The mental tricks you can use in your lifelong pursuit of happiness

MORE than 2300 years ago, Aristotle based on that happiness was nan highest good. Later, nan US founding fathers considered its pursuit to beryllium an unalienable quality right. These days, you will find countless books promising to uncover nan secrets of a happy life. But person millennia of philosophical and technological enquiry taught america thing astir really to execute that?

First, let’s look astatine really group who study happiness measurement it. One of nan astir communal strategies is to inquire group to complaint statements specified arsenic “In astir ways, my life is adjacent to my ideal” and “If I could unrecorded my life over, I would alteration almost nothing”. These purpose to seizure someone’s wide restitution pinch life, alternatively than their temper connected a circumstantial day.

That makes sense, says Richard Layard, co-director of nan Community Wellbeing Programme astatine nan London School of Economics, because asking group to sum up their wide contentment is often much applicable than measuring their affectional authorities complete an extended period. The different thing, says Layard, is that wide contentment fits amended pinch philosophical definitions of happiness arsenic an overarching quality, arsenic opposed to transient pleasures.

Using this benignant of scale, psychologists person attempted to identify nan circumstantial ingredients that lend to happiness. Contrary to nan thought that “money can’t bargain happiness”, income does play a role: it is easier to consciousness pleased pinch your batch erstwhile you don’t person to interest astir bills and tin dainty yourself to luxuries.

We are besides influenced by nan riches of others – we are …