A New Earth & Positive Psychology

I've completed my informal study of positive psychology and other books related to the science and economics of happiness by reading the following books:

• Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
• Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment by Martin E. P. Seligman
• The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt
• The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky
• The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz

I'm not planning to read any more but as I've been thinking about the topic, it has brought me back to thinking about Eckhart Tolle’s A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose, which I've written about on several occasions.

It seems to me that the purpose of A New Earth is to increase people's happiness and thus increase everyone's general happiness and to all become "awakened" or "enlightened."

But it also seems to me that positive psychology provides more of a plan to increase happiness, and certainly is much more based in science and facts.

So my advice to people who liked A New Earth: consider reading The How of Happiness (my favorite book so far about positive psychology) or some of the other books I've read in the field of positive psychology, particularly if you're looking for more concrete prescriptions of how to make your life better!

The How of Happiness: Chapter by Chapter

I've been reading a lot about positive psychology and other books related to the science and economics of happiness and the one I've just finished is Sonja Lyubomirsky's The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want.

As I mentioned yesterday, this book is the most comprehensive guide to happiness and guide to applying the principles of positive psychology to your own life. Additionally, the book is easy to read and understand, well organized (something I very much appreciate as someone who loves to be organized), and full of facts and science!

Here are some of the things that I learned from each chapter of The How of Happiness:

Chapter One: Is It Possible to Become Happier?

1. 54% of adults in the United States are "moderately mentally healthly" but not flourishing
2. A study of severely depressed people that required them to write down three good things that happened each day every day, found that within fifteen days their depression became "mildly to moderately depressed" and 94% of them experienced relief.
3. Lyubomirsky’s research shows that 40% of happiness is within our control. Of the remaining 60%, 50% is determined by “set points” (genetics) and 10% by circumstances.
4. One study showed that those who were happy as college freshmen had higher salaries sixteen years later without an initial wealth advantage.
5. Another study showed that women who expressed sincere joy in their college yearbook photos were relatively more likely to be married by age twenty-seven and more likely to have satisfying marriages at age fifty-two.

Chapter Two: How Happy Are You and Why?

1. On Lyubomirsky's Subjective Happiness Scale (1 to 7), college students tend to score lower (below 5) than working adults and retired people (about 5.6).
2. Studies show that 15% of people in the United States (and 21% of women) will become clinically depressed at some point.
3. The World Health Organization predicts that by the year 2020, depression will be the second-leading cause of mortality in the world, affecting 30% of adults.
4. In the 1940s "one-third of all homes did not have running water, indoor toilets, or bathtub/showers, and more than half had no central heating" and the average score for American's happiness then was 7.5 out of 10. Today, "the typical house not only has running water, two or more baths, and central heating but it twice the size, with an average of two rooms per person, not to mention being equipped with microwave ovens, dishwashers, color TVs, DVD players, iPods, and personal computers. And real monthly personal income has more than doubled." Today the average score for American's happiness is now 7.2.
5. In 1976, researchers who studied the attitudes of 12,000 college freshmen at elite colleges/universities (age eighteen on average) and then measured their life satisfaction at age thirty-seven found that those whose primary goal as freshman was to make money were less satisfied with their lives at age thirty seven.
6. Both Californians and midwesterners believe that people in California are happier. But studies have shown that the overall satisfaction of both groups is the same!
7. Married couples get a boost in happiness for about two years ("marriage boost"), and then return to their happiness "set point."
8. It is believe that your "set point" cannot be changed; but we can still change our happiness levels!
9. Depression is associated with the short allele (as opposed to the long allele) of the 5-HTTLPR gene.
10. Happy people tend to have more activity in their left prefrontal cortex than in the right.

