Is there anything more highly desired, yet elusive, than happiness? Some describe it as a fleeting emotion along life’s journey, others as the ultimate destination. Some think about it in terms of genetic inheritance, others as the culmination of practices.
How do you hold happy?
Dr. Caroline Meyer, ND, experiences happiness by catching the small moments, pointing out that when we “rely on big moments, we miss the sustenance of daily pleasures.”
For Josh Gitalis, clinical nutritionist and functional medicine practitioner, happiness is about attuned decision-making and feeling aligned with his purpose.
For Chantée Dardaine, registered psychotherapist, happiness is an embodied feeling when engaged in doing something “soul-warming.”
The “how” of happiness
What is it that we’re experiencing when we say, “I’m happy”? Turns out, it’s physical, emotional, and intentional.
Physically, Gitalis explains, the emotion we describe as happiness is the intersection of multiple factors: “Neurotransmitters that regulate mood, like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, are released in brain regions associated with happiness. Hormones such as oxytocin are influenced by hugging, bonding, and social interactions.”
“The capacity for happiness relies on the health of our nervous system,” says Meyer.
To counteract the less-than-happy autopilot many of us find ourselves in, leading to missing out on simple, happy moments, Dardaine brings “an intention of happiness.”
It’s all about appreciation
“Gratitude encourages us to look for pleasurable moments in daily life,” Meyer says. “Recalling with gratitude a few happy moments in each day has been a transformative practice,” she adds, “and mindfulness makes this possible.”
It’s closer than you think
“Growing up, happiness was related to goals,” says Dardaine. “I would frequently say ‘I’ll be happy when …’ which, looking back, made me feel that happiness was only waiting for me at the outcome. As it turns out, happiness is right in front of us.”
Measuring happy
Dardaine actively practises happiness by “scheduling moments of goodness,” such as afternoon tea or evening popcorn, while Graham intentionally cultivates things that evoke contentment or joy, such as time with friends or moving in nature.
“Beyond purely pleasurable activities,” says Meyer, “I make sure to do a few mildly challenging habits every day.” At the end of each day, she experiences the “positive feeling of small accomplishments.”
Highlighting happiness
“Times of unhappiness can lead us to a deeper understanding of our needs, like what smells, sights, items, music, or people can support us coming into a state of happiness,” says Dardaine.
Finally, Meyer suggests: “Place a hand on your heart during a happy experience and silently repeat, ‘Remember this moment.’ Happiness can become a sacred practice.”
By Deena Kara Shaffer, PhD