13 Dec Busting Happiness Myths – continued
Myth: Some people are just born happy.
Truth: Apparently so. The myth is (partly) true. Stossel cites a case of identical twins, separated at birth by adoption. Yet, they both have the same tendencies to laugh and giggle and all the same happiness hallmarks. This suggests they were born that way, as they had different environments.
Stossel also cites a University of Maryland study that found “that some children are literally born happy or unhappy. Scientists there used electrodes to monitor babies’ brain activity when they smiled. Babies who smiled a lot had more measurable activity in their left frontal lobes.”
The study concluded that certain brains are predisposed to happiness compared to other brains. I would write an addendum to Stossel’s discussion, and note and quote none other than Abraham Lincoln, who said we’re about as happy as we want to be. Even if not born happy, it is attainable with the right focus and attitude.