Chapter Three: How to Find Happiness Activities That Fit Your Interests, Your Values, and Your Needs

This chapter is just eleven pages long (three of which are taken up by a questionnaire). The twelve ways to increase happiness, as determined by Lyubomirsky are:

1. Expressing gratitude
2. Cultivating optimism
3. Avoiding overthinking and social comparison
4. Practicing acts of kindness
5. Nurturing relationships
6. Developing strategies for coping
7. Learning to forgive
8. Doing more activities that truly engage you
9. Savoring life's joys
10. Committing to your goals
11. Practicing religion and spirituality
12. Taking care of your body

Chapter Four: Practicing Gratitude and Positive Thinking

1. People who are consistently grateful have been found to be happier, more energetic, and more hopeful. "They also tend to be more helpful and empathetic, more spiritual and religious, more forgiving, and less materialistic...[and] less likely to be depressed, anxious, lonely, envious, or neurotic."
2. Gratitude is thought to boost happiness for eight reasons: (1) promotes the savoring of positive life experiences; (2) bolsters self-worth and self-esteem; (3) helps people cope with stress and trauma; (4) encourages moral behavior; (5) can help build social bonds, strengthen existing relationships and nurture new ones; (6) tends to inhibit comparisons with others; (7) incompatible with negative emotions and may diminish or deter feeling such as anger, bitterness or greed; and (8) helps prevent hedonistic adaptation.
3. Some people make a distinction between "big optimism" ("produces an overall feeling of vigor") and "little optimism" ("predisposes people to behave in constructive, healthy ways in specific situations").
4. Participants in the "Best Possible Selves" experiment (each participant spent twenty minutes each day for four days writing a narrative description of their "best possible future selves") were "more likely to show immediate increases in positive moods, to be happier several weeks later, and even to report fewer physical ailments several months thence." -- I find this particularly interesting as this sounds, to me, a lot like The Secret, or the power of positive thinking.
5. Optimism is thought to boost happiness because: (1) it motivates us and makes us more likely to invest effort in reaching our goals; (2) prompts us to engage in active and effective coping; (3) promotes positive moods, vitality, and high morale.
6. Self-focused rumination is a technical term for overthinking.
7. Overthinking while sad may make you more likely to feel "besieged, powerless, self-critical, pessimistic, and generally negatively biased."

Chapter Five: Investing in Social Connection

1. Happier people are more likely to describe themselves as performing "random acts of kindness" such as "doing frequent altruistic acts..., spend[ing] a greater percentage of their time helping others..., and perform[ing] behaviors at hte office that go beyond the call of duty."
2. Doing varied acts of kindness on a regular basis makes people happy for an extended period of time. Practicing acts of kindness works because: (1) it helps you to perceive others more positively; (2) fosters a sense of interdependence and cooperation in your social community; (3) encourages a sense of awareness and appreciation for your own good fortune; (4) helps you to think of yourself as altruistic and compassionate which then promotes self-confidence; (5) can highlight your abilities and resources and make you feel in control of your life; and (6) leads other people to like you and appreciate you and to reciprocate in your times of need.
3. Caregivers of spouses with Alzheimer's disease show depression levels three times greater than the average person.
4. The happier a person is, the more likely he or she is to have a large circle of friends or companions, to have a romantic partner and to consider that partner her "great love," to have ample social support, to be married and to have a fulfilling and long lasting marriage, to be satisfied with her family life and social activities, and to receive emotional and tangible support from friends, supervisors, and coworkers.
5. An analysis of three communities of long-lived communities - Sardinians in Italy, Okinawans in Japan, and Seventh-Day Adventists in Loma Linda CA -- found that of the five things they had in common, "Put family first" and "Keep socially engaged" were the most common.
6. A study found that people who tried to respond "actively and constructively" to good news of loved ones or friends at least three times per day over a week became happier and less depressed.
7. Studies have shown that relative to married people, singles are closer to their friends and have more frequent contact with them and that lifelong single older women tend to have close to a dozen devoted decades-long friends!
8. Hugging is a terrific intimacy and friendship booster and may relieve stress, make you feel closer to someone, and even diminish pain.

