Does that surprise you that doing what is risky and uncomfortable contributes to our happiness? We all need to experience new things, overcome new challenges that take us outside of our comfort zones to grow emotionally and spiritually. We need to fuel our curiosity.
The article also lists the following four other unique habits that happy people have:
- They have a balanced view of details, not taking things too personally or striving for perfection.
- They celebrate others’ successes and build relationships with others who do the same.
- They have psychological flexibility – they accept negative emotions as a signal that they need to examine and possibly change the situation they’re in.
- They balance pleasure and purpose – they enjoy life but stay on track with long-range goals.
Happiness isn’t about always being on an emotional high. It comes when you combine it with “occasional sadness, a sense of purpose, playfulness, psychological flexibility, autonomy, mastery and belonging.” Rather than chasing happiness, perhaps the founding fathers should have said “and the pursuit of a life well-lived.”