Happiness and Seligman

Have you ever seen a counsellor or a psychologist? Martin Seligman is a psychologist, and he came to realise we see mental health professionals when we feel down, and we want to get back to baseline – from minus one back to zero. How do you get from zero to plus one?

Seligman is the founder of ‘positive psychology’. He comes up with a formula: H = S + C + V. That is, Happiness (sustained, not momentary) = S (your Set range, determined by genes – 50%) + C (Circumstances – 10%) + V (Voluntary Variables you control – 40%).

Half of happiness is biological (according to Seligman). You are either optimistic or pessimistic by nature. Let’s bracket this, as we can’t change our biology.

Your circumstances account for only 10% of your happiness. Research tracks the level of happiness of normal people who win the lottery versus normal people who become permanently disabled. A couple of years later, both returned to their baseline happiness levels.

It’s easy to focus too much on our circumstances. They give us an initial ‘spike’ or ‘dip’, but we soon become habituated to our new normal. Like drugs, we need more to get the same effect. Pleasures correlate with happiness when they are occasional and savoured.

The biggest factor inside our control that makes a difference is ‘V’ – voluntary variables.

When you are thankful, or stop and dwell on your achievements, forgive yourself and others – these voluntary activities help you feel better about the past.

When you are hopeful, have faith and put it into action, are confident, and and trust others – these voluntary activities help you feel more optimistic about the future.

According to the research, we are happiest when we find a state called ‘flow’ in or voluntary activities. Actions that stretch us but are achievable, not rushed, but we dwell in the moment, involve relationships, and bless others.

Much of Seligman fits with the Christian life. We are called to give thanks, pause and pray, forgive, be gracious, continuously grow as a disciple, serve, be kind, just and merciful to others. The self-absorbed, flesh-pleasing, driven-ness of our culture turns out to be lies of Satan, not the life Jesus promises.

By Rev. David Rietveld