One of the greatest mysteries that has been plaguing mankind is the secret of happiness. Scientists claim that they have finally been able to unravel the mystery with a simple equation. The equation was worked out by scientists after a study of more than 1000 people. It is based on a series of questions which need to be answered on a scale of 1 to 10 and the score is out of 100. The greater the score the happier the person is.
The equation which is said to have solved the mystery isHappiness = P + (5xE) + (3xH)
where P stands for Personal Characteristics, including outlook on life, adaptability and resilience, E stands for Existence and relates to health, financial stability and friendships and H represents Higher Order needs, and covers self-esteem, expectations, ambitions and sense of humour.
The equation is based on four main questions which are
1. Are you outgoing, energetic, flexible and open to change?
2. Do you have a positive outlook, bounce back quickly from setbacks and feel that you are in control of your life?
3. Are your basic life needs met, in relation to personal health, finance, safety, freedom of choice and sense of community?
4. Can you call on the support of people close to you, immerse yourself in what you are doing, meet your expectations and engage in activities that give you a sense of purpose?
Life coach Pete Cohen who co-wrote the study and came up with the equation says that many people wrongly assume that happiness lies in having lots of money or a big car or a big house and tend to focus on the negative things in life while we should be focusing on what we want and getting it. He believes that it would be nice to just enjoy life, considering it is a bit too short!
The researchers also concluded in the study that different factors were important for the different sexes. While four in ten men said that sex made them happy and three in ten said that a victory by a favourite sports team, seven in ten women said that happiness was related to being with family and one in four related happiness to losing weight. Romance and a pay rise or a hobby featured high in the happiness list for men than women, who were more likely to be happy with a sunny weather.
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