What is Happiness?

In the 20th century, for every one hundred published articles on mental illness, there was only one published on mental health.

Good for making progress on the negative parts of human behavioural science - depression, anxiety etc - and just in time too, as modern life increased their incidence. Pretty good too for getting someone to travel from -5 to 0 on the well-being scale.

But as for getting from 0 to +5 and beyond... not so much.

Pretty good for getting someone to travel from -5 to 0 on a scale of well-being. But as for getting from 0 to +5 and beyond... not so much.

Then, in the year 2000, a guy called Martin Seligman started to change that by studying the positive elements of human living such as positive emotion and happiness. he and his colleagues created a new branch of research called Positive Psychology.

Two years later, in 2002, he published a book on happiness called Authentic Happiness. Right at the heart of the book lies his formula for happiness—a super simple overview of all the factors that influence our happiness.

Seligman's formula  for Happiness   H = S + C + V

• H stands for your enduring level of happiness
• S is your set range
• C is the circumstances in your life, and
• V represents factors under your voluntary control

Whilst this was useful for demonstrating that happiness is only partly under your control and that you should focus on the the things you can control, the formula itself lacked precision. At least in my view. That is why I created a new formula based around a structure I called the Hierarchy of Happiness. You might recognise the form as being similar to Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, and it is...

The hierarchy is based on four essential foundations for happiness. Good sleep is the most important and sits at the base of our structure, supporting everything else. Why? Don't take my word for it, ask yourself how you feel about the day ahead without a good night's sleep? Is there any prospect of really being happy at all? So, sleep it is.

In addition to good sleep (and of course enabled by it) is health self-confidence. Why not just "Health"? Well, we never really know if we are healthy or not at any given time so it needs to be a mental state of mind based on a strong belief that we are in good health to enable happiness.

Fitness of mind and body builds on good health self-confidence. Ever heard the expression "the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak"?

Ever heard the expression 'the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak'?

Without having the energy to pursue the things you really enjoy, it will remain just a future promise or aspiration. A strong body and mind gives you the zip and the power to go and do the things that really float your boat. And that can be absolutely anything! When you're doing that, and all the other foundations are in place, I guarantee you will be happy (at least for a while).

Our formula ignores the uncontrollable and is ultimately a drill down into the things that you can at least do something about. We calculate a Human Happiness quotient (HHq) using the four foundations of happiness.

At SHUFL Capital we are committed to working with people who are interested in the same thing we are - increasing human happiness - by strengthening the four foundations. What could be a nobler cause after all?

At SHUFL Capital we are committed to working with people who are interested in doing the same thing we are - increasing human happiness.

Calculate your own HHq with our online calculator

In the post-pandemic era, my suspicion is that people will pay a lot more attention to what makes them happy and will sweat the small stuff a LOT less. We are with you. We got this.

Be Happy.