Chapter Six: Managing Stress, Hardship, and Trauma

1. Close to half of United States adults will experience one severe traumatic event during their lifetimes. I'm not exactly sure what events constitute severe traumatic events.
2. A groundbreaking (and now classic) study found that two-thirds of female breast cancer survivors reported that their lives had been altered for the better after developing the disease.
3. Bereavement has been found to be associated with an elevation in stress hormones called glutocorticoids, and friendly social contact can lower these hormones.
4. Women cancer patients who attend weekly support groups have been found to live an average of eighteen months longer.
5. Forgiving people are more likely to be happier, healthier, more agreeable and more serene and are better able to empathize with others and to be spiritual/religious and less likely to be hateful, depressed, hostile, anxious, angry and neurotic.
6. Men tend to hold onto hurts and grudges longer than women.

Chapter Seven: Living in the Present

1. Those who can capture the joy of the present moment (by hanging on to good feelings or appreciating good things for example) are less likely to experience depression, stress, guilt, and shame.
2. People who obtain pleasure from looking forward (by imagining future happy events for example) are likely to be optimistic and to experience intense emotions.
3. People who reminisce about the past (by looking back on happy days or rekindling joy form for example) are best able to buffer stress.
4. Mutual reminiscence (the technical term for sharing memories with other people) comes with lots of happy thoughts like joy, accomplishment, amusement, contentment, and pride.
5. The more time older adults spend reminiscing, the more they have positive affect and higher morale.
6. Sharing successes and accomplishments with others has been associated with elevated pleasant emotions and well-being.
7. Mindful people are more likely to be happy, optimistic, self-confident, and satisfied with their lives, to experience frequent and intense positive emotions, to have positive social relationships and less likely to be depressed, angry, anxious, hostile, self-conscious, impulsive, or neurotic.
8. Nostalgic experiences create positive feelings, reinforce our sense of being loved and protected, and bolsters self-esteem.

Chapter Eight: Happiness Activity No.10: Committing to Your Goals

1. Committed goal pursuit is thought to boost happiness for six reasons: (1) provides a sense of purpose and a feeling of control over our lives; (2) boosts self-esteem and stimulates us to feel confident and efficacious; (3) adds structure and meaning to daily life; (4) helps us learn to master our use of time; (5) help us cope with problems; and (6) often involves other people and social connections can boost happiness in and of themselves.
2. "The pursuit of goals that are intrinsic, authentic, approach-oriented, harmonious, activity-based, and flexible will deliver more happiness than the pursuit of goals that are extrinsic, inauthentic, avoidance-oriented, conflicting, circumstance-based, or rigid."

Chapter Nine: Taking Care of Your Body and Your Soul

1. Religious people are happier, healthier, and recover better from trauma.
2. Those active in their religions live longer with a variety of disease and are healthier in general.
3. Spiritual people are happier, physically and mentally healthier, cope better, have more satisfying marriages, use drugs/alcohol less often, and live longer lives.
4. Almost seven out of ten Americans report praying every single day and only 6% report never praying!
5. Meditation has been shown to be effective in patients with heart disease, chronic pain, skin disorders, depression, anxiety, and substance abuse.
6. Meditating reduces stress, boosts positive mood, self-esteem, and feelings of control.
7. Aerobic exercise has been shown to be just as effective as SSRIs (like Zoloft) in treating depression.
8. Physical activity is thought to boost happiness for several reasons: (1) makes you feel in control of your body and health; (2) offers potential for flow and can distract you from worries and ruminations; and (3) can provide opportunities for social contact and thus reinforce social support and friendships.
9. Pretending to be happy can actually make you happier!

Chapter Ten: The Five Hows Behind Sustainable Happiness

1. Patients with hypertension -- who must take meditation each day and eat low-sodium diets -- are much more likely to adhere to their strict regimens if they have family support, especially from spouses.
2. Research proves that a continual and perfect state of bliss is not only impossible but also maladaptive.

