No happy anecdote is exactly the same as another. Despite the joy, pleasure and satisfaction, the circumstances are totally different. In view of this, have you ever wondered if there are different types of happiness?
It is said that the greatest aspiration of mankind has always been and will be to achieve happiness in life. However, How can this be achieved?
Many people believe that happiness must be easy, constant, and therefore permanent. But the truth is that this is impossible, because it is necessary to have other feelings and emotions to have a complete experience.
Furthermore, it is unrealistic to think that happiness is the removal of problemssince these are part of existence, whether we like it or not.
Various philosophical currents have affirmed that happiness is not inherent in human life and that, therefore, it is useless to seek it. On the other hand, more modern currents say that we must forget about happiness as a permanent state and enjoy the magic of moments and the present time.
happiness classes
While it is true that happiness is never complete, one can think that there are different types. Now, in how many ways can we experience that heightened well-being? The model established by Martin Seligman, for example, was one of the first to answer precisely this question.
This psychologist from the University of Pennsylvania It is a landmark in the study of happiness. He has spent much of his life dedicated to the field of depression, developing well-known theories such as learned helplessness.
However, there came a time in his career where he needed to make a change. He knew what was going on in an unhappy person’s mind. Why not provide people with strategies for finding happiness? This step gave rise to what we know today as positive psychology.
The type of Martin Seligmann He is undoubtedly one of the best known for understanding the types of happiness we can experience throughout our life cycle.
Seligman’s PERMA model
- pleasant emotions. This first dimension focuses on pleasant sensory and emotional sensations, regardless of their duration. It is a very fragile type of happiness, as external circumstances can influence your enjoyment or put an end to it.
- Busy life. In addition to always seeking pleasurable emotions, the person finds meaning in the activities they enjoy and whose value they have internalized. For example, reading, playing a sport, an art, or engaging in teaching, among others.
- Personal and social relationships. Great value is given to personal relationships, whose development is sought and enjoyed; life cannot be conceived without sharing with others. Furthermore, they are usually people who feel comfortable and satisfied being an active part of the communities.
- meaningful life. In this kind of happiness, people see the importance of their lives beyond personal well-being. They are guided by very solid values. They focus on improving the world in some way and helping others extensively.
- Successes and achievements. It is sought after by people who have a certain scale of values ​​\u200b\u200band who, based on it, planned the desired results. Economic success, profession, autonomy, reputation are usually some of the sought-after objectives.
Advertising has reduced happiness to the tangible aspect and the cult of matter. It is a frivolous and fragile happiness that is based on economic success, on obtaining pleasure and on achieving a certain social status.
Tips for enjoying happiness
It must be said that many investigations have been carried out to better understand this dimension. Indeed, worthy of reference that study conducted by Harvard University over 80 years to determine which factors and components mediate happiness.
Some of the most notable results were as follows:
- Take care of your physical, psychological and emotional health. Human biology is designed to experience well-being and pleasure, and this can only be achieved by enjoying good health.
- Love and express affection. Feel, give and receive love without prejudice; love can become an effective mental tool that takes us away from everyday conflicts.
- Enjoy the present. Life can flow in an exhausting search that doesn’t let you enjoy what really exists, which is the present; it’s about the here and now.
- Appreciate everything that exists in its right dimension. Starting with the planet, nature, animals; continue with knowledge, art, music and all the fruits of human ingenuity; and above all, appreciate the little things.
- Dedicate ourselves to what fills us and fits our scale of values.
- Seek our satisfaction without harming others.
- Don’t force yourself to seek permanent happiness. That same search can be exhausting and lead to frustration. Recognizing that problems are part of human life is a first step to enjoying everything else.
- Be free as much as possible. This implies living according to one’s beliefs and the right to choose in any area of ​​life.
- learn to overcome adversity; it’s about finding ways to emerge stronger from challenging circumstances. Negative experiences lived can be converted into important life lessons.
- Give meaning to life. It has been shown that contributing to the happiness of others gives great satisfaction and fills life with meaning and meaning.
Regardless of the kinds of happiness that are considered better for oneself, It’s best to try to try them all.
As the philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) said: “Happiness, more than a wish, a joy or a choice, is a duty.”
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