Have you ever had one of those days where you just feel grumpy all day for no good reason? Every little thing frustrates you and makes you grumpier. The glass is persistently half empty, and the look affixed to your face does not reflect sunshine and butterflies.
I think we all have those days on occasion. Thankfully, most of us aren’t grumpy all the time. But even on “normal” days when we’re not grumpy, does that mean we’re happy instead? Not necessarily.
In an article that appeared several years ago in Minnesota’s StarTribune, writer Allie Shah noted that studies show that our thoughts tend to “veer toward searching for potential threats and faultfinding, a natural tendency groomed by generations of our ancestors having to worry about protecting themselves.”
According to the article, which highlights the findings of Dr. Amit Sood, a physician at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester and author of the new book The Mayo Clinic Handbook for Happiness, “Our brains are not hard-wired for contentment.”
So what does that mean? Despite the gloomy outlook, there’s actually good news. With the exception of genetics—which account for up to half of our “happiness potential”—it appears we have quite a bit of control over our own level of happiness. As humans, we can be intentional and overcome our natural bias toward negativity.
Dr. Sood offers up four steps for cultivating happiness in our lives:
- Train your attention. Strive to notice the little things, and allow yourself the fascination and wonder you experienced as a child.
- Focus on emotional resilience. Practice gratitude, compassion, acceptance, meaning, and forgiveness.
- Engage in a mind-body practice. Try activities that relax your mind, such as yoga, meditation, or even reading.
- Pursue healthy habits. Eat well, exercise regularly, watch less TV, read more good books, and get enough sleep.
With effort, Dr. Sood asserts that we can train our brains to be less brooding, boosting our health and our happiness.
Question: What do you think? Do you believe you can cultivate more happiness in your life with these steps?
