{"id":33,"date":"2015-05-12T22:45:57","date_gmt":"2015-05-12T22:45:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/?post_type=chapter&p=33"},"modified":"2022-07-22T20:29:30","modified_gmt":"2022-07-22T20:29:30","slug":"33","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/chapter\/33\/","title":{"raw":"Secrets of a Happy Brain","rendered":"Secrets of a Happy Brain"},"content":{"raw":"

Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.<\/p>\r\nhttps:\/\/media.bccampus.ca\/id\/0_q8fex9vk?width=608&height=70&playerId=23449753\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_61\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"]\"A<\/a> Happy[\/caption]\r\n\r\nThe human brain remembers negative<\/strong> experiences more easily than positive<\/strong> ones. Our brains may have developed this way because threats, like dangerous animals, had a more immediate<\/strong> effect on our ancestors<\/strong>\u2019 survival compared to positive things like food or shelter<\/strong>. As a result, you likely know what makes you unhappy, but do you know what makes you happy?\r\n\r\nResearch suggests that our level of happiness depends partly on factors we cannot control -- our genes and our life circumstances<\/strong>. But our level of happiness is also shaped by the choices we make. If you\u2019ve been chasing wealth, fame, good looks, material things, and power, you may be looking for happiness in all the wrong places.\u00a0Psychologists<\/strong> suggest that the following seven habits make people happier.\r\n

1. Forming close relationships<\/h5>\r\nPeople who form close relationships tend to be happier than those who do not. The number of friends we have is not important. What matters is the quality of our relationships. Relationships that bring happiness usually involve the sharing of feelings, mutual respect, acceptance, trust, fun, and empathy<\/strong>.\r\n
2. Being kind<\/h5>\r\nPeople who make a habit of caring for the well-being of others tend to be happier. This might involve volunteering for an organization or reaching out to support friends and family on a regular basis.\r\n
3. Getting exercise<\/h5>\r\nPeople who exercise regularly improve both their physical and mental well-being. Some research has shown that exercise can be as effective<\/strong> as medication in treating depression.\r\n
4. Finding your flow<\/h5>\r\nWhen we are so interested in an activity we enjoy that we lose track of time, we are in a state of flow. The activity could be making art, playing piano, surfing, or playing a game. People who experience flow in their work or hobbies tend to be happier.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_63\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"400\"]\"A<\/a> Buddhist monk[\/caption]\r\n
5. Getting in touch with your spirituality<\/h5>\r\nPeople who include spirituality in their daily life tend to be happier. Practicing spirituality is a way of recognizing and trying to understand the wonder and beauty of existence. Some people do this by going to a place of worship or praying. Some people practice yoga or meditation<\/strong>. Some people go for long walks in nature.\r\n
6. Discovering and using your strengths<\/h5>\r\nPeople are more likely to be happy if they know what their strengths are and use them regularly. People who set goals and use their strengths to achieve them tend to be happier. People are especially happy when they can use their strengths to serve the greater good.\r\n
7. Thinking positively<\/h5>\r\nPeople who think positively by being grateful, mindful, and optimistic are more likely to be happy. Being grateful means being thankful. Being mindful means being open to, focusing on, and enjoying the experiences of the present moment. Being optimistic means being hopeful about the future.\r\n\r\nTake good care of your brain. The \u201cmost amazing structure on Earth\u201d deserves your appreciation.\r\n
See \u00a0Secrets of a Happy Brain<\/a><\/em>\u00a0in BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English - Course Pack 5<\/a><\/em>.<\/div>\r\n

Attributions<\/h2>\r\nHappy<\/strong>\r\nImage<\/a> by\u00a0tpsdave<\/a>\u00a0is in the public domain<\/a>.\r\n\r\nBuddhist monk<\/strong>\r\nImage<\/a> by\u00a0sciencefreak<\/a>\u00a0is in the public domain<\/a>.","rendered":"

