over and over, would lead you to an endless cycle of a hedonic treadmill. Therefore, you must realize that the endless pursuit of materialistic things won’t be a sustainable way for you to address the PCD and achieve happiness.

So, when the post-show depression starts to hit, put down your credit cards, face the negative emotions, and diversify your source of happiness.

If you would like to see more resources on hedonic treadmill, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by rawpixel.com on Freepik

The post Managing Post-Concert Depression and Breaking Free From the Hedonic Treadmill appeared first on Insights.

Not at all. You should understand that love can come from many places. So, limiting love solely to romance denies you the many opportunities and sources of happiness. 

This article will discuss various types of love, how they could help foster your happiness, as well as the practical strategies for incorporating them into daily life. Tap into the power of love in pursuing happiness.

Understanding love beyond romance

Love is a positive emotion and cognition that involves strong interest, affection, or enthusiasm for and between living beings (e.g., people or animals/pets) and inanimate objects (e.g., cherished possessions, places, or works of art). This definition of love then highlights how the existence of love is not solely in the context of romantic relationships. 

This is further illustrated by Fromm’s forms of love. He proposed that one can only truly love an individual if one is capable of loving anyone. Therefore, he divides love into five categories:

• Brotherly love. The fundamental form of love that emphasizes responsibility, care, and respect for others.
• Motherly love. Unconditional affirmation of a child’s life and needs, instilling a love for life itself.
• Erotic love. Intense craving for exclusive union and fusion with a specific person, exclusively.
• Self-love. Affirmation of one’s own life, happiness, growth, and freedom intertwined with the capacity to love others.
• Love of god. A psychological exploration of the love for God, rooted in the human experience of separateness and the innate need to overcome it through union.

Positive outcomes of love

Love comes in many forms, and each one acts as an avenue for fostering happiness. But what does it look like? Here are the manifestations of positive outcomes that love could take part in your happiness:

Promotes life satisfaction

Love is intrinsically pleasant, explained by its inherent biochemistry. Oxytocin, commonly known as the “love hormone” or “cuddle chemical,” improves pro-adaptive social behaviors critical for mammalian survival. These include social cohesion and attachment, promoting resilience and life satisfaction.

Prevents and mitigates loneliness

Love plays a crucial role in both avoiding and lessening loneliness by promoting deep social connections, providing support, and establishing a feeling of belonging. To counteract the harmful impacts of loneliness, it is essential to feel loved and connected to people through different connections.

Read more: The Science of Human Connection 

Fulfills the need for self-expansion

People have a natural need to expand their sense of self. One of the ways individuals could do so is through the experience of love and relationships. By forming these connections, people can access the identities, viewpoints, and resources of their loved ones, which broadens their knowledge and increases their efficacy in engaging with the outside world.

Strategies for cultivating non-romantic love

“We are drawn to love as we are drawn to a flower — first by its beauty and allure … but the only way we can keep it alive is through consistent care and attention.”

This is quoted from Jay Shetty, author of “8 Rules of Love: How to Find It, Keep It, and Let It Go.” This quote illustrates the give and take of love. This expresses that to receive love, you must also expend the energy to do so. So, here are ways to experience and nurture your emotions of love:

Nurture existing social bonds

The existence of a support system allows you to experience and nurture love. A support system gives people a feeling of value, affection, and belonging, which promotes a healthy social environment. 

Building upon existing relationships is a natural starting point for fostering social connections. Whether it’s with friends, colleagues, or family, you should take the initiative to strengthen these relationships.

Read more: Are You a Good Friend: Evaluating the Give-and-Take in Your Friendships 

You could do so by scheduling regular catch-ups, engaging in shared activities, and communicating openly to enhance your sense of connection and support. 

Build new social connections

Start building more networks to add more sources of love. This may be challenging, especially in adulthood. 

However, you could start participating in groups that align with your interests or values. Whether it’s a religious community, a hobby club, or a volunteer organization, these groups offer opportunities to meet new people who share your passions, making it easier to form new friendships and feel part of a community.

Read more: You Moved to a New Neighborhood — Now What? 

To form closer relationships, express your interest in others and be open to getting to know them. This means initiating conversations, being approachable, and sharing aspects of yourself. By signaling your willingness to connect, you invite others to engage with you.

Manage expectations

In experiencing love, the risk of disappointment will always be there.

