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A quick way to be and feel happy is to get infected with a virus, that is the happiness virus. Happiness is a virus, but a good one that spreads easily with almost no effort. This revolutionary idea is backed by research from Harvard University published in the British Medial Journal (online). A 20+ year study was conducted among 4,700 people that supports the following claims;
1. Happiness is transferred from one person to another person or group.
However, it persists for about a year. It is rather a common observation backed by a wide range of research that people’s emotions influence each other. For example, when someone smiles at you, you usually smile back or when you see your friends laugh, you tend to laugh too, sometimes without knowing the reason for their laughter. However, learning that happiness persists and continues for about a year is a surprising research finding. Consider how happy your life can be if you associate with all your friends and happy people you know. Doing it routinely should bring you a happy life!
2. Happiness has a domino effect.
The good happiness virus can travel from one person to another. In other words, when you are happy, your family and friends who are in immediate contact with you also become happy. Also, the people who are in contact with your family and their friends also become happy. According to research results, members of your immediate network could increase their happiness by anywhere from 8 to 34 percent. This effect continues up to three levels, the degree of separation from your friendship networks. However, it drops to 10 percent and 6 percent before disappearing. This characteristic domino effect of happiness is known in economics as the multiplier.
The value of a happy moment or event is much more than what can be observed since it influences many circles of people who are in contact with you. It is interesting to know that research from Harvard University indicates that unhappiness could also be transmitted from one person to another. However, it has less of a ripple effect. Happiness is a much more powerful multiplier than sadness and unhappiness. In other words, contrary to popular belief, pessimism is less infectious than happiness. This should give you a huge head start and a much easier path to being happy and staying happy. Also, any effort you put into being happy is much more valuable and effective than being sad.
3. Exogenous factors could be a catalyst for your happiness.
While your personal feelings and emotions may be determined by your mother’s choices, external factors and the environment can also influence your happiness. In other words, how you feel and react to problems in your life could determine how happy you are. On the contrary, external factors like your friends and your environment can also affect your happiness. You must decide and think happy to be happy. However, arranging your living environment and decorations, listening to happy songs, watching happy movies, and being around happy people also help you to be happy and stay happy. Consequently, by creating a habitual happy lifestyle, you could welcome happiness into your life forever.
4. If you don’t belong to a happy network, create one.
People prefer happiness to sadness. If you don’t belong to a happy and upbeat network of friends, why not create your own? There are many support groups for different causes and issues, you could start your own happiness support group. You’d be surprised how quickly your group becomes popular and spreads. Since the happiness virus spreads faster and stays longer than the unhappiness virus, your network could expand much faster than you think. Doing so not only brings you happiness, but also makes your friends and other people happy. Considering that happy events have a multiplier effect, this can be one of the noble contributions that you can offer to your family, friends and community.
Happiness is contagious and spreads like a virus. It has a ripple effect and multiplies your value through your immediate family and friends and continues beyond two more circles of your friends. While happiness is a choice you make about how to deal with the problems in your life, your environment and surroundings also play a big role in keeping you happy. If you don’t belong to a happy network of friends, stay away from them and create your own. By doing so, you make everyone who comes in contact with you and your friends a happy person!
In future articles, I’ll review more different aspects of happiness as I show you practical strategies for being and feeling happy. Live happy!