5 Simple Observations On Why Some People Are Just Happier

So simple you can apply them right now

Happiness.

Some people just seem to ooze it, while others wake up every day wondering what life is going to hand them today, and generally assuming “it won’t be good.”

“Snap out of it!” the happy ones might think as if it were that simple. The truth is it might be for some, but maybe not so much for others.

According to an article cited in the Review of General Psychology , 50 percent of people’s happiness is determined by their genes, 10 percent depends on their circumstances and 40 percent on “intentional activity” (mainly, whether you’re positive or not).

50 percent is determined by their genes? That would answer why it’s harder for some to stay in a consistently happy state.

But there is hope.

Let’s assume you’re one of the unfortunate souls that are prone to feelings of unhappiness. Does that mean you’re destined to be unhappy forever?

No. But it might be harder to enhance your mood and well-being, and even be able to maintain happy feelings.

Some lucky souls who have what is called genetic plasticity, meaning they are more sensitive to the environment and hence have an increased capacity for change, may be able to enhance their wellbeing and perhaps even thrive if they adopt a healthy lifestyle and choose to live and work in an environment that enhances their happiness and ability to grow.

But all of that said, genetics alone do not determine how we show up in our everyday lives, even though they may play a key role in our ability to sustain happiness and well-being.

So, let’s focus on the part you can control.

The elusive 40 percent “intentional activity”, and the 10 percent “circumstances” can be powerful enough to overcome your genetics.

Here are a few simple habits happy people have that you can adopt when you’re ready to commit to happiness and overpower your default wiring.

They’re so simple, that it’s hard to believe they work. But they do.

Keep Things Where They Belong

Keep your stressful workday at work, and don’t bring it home to seep into your personal life and other relationships.

People that live happy lives don’t get this mixed up. A stressful workday is but a distant memory as they leave the office or sign off their computer.

They move right to the next thing at hand, and go all in, unencumbered.

Consider this tip from an article in The Harvard Business Review

Think about what helps you unwind, and find space in your schedule for this habit — particularly at the end of a long day at work — so that when you return home you’re free of the baggage that’s built up throughout the day.

Focus On The Real Stuff

Don’t waste your time and your life on Netflix, news, or social media. It’s either fictional, biased, edited, or designed to incite emotion.

Your life is happening all around you and with each tick of the clock as you mindlessly watch tv or scroll your favorite social platform, one more minute moves to the rearview mirror.

Keep your sights on what you’re doing at this very moment and do everything you can to make it fun.

Consider this profound statement:

We can’t jump off bridges anymore because our iPhones will get ruined. We can’t take skinny dips in the ocean because there’s no service on the beach and adventures aren’t real unless they’re on Instagram. Technology has doomed the spontaneity of adventure and we’re helping destroy it every time we Google, check-in, and hashtag. ― Jeremy Glass

Be A Clean Slate Every Day

Commit to leaving the day behind you before your head hits the pillow, and to some mindful self-care first thing before you start your day.

Happy people are centered.

They treat their minds and bodies as beautiful vessels for their life.

Meditation, prayer, and taking care of your body with healthy habits keep the vessel pristine.

What better way to prepare yourself for whatever life dishes out than to commit to honoring each and every day with a clean slate, ready to soak in everything that comes your way?

Be Realistic and Adaptable

Realistic, attainable goals and the ability to be agile enough to adapt in the event things go off track is an essential skill for happy people.

They don’t crumble when things don’t go as planned and don’t fear change.

The key is that they manage their expectations and don’t take anything too seriously. At least not seriously enough to let it ruin their day.

According to Guy Winch, Ph.D., psychologist, and author of Emotional First Aid:

“We constantly meet psychological challenges. Some of us succumb, we feel hopeless, disempowered, give up … and some meet challenges, take the knock and learn something from it. Our ability to have life satisfaction, to be happy [and] to have good relationships really depends on our ability to adapt.”

Push Past The “No”

Happy people don’t get drawn into the bad habit of saying “no” to everything, just because.

This is a hard sell for those that have spent a lifetime perfecting the groove of declining all invitations, but if happiness is the goal, one thing to try is to answer in the affirmative once in a while.

Life is out there and happy people know it. They also know that being spontaneous and saying “yes”, is one way to keep the blahs at bay and keep things exciting.

The only way to avoid being miserable is not to have enough leisure to wonder whether you are happy or not.

George Bernard Shaw

Here’s the point. Not every happy person has a perfect life. Nor do they necessarily have an abundance of things to be happy about.

They have something else.

An appreciation for the simple beauty in every day, the ability to adapt, and the good sense to put negative moments behind them.

Where they belong.

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