This is usually caused by the expectation that is unmet within the relationship. To minimize the risk, you need to manage your expectations. Here are some ways for you to manage expectations toward your loved ones:

• Acknowledge. The first step in managing expectations is to acknowledge their existence. Therefore, you should reflect on each expectation that you have for your loved ones and the relationships
• Reflect. Managing expectations does not necessarily mean drastically lowering your standards. Instead, you should reflect on what you need and whether it is helpful or not. 
• Share. Share your expectations with your loved ones. This allows them to understand and meet your needs, fostering a stronger relationship
• Compromise. Understand that your loved ones may not always meet your expectations in the exact way you envision. Discuss the underlying needs behind your expectations and find mutually satisfying solutions. Be sensitive to changes and willing to adjust your expectations accordingly. 

Cultivate the habit of self-care

Self-love is the type of love that is crucial to nurture. The absence of this love would be detrimental. To foster self-love, it is recommended that you make self-care activities a habit. Self-care may look different for everyone. Whether it is through hiking, yoga, or playing sudoku, you should set aside a dedicated time for yourself to do these activities.

One of the challenges you probably have in making this habit stick is time constraints. However, it is important to understand that self-care activities don’t have to take hours. To make it more attainable, give yourself at least time for five minutes of dedicated self-care activities every day.

The activities you could do for these five minutes could be a short walk outside, massaging your neck or other sore body parts, or quick journaling. To make these five minutes count, you should be fully present and aware of engaging in these activities.

Read more: Love Languages and Self-Care: Nurturing Yourself According to Your Unique Needs

Encounter awe-inspiring situations

Awe is a positive emotion that arises when individuals are confronted with something vast and difficult to comprehend, prompting the process of mental structure adjustment. These experiences spark inner transformations, from subtle shifts in mindfulness to profound changes in attitudes and behaviors, which lead to emotional and spiritual connections. 

Thus, if you are religious, one of the ways you could foster your love of God is by experiencing awe. You can elicit this emotion through various stimuli. Here are some ideas for you to experience awe:

• Take a trip to nature. Natural settings elicit feelings of awe in people due to their complexity and richness of information. Whether it is mountains, beach, or forest, go on and plan that trip!
• Seek out a spiritual or religious experience. Another way to elicit awe is by engaging in spiritual or religious practices. By participating in ceremonies, reading religious texts, or prayer, you may experience feelings of smallness, wonder, and transcendence that contribute to an overall sense of awe.
• Take a look at your current surroundings. Experiencing awe takes little effort and time. You can find awe in everyday objects and items. Intentionally, take a moment to observe and appreciate every photo, furniture, or art. Reflect on memories associated with them, pay attention to details you may have overlooked before, and allow yourself to feel awe and gratitude for the significance of these objects in your life

In conclusion 

To think that romance is the sole source of love means that you missed the chance to foster your happiness from many other places. So, you shall not take your other social connections for granted, as they allow you to cultivate different kinds of love for overall happiness.

Think for a moment about the love that is all around you. From self-love to friendships, embark on your journey to happiness!

If you would like to see more resources on love, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by ASphotofamily on Freepik

The post How to be Happy by Experiencing Other Types of Love Beyond Romance appeared first on Insights.

Believe it or not, this specific scene could give us an insight into self-reflection and its role in building one’s self-trust. Keep scrolling to learn more about self-reflection on personal development, particularly its role in self-trust. 

What we can learn from Katniss 

Here is a short overview for readers who have not watched or read the Hunger Games saga (spoilers ahead!). 

Katniss is the protagonist of the series, played by Jennifer Lawrence. She has become the symbol of hope and rebellion against the Capitol under the oppressive regime of President Snow (Donald Sutherland). At the end of the series, President Coin, the leader of the rebellion, played by Julianne Moore, tasked Katniss to publicly execute President Snow as a symbolic gesture of the rebellion’s victory. 

Leading up to this scene, Katniss has already harbored doubts about Coin’s motives. She’s witnessed the ruthless tactics employed by Coin, including the bombing of innocent civilians to frame Snow. This leads her to self-reflect on her decision by weighing in her obligation to rebel and her thoughts that Coin would be just another tyrant. 

Her decision to kill Coin illustrates Katniss’ self-trust by allowing her to reflect on what is right and act upon it. This scene teaches the lesson that self-trust is crucial, especially when facing a tough decision. The plot shows that Katniss practiced self-reflection, which allowed her to trust in her judgment. 

As Katniss has shown, it is important for you to engage in self-reflection and to build self-trust. Having self-trust allows you to make decisions, no matter how difficult the choices are. 

