What are your life expectations and goals? Do they include having a successful career, a healthy lifestyle or fulfilling relationships? For many, a major goal in life is to be happy.
Honestly, who doesn’t want to be happy? As humans, and especially as Americans who have happiness written into our Declaration of Independence, we are on a constant search to improve our well-being. This “pursuit of happiness” becomes especially significant in college, when young adults are discovering who they truly are and what they expect from their futures.
According to Harvard lecturer Tal Ben-Shahar, 94 percent of college students in the United States are stressed and overwhelmed. Ben-Shahar explains that this is due to the high expectations that we place on ourselves, which results in pressure to succeed.
I bring up this idea of expectations because, according to a survey at University of Leicester in England, the happiest country in the world is one that has citizens with very modest expectations. This country is Denmark. The high level of contentment in Denmark is linked to the Danes’ tendency to have low expectations and not get disappointed when these expectations are not met. There are other factors, too, such as their free health care system (albeit higher taxes) and low crime rate. But a large factor in their happiness, and college students’ unhappiness, lies within expectations.
Luckily, happiness is achievable on this side of the Atlantic as well. Studies show that everyone controls 40 percent of his or her own happiness. Genetics control 50 percent and life circumstances contribute to 10 percent, but a major part of life satisfaction lies in each person’s own hands.
These statistics are the product of scientific research in the realm of positive psychology, a field that focuses on human strengths and fulfillment. This field studies the positive aspects of human functioning, rather than the negative aspects on which many other fields of psychology concentrate. Positive psychology has already made major strides in determining what defines the “good life” and how we can achieve it.
This blog will aim to inform students on ways to improve their life satisfaction. For starters, students can find out where they lie on the happiness scale compared to others by taking the Authentic Happiness Inventory Questionnaire.
Also, check out a yearlong project conducted by author Gretchen Rubin in an attempt to increase her own happiness. Maybe readers will even be inspired to start their own happiness project. Hey, it’s still January — it’s not too late to make a New Year’s resolution to be happier!