To summarize, the main things I've learned from this book are:

1. Journal writing is remarkable! It can help increase happiness through a variety of methods (writing about gratitude, reflecting on acts of kindness, analyzing traumas, imagining your best possible future self, goal-setting, etc.).
2. Variety is the spice of life! Whether we're talking about being charitable, expressing gratitude, setting and striving for goals, make sure to vary your activities to get the most benefit.

If you have any interest in positive psychology or are interested in learning concrete scientifically proven methods to become happier and have a better life, I highly recommend that you pick up a copy of The How of Happiness.

The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky

I've read several positive psychology and other books related to the science and economics of happiness:

• Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert
• Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment by Martin E. P. Seligman
• The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt

Continuing my study of this topic, I've been reading Sonja Lyubomirsky's The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want. And then I'll still have three other books on this subject to read:

• The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz
• Happiness: Lessons from a New Science by Richard Layard
• The Joy of Living: Unlocking the Secret and Science of Happiness by Yongey Rinpoche Mingyur

(I may read The Paradox of Choice in May 2008 and put off reading the other two for a few months.)

Lyubomirsky is a professor of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside and has been working on groundbreaking scientific research in the study of happiness.

As evident on the cover, Lyubomirsky's research shows that 40% of happiness is within our control. Of the remaining 60%, 50% is determined by "set points" (genetics) and 10% by circumstances.

Further, this book also discusses concepts of positive psychology learned in other books, such as :

• External circumstances (wealth, beauty, etc) does not create to lasting happiness.
• The secret of happiness is that it lies within ourselves.
• Happiness can boost energy, creativity, the immune system, productivity, and longevity.
• Happy people tend to be committed to lifelong goals and ambitions, have enduring and deep social networks, live in the present moment, are comfortable expressing gratitude, are likely to be spiritual or religious.
• Even happy people face stress, crises and even tragedies.

Out of the books I've read related to positive psychology and the study of happiness, The How of Happiness is the most comprehensive guide to happiness. I'm sure you'll agree after reading just the Table of Contents:

Foreward 1

Part One: How to Attain Real and Lasting Happiness

1. Is It Possible to Become Happier? 13
A Program for Lasting Happiness 14
Do You Know What Makes You Happy? 16
Discovering the Real Keys to Happiness 19
The Most Rewarding "Work" You'll Ever Do 24
Why Be Happy? 24

2. How Happy Are You and Why? 27
Where Do You Fit In? 30
Happiness Myths 38
The Limits of Life Circumstances 41
The Happiness Set Point 52
The Promise of Intentional Activity 63
Conclusion 67

3. How to Find Happiness Activities That Fit Your Interests, Your Values, and Your Needs 69
Three Ways That Strategies Can Fit 70
Corniness, Again 72
Person-Activity Fit Diagnostic 73
P.S. More Options 78
Final Words 79

Part Two: Happiness Activities

Foreword to Part Two: Before You Begin 83

4. Practicing Gratitude and Positive Thinking 88
Happiness Activity No. 1: Expressing Gratitude 89
Happiness Activity No. 2: Cultivating Optimism 101
Happiness Activity No. 3: Avoiding Overthinking and Social Comparison 112

5. Investing in Social Connections 125
Happiness Activity No. 4: Practicing Acts of Kindness 125
Happiness Activity No. 5: Nurturing Social Relationships 138

6. Managing Stress, Hardship, and Trauma 150
Happiness Activity No. 6: Developing Strategies for Coping 151
Happiness Activity No. 7: Learning to Forgive 169

7. Living in the Present 180
Happiness Activity No. 8: Increasing Flow Experiences 181
Happiness Activity No. 9: Savoring Life's Joys 190
Final Words 204

8. Happiness Activity No.10: Committing to Your Goals 205
Six Benefits of Committed Goal Pursuit 206
What Kind of Goals Should You Pursue? 208
Recommendations for Committed Goal Pursuit 214