What is self-trust

Self-trust, or self-confidence, refers to having the confidence to rely on your abilities, judgment, and decisions. Self-confident individuals tend to be more assertive in their decision-making and take risks.

This is supported by a set of experiments that show how high certainty in decision-making makes self-confident individuals less likely to compromise. On the contrary, individuals with low self-confidence tend to choose the middle option in risky conditions. Because of this, self-trust is crucial for one’s personal development in navigating challenges in life and making choices aligned with one’s values and goals. 

A study also found that self-confidence predicts less loneliness and moderates the effect of an individual’s extraversion to greater happiness. This means that aside from predicting one’s happiness, self-confidence also acts as a variable that modifies the strength of the impact of extraversion on one’s happiness. That being said, self-trust or self-confidence take part in your journey toward happiness.

Building self-trust with self-reflection

To trust in your abilities, judgment, and decisions, you must first be aware of their existence. This self-focused attention and knowledge is referred to as self-awareness. 

One of the ways you could obtain self-awareness is by engaging in self-reflection, which is the process of examining, contemplating, and analyzing your own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. This process could be illustrated as putting a mirror in front of you and objectively analyzing what you see and feel, allowing you to understand yourself better. 

In addition, self-reflecting on your past experiences and outcomes would be beneficial in your decision-making process. This would aid you in identifying patterns and biases in your thinking and learning from them. Consequently, it allows you to be more thoughtful and deliberate in making decisions. 

This is supported by a study that shows individuals who employ self-reflection perform better, analyze the problem’s situation quicker, are less susceptible to being thrown off by unforeseeable situations, and are more consistent in their decision-making strategy. 

Self-reflection practices to promote self-trust

You don’t have to be a rebel with a major dilemma to have a self-trust like Katniss did. To promote self-trust, here are some practices of self-reflection that you could incorporate:

Identify your values

A person with self-trust exudes consistency in their behavior based on their values. Values act as an inner compass that guides individuals to make decisions and take actions based on things that truly matter to them. This is why you must identify your values. 

To do so, allocate time to reflect on the type of individual you aspire to become, how you aim to treat others and yourself, and the principles you stand for in life. By embracing your values and dedicating yourself to this ongoing process, you can nurture self-trust and discover contentment in your endeavors.

Set and track personal development goals

To gain clarity and direction, it’s essential to engage in self-reflection on personal development objectives. These goals must also reflect your values to ensure a sense of fulfillment and confidence as you strive toward them. 

You should break down goals into smaller and attainable goals, reflect on the progress toward goal achievement, and celebrate the achievements along the way. Implementing this practice can provide a sense of direction and bolster self-trust through tangible proof of your capabilities and progress.

Identify and challenge negative self-talk and emotions

The process of self-reflection could also include the internal dialogue, which also consists of self-doubt and shame that could undermine a person’s self-trust. Therefore, you need to acknowledge and manage these negative self-talk and emotions. 

Read more: Shame, Resilience, and Mental Health: Breaking the Cycle of Self-Doubt 

This could be done through journaling, in which you could list down the negative thoughts and emotions and the plan to address them. 

Learn from mistakes and challenges

Everyone experiences moments of regrettable mistakes. Nonetheless, it doesn’t imply that one should avoid looking back altogether. 

Reviewing past setbacks is essential for individual development. Through assessing what proved effective and what didn’t, you can acquire invaluable insights into the areas that need improvement. To do so, you could ask yourself reflective questions such as “What lessons can be drawn from this experience?” or “In what ways can I evolve from this circumstance?“

Read more: Embracing the Lessons and Benefits of Experiencing Regret 

Learn from the successes

Being optimistic in self-reflection happens when individuals do not solely reflect on their past mistakes but also bat an eye toward their past successes. Reflecting on successful experiences and identifying their contributing factors would allow you to be more self-trusting and optimistic. 

This helps you focus on what is already working and take gradual strides towards the goal. Consequently, it allows you to have a more positive outlook and promotes self-trust in attaining future success.

In conclusion

One could not trust their internal sources without being aware of their existence. 

Self-reflection allows you to obtain knowledge regarding your abilities, judgment, and decisions. As Katniss has previously demonstrated, self-trust arises when individuals confront their doubts, weigh in on the alternatives, and decide the actions that align with their values and knowledge.

To embark on a path toward better personal development and fulfillment in life, embrace self-reflection and continuously strengthen your self-trust.

If you would like to see more resources on trust, check out the Happiness Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Visit the Happiness Science Labs today.

Photo by Freepik

The post The Role of Self-Reflection in Building Self-Trust appeared first on Insights.