Gratitude, Happiness and Thanksgiving

Dear E-Flash Friends;

What makes people happy? 

 

In recent years there has actually been a good bit of research—serious academic research—in the area of happiness.  When people are happy, what is that?

 

What has been discovered is that when people are happy one of the significant factors is gratitude.  Happy people tend to be people who experience genuine thankfulness.  You might say, to quote a Christian concept that I learned as a kid, they are people who “count their blessings.”

 

In fact, psychologists who try to help people based on this research sometimes recommend that the people keep a thankfulness journal where they are encouraged to take a few moments at the end of the day to write down things they are thankful for.

 

Today, we celebrate a holiday in which the focus is Thankfulness.  (And for some of us there is considerable focus, as well, on pumpkin pie.  But let’s put that aside for the moment.)

 

Are you aware of the blessings in your life?  Do you think about your blessings?  Do you have a real appreciation for the good things that God has given you? 

 

Real thankfulness will probably bring a little more happiness to our lives.  That sounds pretty good, doesn’t it?

 

I'm hoping that you all have a Happy (genuinely thankful) Thanksgiving! 

Remember that God loves you and that will never change.

 

May you experience God’s rich blessings!

Love,

Dan

What If We Discovered Why "Happy" People Are Happy?

Review of:  "Positivity", Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph.D.


There is an area of research and investigation in the field of psychology that is called the “positive psychology movement”.  For many years, psychologists studied what was wrong with people.  They investigated aberrant behavior and psychological disorders.  You might say they studied those who were emotionally unhealthy.  That’s what seemed to make the most sense to those working in the field.  But somewhere along the way someone asked a pretty good question: “Hey, what if we studied healthy people?  What if we investigated those who were emotionally healthy and happy and well adjusted?”

Seems like a pretty good idea, doesn’t it?

The basic thought is: instead of just trying to figure out what’s wrong with people who are emotionally unhealthy, maybe there would be value in trying to figure out what’s right with people who are emotionally healthy.  Maybe that information would be really helpful to us.  In fact, it might even be more helpful!

Thus began the positive psychology movement.  (Well, its beginnings were probably a little more complicated than that, but you get the picture.)  One of the pioneers of the movement was Martin Seligman who published the oft-cited, best-selling, “Learned Optimism”.  Barbara L. Fredrickson is now considered to be one of the leading researchers in this movement and she presents many of the interesting and helpful results of her research in “Positivity”.

A person might be tempted to think that this is pop psychology by untrained lay persons who tell lots of “feel-good” stories and encourage people to say “I’m feeling fantastic” all day long.  That’s not the case.  This is not about having a “Positive Mental Attitude”, Matt Foley style.  This book is reporting findings of legitimate academic research from leading universities and credible scientists.

Fredrickson has identified ten key forms of positivity which she explains in the book, as well as giving advice for how to apply them to your life.  The ten forms of positivity are:  joy, gratitude, serenity, interest, hope, pride, amusement, inspiration, awe and love.

The results of positivity are genuinely important and helpful…sometimes in surprising ways.  The information in this book is presented in an interesting way and it will be of great benefit to those who read it.

Dan Marler

Oak Lawn, IL