9. Taking Care of Your Body and Your Soul 227
Happiness Activity No. 11: Practicing Religion and Spirituality 228
Happiness Activity No. 12: Taking Care of Your Body (Meditation) 240
Happiness Activity No. 12: Taking Care of Your Body (Physical Activity) 244
Happiness Activity No. 12: Taking Care of Your Body (Acting Like a Happy Person) 250

Part Three: Secrets to Abiding Happiness

10. The Five Hows Behind Sustainable Happiness 257
The First How: Positive Emotion 258
The Second How: Optimal Timing and Variety 266
The Third How: Social Support 270
The Fourth How: Motivation, Effort, and Commitment 273
The Fifth How: Habit 277
Conclusion 280

The Promise of Abiding Happiness: An Afterword 282

Postscript: If You Are Depressed 285
What Is Depression? 285
The Causes of Depression 289
The Most Effective Treatments for Depression 293
The Cure for Unhappiness Is Happiness 302
Surmounting Setbacks 304

Appendix: Additional Happiness Activities That May Fit 305
Acknowledgments 309
Notes 3113
Index 359

Click here to read an excerpt of The How of Happiness from the author's website. Lyubomirsky's website also includes a sample syllabus for those interested in learning more about positive psychology and a reading group guide to aid discussion of her book; I think I'll save a copy of that on my hard drive just in case I want to learn even more about this topic.

It seems like way too many books have recently been published about happiness; not just the ones I've read but also:

• Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness by Richard H. Thaler and Cass R. Sunstein (2008)
• The Geography of Bliss: One Grump's Search for the Happiest Places in the World by Eric Weiner (2008)
• Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment by Tal Ben-Shahar (2007)
• Thanks!: How the New Science of Gratitude Can Make You Happier by Robert Emmons (2007)
• The Science of Happiness: How Our Brains Make Us Happy-and What We Can Do to Get Happier by Stefan Klein (2006)
• What Happy Companies Know: How the New Science of Happiness Can Change Your Company for the Better by Dan Baker, Cathy Greenberg and Collins Hemingway (2006)
• Happiness: The Science behind Your Smile by Daniel Nettle (2005)
• What Happy People Know: How the New Science of Happiness Can Change Your Life for the Better by Dan Baker and Cameron Stauth (2004)
• The Science of Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Mood by Stephen R. Braun (2001)
• The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Living by Dalai Lama (1998)
• The Pursuit of Happiness: Who is Happy and Why by David G. Myers (1993)
• Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1991)

I am hopeful that the findings of positive psychology will endure, though I wonder if all the buzz about happiness is really just hype.

Authentic Happiness in Marriage

Yesterday, I read Parts I (Positive Emotion) & II (Strengths & Virtue) of Martin E. P. Seligman's Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment and I've just finished the chapter on Love in Part III (In the Mansions of Life).

In this chapter, Seligman shares his ideas on marriage. First, research shows that married people -- across the seventeen nations that psychologists have surveyed -- have the least depression (followed by never-married, divorced once, people co-habitating, and people divorced twice).

In other words, marriage -- stable, pair-bonding, romantic love -- is good for you! Why? Seligman says it is because marriage is the only arrangement that gives us all three kinds of love:

• "love of the people who give us comfort, acceptance, and help, who bolster our confidence and guide us." This is like a child's love of his/her parents.
• "people who depend on us for these provisions." This is like a parent's love for his/her child.
• "romantic love - the idealization of another, idealizing their strengths and virtues and downplaying their shortcomings."

In addition to these types of love, Authentic Happiness describes three styles of love:

• secure - people who have this style of love tend to have relatively enduring and satisfying relationships. They are comfortable expressing their emotions and tend not to suffer from depression and other psychological disorders. The secure style benefits care giving, sex-life, and coping with bad events.
• avoidant - people who have this style of love are less comfortable depending on others and opening up to others. These people tend to prefer their own autonomy -- oftentimes at the expense of their close relationships. Although they often have high self-confidence, they sometimes come across as hostile or competitive by others, and this often interferes with their close relationships.
• anxious - people who have this style of love tend to worry about whether their partners really love them and often fear rejection. Although they are comfortable expressing their emotions, preoccupied individuals often experience a lot of negative emotions, which can interfere with their relationships.

