How do we become happier?

Happiness is about 40% dependent on predisposition, and we tend to think that the other 60% is largely determined by circumstances. But is that really so?

Are we rich or poor, healthy or not, are we married, do we have a nice house, a nice car? According to Ap Dijksterhuis (professor at Radboud University), these are differences in circumstances that hardly contribute to happiness in prosperous, stable Western countries. Happiness is only 10% dependent on living conditions, and the other 50% is determined by our own conscious choices. We have half of our happiness in our own hands. But how do we become happier?

This can be done by:

• Investing in a social environment
• Spending our free time differently (on something that makes you happy)
• Spend money differently
• Set better goals
• Better understand our thoughts and resulting emotions to promote peace of mind
• Be less guided by today’s demanding media
• And success at work!

But how? We want to experience job satisfaction and feel that our efforts are meaningful, that our work is useful. By connectedness (solidarity) with colleagues, competence (having the skills to perform and to be valued), autonomy (we want to feel free and prefer to influence others than to be influenced ourselves).

For more information about Ap Dijksterhuis, see this link, in Dutch.

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