California wants its citizens to be happy, reports Lynn La on Cal Matters. The Legislature, which once made "self-esteem" a running joke on Doonesbury, have launched a Select Committee on Happiness and Public Policy Outcomes.
Anthony Rendon, the former Assembly speaker, watched the 2011 documentary Happy 14 times in a two-day period, he told La. His committee held a three-hour hearing that heard speakers extol relationships, a meaningful life, a sense of gratitude and a connection to nature as keys to happiness. Policy ideas "ranged from the very ambitious (universal healthcare) to the more minor (increasing urban green spaces)."
Fifty-eight percent of Californians said they were "pretty happy" and another 16 percent were "very happy" in a September 2023 survey by the Public Policy Institute of California. Twenty-six percent were "not too happy."
California is the seventh happiest U.S. state, according to WalletHub.
People can learn to be happy -- or happier, concludes a University of Bristol study, reports John Anderer. Science of Happiness students who practice happiness habits, such as gratitude, exercise, meditation or journaling, report greater wellbeing. But they have to keep it up to keep up their spirits.
“It’s like going to the gym – we can’t expect to do one class and be fit forever," explains Professor Bruce Hood.
Get over yourself seems to be good advice.
“Much of what we teach revolves around positive psychology interventions that divert your attention away from yourself, by helping others, being with friends, gratitude or meditating. “This is the opposite of the current ‘selfcare’ doctrine, but countless studies have shown that getting out of our own heads helps gets us away from negative ruminations which can be the basis of so many mental health problems.”
In his book, The Science of Happiness, Hood suggests talking to strangers, giving gifts, walking in nature and getting enough sleep.
Stop telling kids they've been traumatized, says Abigail Shrier, author of Bad Therapy, in a Spiked interview with Brendan O'Neill. People are remarkably resilient -- unless they're encouraged to dwell on the negative.
Many young people "are made to feel like they cannot do things for themselves and must rely on experts," Shrier says. They feel helpless. Which is depressing.