Day 33 Stats Stats Stats...

Oh sweet land of daily Internet access! Even after a few disruptive days I have struggled with the inability to blog. This questions my original plan of following Forty Days of Happiness with Forty Days of No Blog. Perhaps a Plan B is called for but no idea which direction this could go in. Earlier today, in a discount bookshop in York, I came across such inspirational titles as ‘From Single to Settled – Get A Life’ and ‘Bone Idle to Body Idol’… all suitable life-enhancing (?) blog fodder but not grabbing me for now…

HOWEVER – back on track. A week to go!! Let's dive right back into those murky yet divine waters of philosophy. Back to the Enlightenment when, in many ways, the study of All Things Happiness arose out of utilitarian thoughts on the Greater Good. Ok ok, I know, those devilishly clever ancients - Plato, Seneca and the toga-clad like, came up with many a Happy Theory. But insofar as today's Happiness Industry is concerned, theories are mainly focused on the science of happiness - economics, politics, and psychology. ‘Happiness’ has become an almost assumed entity - there is 'something' that can be referred to or labeled as happiness, it's a positive thing, it can be recognized, measured. Perhaps most critical of all, the tangible concept of 'happiness' can be molded, wrapped up in plastic and shipped out to the masses.

Where am I going with all this?! I don't know! Well I do... I want to get to the bottom of the Happiness Industry, get to the foundations of why, how and in what bloody dimension a book such as THIS can be even conceived of let alone sold in thousands...

The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting The Life You Want. By Sonja Lyubomirsky.

As a professor of psychology at the University of California, Sonya has spent many a year musing on happiness. Instead of sticking to thorough academic research, Sonya hit upon the not-so-novel idea of publishing her work as a Popular Book complete with eye-catching title and a this-book-will-change-your-life title. SPARE ME. She is not alone. It would seem the Fiscally Advantageous gene spread amongst academics - Daniel Gilbert, Professor of Psychology at Havard University published his own, 'Stumbling on Happiness'.

Daniel, on the subject of Sonya's book, says:

"Everyone has an opinion about happiness, and unfortunately, many of them write books. Finally we have a self-help book from a reputable scientist whose advice is based on the best experimental data. Charlatans, pundits, and new-age gurus should be worried and the rest of us should be grateful. The How of Happiness is smart, fun, and interesting - and unlike almost every other book on the same shelf, it also happens to be true"

REALLY Daniel? Well let's all bow down at the great altar of academia and praise be the likes of you and Sonya. Thank you for sparing your valuable experimental time to publish, seemingly encouraged by the same BADLY DISGUISED motivation as those damn charlatans.

Sonya's book 'decodes' happiness. Breaks it down scientifically. In fact, Sonya has experimented SO much she can confidently tell you 50% of individual difference in happiness is determined by genes, 10% by life circumstances, and 40% by intentional activities. It is this magical, malleable 40% that can is effectively in YOUR hands. The book goes onto suggest ways of enhancing that 40%.

I guess the point I'm making is that even when quoting a gazillion statistics, studies, formulas, it's still not convincing is it?! OH and before I forget - page 252 - Botox apparently lifts hard-core depression. Yep. No words left. None. Nada. My frown lines are LOVING this.

For 24 hours I'm going to follow two tips from Sonya about maximizing potential happiness within the 40%

Over thinking (i.e., rumination) ushers in a host of adverse consequences: It sustains or worsens sadness, fosters negatively-biased thinking, impairs a person's ability to solve problems, saps motivation, and interferes with concentration and initiative.

So mission 1 – No over thinking.

Hugs make people happier. Students at Penn State who were instructed to give or receive a minimum of five hugs per day over the course of four weeks and to record the details became much happier. Students who merely recorded their reading activity showed no changes.

Mission 2 - Hug a lot.

Hmm. One area Sonya touches on is nostalgia, which honestly FASCINATES me – honestly! Not a hint of sarcasm I promise. That’s for tomorrow. I just couldn’t help but indulge for now….