Seligman also recommends these books about marriage (though he thinks most books on marriage are focused on how to make a bad marriage tolerable instead of making a good marriage even better):

• Reconcilable Differences by Andrew Christensen and Neil Jacobsen
• The Relationship Cure: A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships by John Gottman
• The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work: A Practical Guide from the Country's Foremost Relationship Expert by John Gottman
• Fighting for Your Marriage: Positive Steps for Preventing Divorce and Preserving a Lasting Love, New and Revised by Howard Markman, Scott Stanley, and Susan Blumberg

John Gottman is the University of Washington in Seattle professor who's known for being able to predict divorce with over 90 percent accuracy by watching couples interact for twelve hours each day for an entire weekend in his "love lab" (a comfortable apartment with all the amenities of home plus two-way mirrors). The predictors of divorce are:

• A harsh startup in disagreement
• Criticism of partner, rather than complaints
• Displays of contempt
• Hair-trigger defensiveness
• Lack of validation (particularly stonewalling)
• Negative body language

In addition, Gottman accurately predicts which marriages will improve by simply devoting an extra five hours per week to their marriage:

• Partings - before these couples say goodbye each morning, they find out one thing that each is going to do that day (2 minutes per day, 5 days a week)
• Reunions - at the end of each workday, these couples have a low-stress reunion conversation (20 minutes per day, 5 days a week)
• Affection - touching, grabbing, holding, and kissing, all laced with tenderness and forgiveness (5 minutes per day, 7 days a week)
• One weekly date - just the happy couple in a relaxed atmosphere, updating their love (2 hours once a week)
• Admiration and appreciation - every day, genuine affection and appreciation is given at least once (5 minutes per day, 7 days a week)

Other researchers have shown that optimism helps marriage. As Seligman states, "Satisfied couples see virtues in their partners that are not seen at all by their closest friends."

Back to reading...just three more chapters to go: Raising Children, Reprise and Summary, and Meaning and Purpose.

Seligman's Authentic Happiness: Parts I & II

I've read Parts I (Positive Emotion) & II (Strengths & Virtue) of Martin E. P. Seligman's Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment and I love it!

As I mentioned earlier, the basic concepts are not new to me but it's how Seligman uses science and research that makes this book worth reading!

Here are some of the book's main ideas:

Based on analysis of some two hundred virtue catalogs -- including Aristotle and Plato, Thomas Aquinas and Augustine, the Old Testament, Confucius, Buddha, Lao-Tzu, Bushido (the samurai code), the Koran, Benjamin Franklin, and the Upanishads -- the world's cultures share twenty-four strengths that can be categorized into six core virtues:

Wisdom and knowledge

• Curiosity/Interest in the world
• Love of learning
• Judgment/Critical Thinking/Open-Mindedness
• Ingenuity/Originality/Practical Intelligence/Street Smarts
• Social intelligence/Personal Intelligence/Emotional Intelligence
• Perspective

Courage

• Valor and Bravery
• Perseverance/Industry/Diligence
• Integrity/Genuineness/Honesty

Love and humanity

• Kindness and Generosity
• Loving and allowing oneself to be loved

Justice

• Citizenship/Duty/Teamwork/Loyalty
• Fairness and Equity
• Leadership

Temperance

• Self-control
• Prudence/Discretion/Caution
• Humility and Modesty

Spirituality and transcendence:

• Appreciation of beauty and excellence
• Gratitude
• Hope/Optimism/Future-Mindedness
• Spirituality/Sense of Purpose/Faith/Religiousness
• Forgiveness and Mercy
• Playfulness and Humor
• Zest/Passion/Enthusiasm

Seligman believes that we each possess several signature strengths and that using your signature strengths every day in your life will bring abundant gratification (distinct from pleasures) and authentic happiness.

