Sadly, many people are depressed and not satisfied with their lives. Given that a significant number of people are experiencing discontent with their lives; does this finding suggest that we are unsure of what makes us happy? Researcher Dr. Chistopher Hsee is exploring the idea that individuals struggle with predicting what makes them happy.
He further suggests that humans are not built to be happy. Rather we are built to survive. As modern society has advanced, survival is no longer a major concern. Consequently, an existential concern of pursuing happiness becomes more important. Various factors were identified and studied to determine what makes people happy. Money does factor into well-being, however it does not produce happiness. However, what people do with their free time does impact our sense of satisfaction.
Money is critical in keeping us safe, warm and fed. Once those basic survival needs are meet, money no longer plays a large role in happiness. However, if we are spending our leisure time in a way that is congruent to our values, we experience joy. A simple question is, "Are you doing the things you would like to be doing?"
To illustrate this point take the following example. Individuals that receive a raise are temporarily content with their raise because they do not use the raise to engage in the activities that they would like to. Instead, they focus their energy on the next raise, rather than use their current raise to pursue what makes them happy.
The questions remain: How can you take advantage of your free time or make time to engage in things that make you happy? What are you willing or unwilling to compromise? Your actions speak volumes of what is a priority in your life. Does your priority list match your values list? If not, how can you expect to be happy? What adjustments are you willing to make to spend your free time enjoying your life? For more information, please contact Dr. Drecun at Dr.Drecun@a4ct.com or visit us at Association for Compassionate Transformation.
The American Psychological Association conducted a survey on stress between the genders in America and found interesting results. For the first time, middle-aged men are reporting greater stress connected to work stability, their job and money. Stress levels were collected on more than 2,000 adults. Each age group had fascinating results.
In the 45 - 54 age group, 86% of men stated that money was a great concern. On the other hand, women in the same age group reported a decrease in financial related stress from 83% to 78%. Within this same age group, men also reported work as a greater stressor than women. The same pattern was found in the 35 - 44 age group between men and women.
Traditionally, women have reported greater stress than men. What may be causing the change in perception of levels of stress in the genders? Researchers are speculating that the current recession is causing greater layoffs in male-dominated industries. Men greatly attain their identities from their work and their ability to support a family. When these two areas in their lives are being challenged economically, many men are perceiving the current situation as very stressful. As men take on greater responsibility for the levels of stress in the home, it may give women a small break from assuming full responsibility for the stresses the family is encountering.
During times of stress, healthy coping mechanisms are crucial.
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