Humans aren't wired for happiness, according to Yale University psychology professor and host of the Happiness Lab podcast Lori Santos. Among the reasons we don't experience happiness as much as we might hope include hedonic adaptation (where we become used to good things), the influence of reference points (comparing our lives to others), and a reliance on intuition that is often incorrect. However, by practicing habits such as social connection, volunteering, gratitude, and exercise, we can help rewire our thought patterns and increase our overall well-being.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Natural selection is not concerned with human happiness; its focus is on survival and reproduction.
2. Approximately 40 percent of college students in the United States report being too depressed to function on most days.
3. Professor Lori Santos is a psychologist at Yale University and the host of the Happiness Lab podcast.
4. Miss wanting is the act of pursuing things that are assumed to make us happy but often don't.
5. Common intuitions about what makes us happy, like money, promotions, and material possessions, are often incorrect.
6. People tend to compare their outcomes in life to others, which can lead to dissatisfaction.
7. Hedonic adaptation occurs when we get used to positive experiences, reducing their impact on our happiness over time.
8. The impact bias leads us to overestimate the long-term impact of positive events on our happiness.
9. Engaging in social connections, doing kind acts for others, changing thought patterns, and physical activity can improve well-being.
10. Rewiring our behavior involves making changes in social connections, engaging in kind acts, focusing on gratitude, and exercising.
11. These strategies are tools for improving well-being but may not replace professional help for serious mental disorders.
12. Negative emotions serve as signals and should not be ignored but regulated in positive ways.
13. Knowledge alone is not enough; putting these strategies into practice is essential for significant changes in happiness levels.