Researchers say 50% of your happiness is genetically based. Seems outrageously large at first. But, we all know people who are forever pessimistic, sad, complainers. “How are you doing today?” is always greeted with a list of complaints, ailments, or on their best of days an “ok”. And then there are those who always exude happiness no matter what the circumstances. Perhaps the 50% is about right, with most of us simply not on either of the genetic extremes but somewhere near the middle.
Then, they say, 10% of someone’s happiness is based on circumstances. Where you find yourself in life. What country you live, who you married, how much money you have, ethnicity, occupation. At first, that 10% slice seems low, but think about the average person in the US. Is almost everyone happy? By income, if you make $32,400 per year or more, then you are in the top 1% in the world. And yet that top 1% status doesn’t push happiness like you would expect.
That leaves the remaining 40% of happiness determination, and thankfully it is under our control. Researchers say it is the activities we choose, as opposed to circumstances or genetics. What do we do each day with our time. Regardless of where we live. Regardless of our finances. Sometimes we relinquish that control to greater or lesser degrees. But ultimately, we do have much control in these choices.
Next post… how I lost my happiness