Did you know that researchers have discovered that 40% of the differences in happiness and well-being levels of individuals is accounted for by individual behaviour?[1]
Our genetic disposition and our life circumstances account for the rest, 50% and 10% respectively. This is very positive news, as it means that our own intentional activities can impact powerfully on our well-being. We can’t change our genetic disposition and often our life circumstances may also be difficult to change – of course this doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try to make changes at this level. However, by focusing on this 40%, we can really do a lot to improve our day to day happiness. I think it’s really useful to think about this 40% as our ‘Reservoirs of Well-Being’, because it brings to mind the concept of a resource which we can draw from, and also replenish.
We can explore Martin Seligman’s PERMA[2] theory of well-being to establish exactly what these Reservoirs of Well-being are. PERMA theory suggests that there are five main components of well-being, namely Positive Emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning and Achievement. If we think of each one as a specific reservoir, we can learn how to keep them topped up through our daily intentional activities. Let’s look at the first three now and explore some evidence-based methods of replenishing them.
Positive Emotions: Positive emotions like gratitude, awe, love, humour, belonging, peace and pride aren’t a luxury but a necessity to well-being on a daily basis. Research shows that these emotions buffer us against strong or overwhelming negative emotions and benefit our physical and mental health in many different ways.[3] One interesting study showed that very happy people with high well-being didn’t in general experience less negative emotions than their less happy counterparts, rather it was the presence of small yet frequent positive emotions which kept their well-being topped up. [4] So focus on boosting and savouring positive emotions whenever possible – take their power seriously! Establishing a gratitude practice, engaging in random acts of kindness, revelling in the beauty of nature, practising mindfulness, listening to your favourite music or watching a good comedy can all keep this reservoir topped up. Positive emotions are contagious, so you won’t just be replenishing yourself but helping others too. It’s a great reason to put having fun on your to-do list.
Engagement: The reservoir of engagement is topped up each time we set out to use all of our strengths, abilities and talents to make life better for ourselves and others. The concept of using your signature character strengths is one of the pillars of positive psychology.[5] Twenty-four such strengths have been identified by researchers, to find out what yours are, you can go to this website and take a free survey. Using such strengths as creativity, zest, emotional intelligence, humour, love of learning, optimism and teamwork has been linked to well-being in terms of higher vitality and self-esteem. So keep this reservoir topped up by being aware of your unique strengths and focusing on them most of the time, instead of your weaknesses. Find new ways to tap into them and use them to help others whenever you can.
Relationships: Positive relationships may be our most powerful reservoir of well-being. Again and again, research points to the presence of strong supportive relationships as being the major factor in well-being and happiness.[6] So nurture and protect those special relationships in your life, your friends and close family members. Make time to connect, to listen, to share and to enjoy the company of others. Social isolation is linked to negative outcomes in terms of both physical and mental health, so be aware of how important it is to keep this reservoir topped up. Sometimes our social life is the first thing to start to slip if we aren’t feeling okay, however, try to stay connected even to a small circle of trusted friends, as this may well be the factor which can get us back on track.
Keeping our reservoirs of well-being topped up is a preventative approach to mental health and it involves doing the work on ourselves, for ourselves. We can find out which particular reservoir works best for us on a personal level and take control and responsibility for keeping it replenished. This kind of self-care is vital for our well-being, even though at times it may feel difficult. Small, consistent daily decisions and actions can start to add up. Then, when faced with life’s inevitable challenges, we can tap into these sources of strength and protection. So take those small steps every day to keep yourself replenished.
[1] Lyubomirsky, S., Sheldon, K. M., & Schkade, D. (2005). Pursuing happiness: the architecture of sustainable change. Review of general psychology, 9(2), 111.
[2] Seligman, M. E. (2012). Flourish: A visionary new understanding of happiness and well-being. Simon and Schuster.
[3] Kok, B. E., Catalino, L. I., & Fredrickson, B. L. (2008). The broadening, building, buffering effects of positive emotions
[4] Diener, E., & Seligman, M. E. (2002). Very happy people. Psychological science, 13(1), 81-84.
[5] Park, N., Peterson, C., & Seligman, M. E. (2004). Strengths of character and well-being. Journal of social and Clinical Psychology, 23(5), 603-619.
[6] Vaillant, G. E. (1977). Adaptation to life. Harvard University Press.
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