Spirituality Inclined People Are Happier

Psychologists once spent most of their time studying mental illness, but recently they have turned their attention to what brings health and happiness. They have discovered that happiness is largely influenced by non-physical factors such as values, attitudes and beliefs. For example:

Across all cultures, people who have a happy marriage, spend time with their families, and enjoy caring friendships, a varied and rewarding social life and worthwhile goals which are enjoyable to persue tend to be happier than average.

Wealth is not a good predictor of happiness; people do not grow happier as they grow richer, unless they start below the poverty line. Lottery winner, as I mentioned in the previous post, for instance, are not happier than rest of us, and despite the massive increase in wealth in developed countries in the last fifty years, levels of happiness have not increased.

Age, gender, education, nationality and race are unrelated to happiness.

Spirituality inclined people are generally happier because they have sense of meaning and a belief in something bigger than themselves that brings hope and optimism and faith, all of which are closely linked to happiness.

All in all, studies support the conclusion drawn by the broadcaster and writer Hugh Downs.

'A happy person is not a person with a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.'

Peace out.