"Happy"

At midnight, I watched a documentary called "Happy."  It explores the biological influences on happiness, as well as the things that make people happy in different parts of the world.  As a person perpetually on a quest to find happiness, I found it truly enlightening.  It's always good to look at things through the eyes of others.  You tend to find that, while people can be so completely different, there is always some sense of universality.

According to the documentary, everyone is born with a genetic set-point of happiness, which makes up 50% of your level of happiness (thanks, Mom and Dad).  Only 10% has to do with your circumstances, i.e. social status, wealth, career, etc.  The remaining 40% is choice.  Well, I may be f'd by that first 50%, but that's what the medication is for.  So, now, it's that 40% I have to work on.  The documentary noted close ties with friends and family as the greatest influence on happiness, along with being active (essentially, producing higher levels of dopamine...the happy chemical), doing things you enjoy (duh), and helping those less fortunate.

So, unable to fall asleep at 2am, my mind was racing with ways that I can choose to be happy.  Close ties with family...check.  Friends...well, close ties with the ones I've got, but it couldn't hurt to expand my social circle.  Step outside of my comfort zone.  Being active...well, I go to the gym for about an hour on most days.  However, being as that I'm currently unemployed, that still leaves many hours, on most days, of relative inactivity.  Gotta step it up.  Doing things I enjoy...well, I think I need to find more of those.  Helping those less fortunate...something I'm embarrassed to admit that I've only been thinking about for a long time.  It's time to actually do it.

Ultimately, this documentary really put things into perspective for me, and gave me a renewed sense of hope and control over my own happiness.  I have a plan.  And I believe it will work.  It's up to me to become strong, to become meaningful, to become, well, happy.

And the journey continues...