Seligman defines pleasures as "delights that have clear sensory and strong emotional components, what philosophers call 'raw feels': ecstasy, thrills, orgasm, delight, mirth, exuberance, and comfort" and gratifications as "activities we very much like doing...[that] engage us fully, we become immersed and absorbed in them, and we lose self-consciousness...[and] they last longer...they involve quite a lot of thinking and interpretation, they do not habituate easily and they are undergirded by our strengths and virtues."

The pleasures can be categorized as follows:

• high-intensity: rapture, bliss, ecstasy, thrill, hilarity, euphoria, kick, buzz, elation, and excitement
• moderate-intensity: ebullience, sparkle, vigor, glee, mirth, gladness, good cheer, enthusiasm, attraction, and fun
• low-intensity: comfort, harmony, amusement, satiation, and relaxation

Based on his research, Seligman teaches readers to enhance pleasure by:

• preventing habituation - space out pleasurable activities so that they happen just frequently enough to keep making you happy, and even better "arrange it so that the people you live with or otherwise see frequently surprise each other with 'presents' of pleasure." An unexpected cup of coffee, her favorite artist's new album when she arrives home, a simple note of gratitude and appreciation.
• savoring pleasures - "basking (receiving praise and congratulations), thanksgiving (expressing gratitude for blessings), marveling (losing the self in the wonder of the moment), and luxuriating (indulging the senses."
• mindful attention to the present - meditation helps with this one

Authentic happiness, Seligman's research indicates, has social, intellectual and physical benefits such as increased creativity, improved memory, boosted, productivity, better health and longevity.

Sounds good to me :)

My favorite part of Authentic Happiness so far is this Buddhist story about mindfulness:

After three years of study, the novice monk arrives at the dwelling of his teacher. He enters the room, bursting with ideas about knotty issues of Buddhist metaphysics and well-prepared for the deep questions that await him in his examination.

“I have but one question”, his teacher intones."I am ready, master," he replies.

“In the doorway, you have just passed through, were the flowers to the left or to the right of the umbrella?”

The novice retires, abashed for three more years of study.

I'm very excited to learn more about positive psychology!

Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment by Martin E. P. Seligman

Just started Authentic Happiness: Using the New Positive Psychology to Realize Your Potential for Lasting Fulfillment by Martin E. P. Seligman and am very much enjoying it so far. The basic concepts (money cannot buy happiness, finding meaning in life does lead to happiness) are not ground breaking but that Seligman backs these up with science and research, well that's what does it for me!

Seligman is the founder of Positive Psychology, a new branch of psychology which focuses on the study of positive emotions, strengths-based character, and healthy institutions. As you probably know, psychology to date has largely focused on the abnormal. While this has done a great deal to treat mental illness, it hasn't done much to help average folks live better lives.

Seligman's research at the University of Pennsylvania has demonstrated that it is possible to learn to be happier — to feel more satisfied, to be more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher hopes, and probably even laugh and smile more, regardless of one’s circumstances. Positive psychology interventions can also lastingly decrease depression symptoms.

Click here to read an except of Chapter One of Authentic Happiness. Here are the Parts/Chapter titles in case you're curious:

Part I Positive Emotion
1. Positive Feeling and Positive Character
2. How Psychology Lost Its Way and I Found Mine
3. Why Bother to Be Happy?
4. Can You Make Yourself Lastingly Happier?
5. Satisfaction about the Past
6. Optimism about the Future
7. Happiness in the Present

Part II Strength and Virtue
8. Renewing Strength and Virtue
9. Your Signature Strength

Part III In the Mansions of Life
10. Work and Personal Satisfaction
11. Love
12. Raising Children
13. Reprise and Summary
14. Meaning and Purpose

Positive psychology seems like an interesting and exciting new field and I've checked out several other library books to learn all I can:

• The Happiness Hypothesis: Finding Modern Truth in Ancient Wisdom by Jonathan Haidt
• The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want by Sonja Lyubomirsky
• The Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less by Barry Schwartz

Any other recommended books on Positive Psychology?