13 Dec Happiness can be fleeting at times; but here’s how you can make it last a bit longer!
Happiness is fleeting.
That’s why many Positive Psychologists argue we should be aiming not so much for positive emotions, like happiness, but more so, for thriving and flourishing, deeper and more meaningful constructs less susceptible to the ebbs and flows of daily life.
It’s one thing to be happy; but it’s another thing entirely to feel, taking everything into account, truly satisfied with your life and its trajectory overall.
But that doesn’t mean happiness is bad, or wrong; far from it. Real and meaningful happiness has a myriad of benefits, from better health and improved relationships to success and performance and even, longevity.
So, how can we make those brief moments of joy and happiness last a bit longer? Well, how about …
- Savouring all that’s positive in your life. Savouring is one of the most powerful, yet under-utilised positive psychology strategies, one that if used well can extend and expand the experiences of positivity like happiness. And the good news is it’s not that hard to do! Next time you’re enjoying some positive emotions, be mindful, really mindful, of all that’s going on and all that’s contributing to what’s going on. At the same time, be grateful for the joy you’re feeling and if relevant, share it with others
- Positive reminiscing is another version of savouring whereby you reflect back on happy memories and “relive” them as best you can. This can bring happiness into your life NOW based on something that happened some time ago, making it last days, weeks, or even years longer than it otherwise might
- As hinted at earlier, share your happiness. Allow others into your positive experiences and/or tell them about it. This can lead to the positive experience being enjoyed twice, or even multiple times, and an added benefit is that those with whom you share, if they care about you, will also gain some happiness via your joyfulness
- Want more? Write it down. Or record it via a photo or drawing. Making some form of tangible record of your happy moment means you have something to look back on any number of times. This is one of the benefits of journalling, which includes the wonderful benefits that come from expressive writing but also a type of record keeping which you can go back to and look upon as often as you’d like
- And finally, give yourself a pat on the back for feeling some happiness. It’s not always easy for some of us to enjoy joy, so when we do, it can be helpful to acknowledge it, to acknowledge that we played some part in bringing it about, and to reassure ourselves that there’s no doubt we’ll get to enjoy more pleasure at some point in the future
Don’t underestimate the benefits of happiness and other positive emotions. Even if we accept that they’re short-lived, they’re still beneficial. And making them last as long as possible is just a sensible strategy for those of us who want to foster and develop a great life!