The Science of Happiness & Wellbeing

Are you ready to decode the secrets of happiness and well-being? It's time to illuminate the path to a happier, healthier life. In this episode, André Flax explores the science behind our most sought-after state - happiness.  We learn that happiness is not just a fleeting emotion, but rather, deeply rooted in neuroscience, psychology, and genetics. Andre shares how our brains are hardwired to chase pleasure, happiness, and tranquility, and how intentional daily activities can modify our happiness quotient, regardless of our genetic predispositions or circumstances. 
 
 The science of happiness reveals that there are serval action strategies we can use to help boost our level of happiness and overall wellbeing and in this episode, we dive into these strategies like practicing gratitude, mindfulness, and fostering social connections to amplify happiness levels. Andre hopes that by understanding the science behind happiness it will lead you on a journey to living  a more joyous and fulfilling life. So, if you’re ready, let's begin. 

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Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:50

Welcome to Transformative Living Radio, where we explore the power of intentional change for personal growth and fulfillment. I'm your host, trainer, speaker and coach, andre Flags. We all desire to live a life of happiness and well-being and, as a result, we sometimes look for that happiness in the external things we think will lead us or bring us closer to that happiness. Believe it or not, our brains are wired to seek out pleasure over pain, happiness over sadness and peace over chaos. Research in the field of positive psychology have shown that people who are more generally happier experience lower heart rate, lower blood pressure, are less likely to get sick and tend to have stronger immune systems and live significantly longer than people who are not happy. Dr Sonia Lewambruski, russian-born American professor and author of the book how Happiness Works, states the key to happiness is not changing our genetics or changing our circumstances, but in our daily intentional activities. In today's episode, we'll explore the science of happiness and well-being and provide some practical steps for increasing your level of happiness and overall well-being. So if you're ready, let's begin. Happiness and well-being aren't just abstract concepts. They are grounded in science-backed principles that can have a profound impact on our lives. You see, we all desire to live a life of happiness and well-being and, as a result, we sometimes look for that happiness in the external things that we think will bring us closer to that happiness. Believe it or not, our brains are wired to seek out pleasure over pain, happiness over sadness, and peace over chaos. So what exactly is the science behind happiness? Well, it turns out it's rooted in neuroscience, psychology and even genetics. Researchers have discovered that certain practices and mindsets can significantly influence the level of our happiness and our overall well-being. One of the key findings is that happiness is not solely dependent on external circumstances or material possessions. Instead, happiness is influenced by our thoughts, behaviors and how we perceive and engage with the world around us. Our brains play a pivotal role in our experience of happiness. Neurotransmitters are the brain's chemical messengers responsible for feelings of joy, pleasure and contentment, and by training our brain to stay present in the moment, we reduce stress, enhance self-awareness and cultivate a deeper appreciation for life. Research in the field of positive psychology suggests that our levels of happiness are influenced by a combination of genetics, life circumstances and intentional activities. What this simply means is that we have the power to actually shape our own happiness. Scientists have found that approximately 50% of our happiness is influenced by genetics. According to these studies, we are born with a predisposition to a certain level of happiness. It's what science calls the genetic set point, which is the level or point at which our state of happiness tends to stabilize, regardless of what happens to us or what we do. This predisposition is determined by characteristics inherent by our parents. Only 10% of our happiness level is influenced by life circumstances. The life circumstances that influence our happiness level include personal experience, occupation, health, income, religious belief, marital status, age, gender and geographic factors. Here's the good news 40% of what influences our level of happiness is through our own intentional activities. The science of happiness reveals that there are several action strategies we could use to help boost our levels of happiness and our overall well-being. The first action strategy is gratitude. By practicing gratitude daily, we can enhance our happiness level by focusing on what we have versus what we don't have. Being grateful improves our self-confidence, our self-esteem and enhance our enjoyment of the present moment. We can be grateful for every aspect of our life, including the parts that are going well as well as the parts that are not. Mindfulness is another action strategy for boosting our levels of happiness, as we discussed in our last episode. Mindfulness can help you stay present in the moment, thereby reducing your stress and fostering a greater sense of well-being. Mindfulness is all about maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, body sensations and the surrounding environment, without judgment. When we consistently integrate mindfulness into our daily lives, we experience a greater sense of presence, clarity and overall well-being. Creating social connections is another strategy for boosting our levels of happiness and overall well-being. Building and nurturing relationships is one of the most significant contributors for our happiness. You see, people with more supportive families and friends are, more generally, happier and more successful in life. Creating positive psychology intervention techniques like setting and achieving goals, finding one's strength and savoring positive experiences all help to boost our levels of happiness. Now let's talk about well-being. Well-being encompasses physical, mental and emotional health, and it is a holistic approach to living a fulfilled life. Exercise and nutrition plays a crucial role in our overall well-being. By doing regular physical activities and having a balanced diet, we increase the positive effects of our physical health, and it also has a profound impact on our mental and emotional state. Here are a few action strategies we could take to increase our overall well-being Develop and maintain strong relationships with family and friends. Make regular time available for social contact. Eat wholesome, nutritious foods. Do regular physical activity. Become involved in activities that interest you. Join local organizations or clubs that appeal to you. Set yourself achievable goals and work towards them. Try to be optimistic and enjoy each day. Now it's important that we talk about the practical applications of the strategies mentioned here. How do we incorporate these findings into our daily lives? Well, it starts with taking small but intentional steps. Cultivating a daily gratitude practice, engaging in mindfulness exercises, nurturing meaningful relationships and aligning our actions with our values and our goals. All of these things will contribute to a greater sense of happiness and well-being. So, as we wrap up this episode, I want to leave you with this thought Happiness is not a destination, but a journey. By understanding the science behind it, we can take intentional steps towards living a more joyful and fulfilled life. Well, that's our show for today. We hope that you found this episode both insightful and inspiring. Join us next week as we explore the power of embracing self-reflection and personal growth. We hope you can join us. We'll see you soon.

Speaker 2: 9:05

For a complimentary coaching session with André Flax. Email him at André at transformative living radio dot com. If you enjoyed this episode, leave us a comment wherever you get your podcast and share with a friend.