Merry Christmas. We often hear people say, “Have a Merry Christmas”, so this morning, Sean Kelly and Mariam Serkal talk with Dr Julie Gowthorpe, RSW about how to make the holidays merry and bright by not trying too hard.
Research from institutions like the University of California, Berkeley, and others has shown that the more people focus on measuring or tracking their happiness, the less happy they tend to feel. It creates this paradox where chasing happiness actually leads to less of it. Similarly, if we chase this feeling of merriness, we are likely to be disappointed.
Try to focus on intrinsic values rather than using activities as a means to an end. For example, don’t volunteer because you think it will make you happier. Do it because you genuinely care about the cause. The happiness will follow naturally. In other words, place your energy in line with what matters to you – otherwise you will resent it.
