HAPPINESS: AN INSIDE & OUTSIDE JOB :D I just went and saw the movie/documentary Happy. I whole-heartedly recommend anyone to go & see it but here are some cool highlights that I remember: * the average rickshaw driver in India is as happy as the average middle class American * our happiness levels are (roughly) 50% determined by our genes, 10% by circumstance (job, education, wealth, weather, etc), and the other 40% is unknown/variable and that 40% was explored in this movie * money only provides happiness up until a certain point (or rather the things money can buy). When money got our basic necessities (food, shelter, health care, clean water, etc) are covered, excess/extra money does not make us happier * one big field of interest related to happiness is FLOW. A lot of research has been done on flow and books have been written too. As a flow artist, this gave me a big smile (though flow doesnt refer to the flow arts, its more a state of mind. We flowers just know that dancing with toys instantly connects you to this state :) ) * happiness is something you can learn, or train, much like a muscle * most people strive for happiness through obtaining: money, popularity, status. These 3 things are directly opposed to the 3 things that have shown to actually make us happy: community (friends/family), service, and forgot the 3d one sorry :p * the things that have been shown again and again to increase happiness: compassion (#1), kindness, community (friends/family), altruism/generosity, service * Bhutan and Okinawa were emphasized as not only some of the happiest places on Earth, but also the healthiest. Unfortunately the documentary makers overlooked the possible dietary link here. Both the district of okinawa and bhutan eat largely plant-based and low fat diets, whole foods and organic. ----------------- The biggest insight I got from the movie is that happiness is not a frivolous, self-centered, or superficial pursuit (I was really into this notion when I was deep in to the New Age cult :p ). True happiness is inclusive of others. Any happiness that doesnt positively benefit others is not in fact happiness. By becoming happier we help others become happier. By helping others become happier, we ourselves become happier. Also, I think I finally found an answer as to why switching to a vegan diet years ago caused such a massive shift in my happiness levels. I wrote it off to mere cellular/biochemical response, and I am sure thats part of it, but now I see that the whole compassion and kindness thing is most likely to be at play here. When I started to really care about animals (compassion) and stopped contributing to their abuse and death (kindness), I started to care more about those around me and the Earth as a whole, too (service). I intuitively started to call a plant-based diet compassionate eating some time ago, and some others call it the kind diet. Lastly, when we asked the director (who was there tonight) how the movie impacted his level of happiness, his answer was: well, I discovered Bali and never left. < Heart explosion right there. Its true. Bali is all about community life, coming together... I see a lot of smiley faces here, from both the locals and nomads/expats, which instantly lifts the spirits of the community as a whole!
Posted on: Mon, 03 Nov 2014 14:16:36 +0000