Many of the world's leading happiness researchers say they consciously spend more time with loved ones after seeing the evidence, according to a new paper.
"Happiness emerges from a symphony of factors, but if I had to pinpoint one secret to happiness, relationships with other people might be it," says Lara Aknin, a professor of social psychology at Simon Fraser University.
Earlier this year, Aknin took part in a Zoom call with 12 other international leaders in well-being science. On the agenda? What their collective 600 years of happiness research and their own lived experiences reveals about living a good life and the future of the field they helped to create. Their reflections were captured in a recent paper published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
The key takeaways:
- Relationships matter more than almost anything else
Several researchers on the Zoom call reported consciously spending more time with loved ones after seeing the evidence from their own research.
- More money doesn't mean more happiness
Yes, a comfortable income and financial security are important foundations-but once your basic needs are met, added income has less impact on happiness.
- Meaningful work contributes strongly to happiness
Happiness comes from doing work and activities that feel worthwhile and aligned with your values.
- Happiness can grow through intentional habits
Several researchers said they have applied findings from happiness science to their own lives, like expressing gratitude, savouring positive experiences, investing in relationships, listening more deeply, volunteering, and being more socially engaged.
- Happiness is not about feeling good all the time
Well-being grows when people shape their lives around their values, strengths and relationships, and learn to adapt when circumstances change.
"Having relationships is one of the most reliable predictors of happiness that has emerged from a robust body of evidence spanning the social sciences," says Lara Aknin, who co-authored the paper with Harvard University's Säde Stenlund and Kelsey O'Connor, a senior researcher at Luxembourg's National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies.
"We know that having just one person you can count on is extremely consequential. Having more relationships and more communities that you feel a part of compounds that sense of well-being."
Researchers also talked about well-being as a journey, says Aknin. Generally happy people aren't constantly happy, nor is happiness reserved only for people with ideal lives, perfect circumstances, or a natural sense of optimism. Instead, it can be developed through conscious choices, self-awareness and adaptation, even when life gets hard, she says.
Some of the leading models on happiness suggest that roughly 10 per cent of one's happiness is attributable to one's life circumstances - things that are big and relatively difficult to change, like where you live, your age, your employment status or your relationship status. But as much as 40 per cent of one's happiness is related to "volitional activities" or how you choose to spend your time.
"That leaves a lot of opportunity for people who may be more innately pessimistic to start practising research-backed strategies like meditation or gratitude that might help them see the world in a more positive way," she says.
Today's field of well-being science was "just a twinkle in the pioneers' eyes" when the field first found its footing back in the 1970s, says Aknin, who also co-edits the annual World Happiness Report. As a growing number of scholars take well-being research in their own direction, "there is a sense among pioneers that the field has become fractured."
But there was also a united aim to make sure this work can be practically applied, rigorously tested and used to better people's lives.
"With many large and threatening realities taking place in the world right now, I sometimes worry that the pursuit of happiness can seem trite. But one reason I remain committed to the scientific study of happiness is that happiness in and of itself predicts a number of valuable outcomes, including the motivation to help other people," she explains.
"When people feel they are doing well, they have the ability, the capability, and the motivation to engage in world affairs-to take care of the people they love and take care of their communities."
When we invest in other people, she says, they pass it along and give it back to us.
"Generosity is not zero-sum."
SFU expert available
LARA AKNIN, professor of social psychology, director of the Helping and Happiness Lab
