“The Most Important Things in Life … Aren’t Things.”
H = S + C + V
H = Happiness
S = Set Point in the brain: Determines 50% of happiness. It’s our own personal way of looking at the world, for example, a problem to be solved, an opportunity to experience. Includes joy and creativity. Some people might say the bad news is that it is shaped by your 1st three years of childhood (hopefully you didn’t experience too much criticism, complaining and blame). Unhappy people see problems, while happy people see opportunities. The good news is that you can reset your set point through meditation (self reflection and changing your self limiting beliefs).
C = Conditions of Living: Determines 10-12% and mostly influenced by material success and personal wealth. It’s important but not that important….If you’re really rich and think about money all the time, or you’re really poor and think about money all the time, you score the same here.
V = Voluntary Choices we make on a daily basis: Determines 40% and breaks into two areas: personal pleasure and fulfillment. The pleasure eventually exhausts itself but there is tendency to get hooked, e.g., addiction.
- Personal Pleasure: typically doesn’t last more than 2 or 3 days. Includes things like shopping, food, entertainment, and sex.
- Fulfillment: Linked to purpose and meaning. a). Express your creativity, b). Find meaning and purpose (express your dharma), and c). Make someone else happy. Making someone else happy is one of the fastest ways to increase your happiness. Try using the 3 A’s approach: Attention (listen); Appreciate (notice uniqueness while letting person know you care about them); and Affection.
Key take aways: while our “S,” that is our Setpoint for Happiness is determined by the first three years of our life, we can improve it through meditation and that material things don’t provide lasting happiness – relationships do, so go out and find a way to make someone else happy, and in the end, you will increase your overall level of well being. Email me if you’d like more information about meditation.
The following content was based on Deepak Chopra’s seminar Super Brain: Unleashing the Explosive Power of Your Mind (July 26-28, 2013)