Click play on the following audio player to listen along as you read this section.<\/p>\n

https:\/\/media.bccampus.ca\/id\/0_q8fex9vk?width=608&height=70&playerId=23449753<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Happy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The human brain remembers negative<\/strong> experiences more easily than positive<\/strong> ones. Our brains may have developed this way because threats, like dangerous animals, had a more immediate<\/strong> effect on our ancestors<\/strong>\u2019 survival compared to positive things like food or shelter<\/strong>. As a result, you likely know what makes you unhappy, but do you know what makes you happy?<\/p>\n

Research suggests that our level of happiness depends partly on factors we cannot control — our genes and our life circumstances<\/strong>. But our level of happiness is also shaped by the choices we make. If you\u2019ve been chasing wealth, fame, good looks, material things, and power, you may be looking for happiness in all the wrong places.\u00a0Psychologists<\/strong> suggest that the following seven habits make people happier.<\/p>\n

1. Forming close relationships<\/h5>\n

People who form close relationships tend to be happier than those who do not. The number of friends we have is not important. What matters is the quality of our relationships. Relationships that bring happiness usually involve the sharing of feelings, mutual respect, acceptance, trust, fun, and empathy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

2. Being kind<\/h5>\n

People who make a habit of caring for the well-being of others tend to be happier. This might involve volunteering for an organization or reaching out to support friends and family on a regular basis.<\/p>\n

3. Getting exercise<\/h5>\n

People who exercise regularly improve both their physical and mental well-being. Some research has shown that exercise can be as effective<\/strong> as medication in treating depression.<\/p>\n

4. Finding your flow<\/h5>\n

When we are so interested in an activity we enjoy that we lose track of time, we are in a state of flow. The activity could be making art, playing piano, surfing, or playing a game. People who experience flow in their work or hobbies tend to be happier.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
Buddhist monk<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
5. Getting in touch with your spirituality<\/h5>\n

People who include spirituality in their daily life tend to be happier. Practicing spirituality is a way of recognizing and trying to understand the wonder and beauty of existence. Some people do this by going to a place of worship or praying. Some people practice yoga or meditation<\/strong>. Some people go for long walks in nature.<\/p>\n

6. Discovering and using your strengths<\/h5>\n

People are more likely to be happy if they know what their strengths are and use them regularly. People who set goals and use their strengths to achieve them tend to be happier. People are especially happy when they can use their strengths to serve the greater good.<\/p>\n

7. Thinking positively<\/h5>\n

People who think positively by being grateful, mindful, and optimistic are more likely to be happy. Being grateful means being thankful. Being mindful means being open to, focusing on, and enjoying the experiences of the present moment. Being optimistic means being hopeful about the future.<\/p>\n

Take good care of your brain. The \u201cmost amazing structure on Earth\u201d deserves your appreciation.<\/p>\n

See \u00a0Secrets of a Happy Brain<\/a><\/em>\u00a0in BC Reads: Adult Literacy Fundamental English – Course Pack 5<\/a><\/em>.<\/div>\n

Attributions<\/h2>\n

Happy<\/strong>
\nImage<\/a> by\u00a0tpsdave<\/a>\u00a0is in the public domain<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Buddhist monk<\/strong>
\nImage<\/a> by\u00a0sciencefreak<\/a>\u00a0is in the public domain<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"menu_order":9,"template":"","meta":{"pb_show_title":"on","pb_short_title":"","pb_subtitle":"","pb_authors":[],"pb_section_license":""},"chapter-type":[],"contributor":[],"license":[],"class_list":["post-33","chapter","type-chapter","status-publish","hentry"],"part":3,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/33","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/chapter"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/33\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":313,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/33\/revisions\/313"}],"part":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/parts\/3"}],"metadata":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapters\/33\/metadata\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=33"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"chapter-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/pressbooks\/v2\/chapter-type?post=33"},{"taxonomy":"contributor","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/contributor?post=33"},{"taxonomy":"license","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/opentextbc.ca\/abealfreader5\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/license?post=33"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}