Optimus Template

Did you know that people are born with a happiness set point? Just like your blonde hair or brown eyes, your happiness set point is genetically given to you at birth. Are we doomed for life if we inherit Uncle Walter’s curmudgeon genes? Well, Uncle Walter (genetics) may well in fact determine 50% of your set point. According to research by Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky of UC Riverside and Ken Sheldon University of Missouri, 50% of your natural state of happiness depends on your genes, only 10% depends on your environment and 40% is changeable by “intentional activities.” In other words, you have far more control over your sense of wellbeing (happiness) than most people believed just a few years ago.

Understanding your Happiness Set Point

It doesn’t take a scientific study to find out what your happiness set point is. Ask yourself right now, on a scale of 1 – 10, what is my happiness set point? At what level do I live most of every day of my life? Am I in frustration, irritation and impatience (6) or am I in contentment (8)? Do I live in a state of anger (3) or am I in flow (9). To help you find your natural set point, we have listed the 40 most common emotions and the corresponding happiness set point. See where you live. From there you can learn the intentional activities (tools) to move up the emotional scale.

What about my living conditions?

The Lyubomirsky research shows that only 10% of your happiness is contingent upon the conditions of your life. If you are like me, this is hard to believe. It is counter intuitive. How can this be? We all know that if we were 20 lbs thinner, married to a wealthy, loving spouse, living in a mansion with a 24/7 maid, you bet we would be happier. Well, not necessarily so says the research. According to a well known research conducted with lottery winners, good fortunes in your life only give us a temporary boost. The boost only lasts between 6 – 18 months. After that our happiness set point returns to its original level. The same goes for accident victims who are permanently injured. Believe it or not, their much reduced temporary happiness set point returns to the original level after about 18 months (+ or – a measly 10% shift).

Take my husband’s friend who lost a foot in a boating accident and couldn’t ride his motorcycle any longer. Within about 18 months, Mike was able to see the positive side of his accident, grateful not to have lost his life in the accident. He went on to modify his motorcycle to help him ride with his new prosthetic leg. His friends say that he is now happier and more grateful than before the accident.

The psychological theory of habituation is the main cause of this “rubber band” effect. People have a tendency to get use to positive changes in life styles and quickly start taking things for granted. On the other hand, in times of trauma or negative events, our survival instincts kick in quickly in order to survive.

What can I do to change my happiness set point?

The dogma of the 1960’s that your brain is hardwired and that after a certain age can’t change, has been proven wrong. With what scientists now call neuroplasticity of the brain (the ability to change and rewire your brain); we can now exercise your brain like you exercise your body, to create a happier brain and a higher, sustainable set point. Sound simple? Yes and no. The information and knowledge about happiness is easy enough to gather; however, without performing the exercises (tools) to apply the knowledge, nothing will change. It would be like reading a book on weight loss and then sitting by the pool waiting for the pounds to melt away…..So goes your happiness set point.

For more information on the tools of happiness and how to increase your happiness set point, log onto www.appliedhappiness.net or email Mary Ann at info@TruexMetier.com.

Mary Ann is certified and licensed with Applied Neuroscience Institute and the co-founder of Applied Happiness Foundation and Truex Metier in San Francisco California. She teaches and lectures on The Search for Sustainable Happiness and the effect of Positivity on Productivity.