Over the last decade, with the introduction of positive psychology, there’s been a huge shift in focus from what’s ‘wrong’ with people, to much more of an interest in what makes us thrive. And it’s largely off the back of this scientific investigation that Mindfulness has become so popular. But can Mindfulness make us happy? For International day of Happiness just gone, I thought I’d explore this question.
The research says yes. In one of the studies, two psychologists at Harvard took over 2250 people and using a specially designed app, tracked their wandering minds and levels of happiness. At random intervals throughout the day, participants were asked to pause and notice where their attention was – ‘here’ or ‘somewhere else’. If caught up in thoughts, they were asked to log if these were pleasant, unpleasant or neutral. It turns out, 47% of the time our minds are off somewhere else! Obviously, being caught up in negative thinking made them significantly unhappier but crucially, what they also learnt was, when the participants were absorbed in what they were doing, they were notably happier than when distracted, even if they had been thinking about pleasant things. So being present makes us happier than when we’re distracted, even by nice thoughts! Research has also found that like Mindfulness, happiness is a skill – something we can cultivate. Neuroscientists have noticed a significant increase in activity in the happiness centre of the brain, in people who had been practicing meditation for only 4 weeks!
So, there’s plenty of evidence-based research on the benefits of Mindfulness, but in practice, how can it enhance our happiness? I’ve outlined a few key ways…
- Mindfulness helps us relax into the life we have and plug into our own resources. Mindfulness teacher Tara Brach says, ‘Happiness lies not in finding what is missing, but in finding what is present’. It’s definitely when I’m chasing after the stuff of happiness, that it’s most elusive to me. Mindfulness reminds me to notice, appreciate and savour the small things in life that can get overlooked. It can help us cultivate a sense of inner wellbeing, allowing us to feel content without needing to obtain anything from the external world.
- Mindfulness helps us shift our relationship to thoughts and emotions. Becoming aware of my gremlins of negative thinking, like anticipating disaster, unhelpful comparison or self-judgement, means I don’t have to be hooked into their debilitating trance. It’s not that I’m unwilling to hear their concerns (safety, for instance), but they don’t get to run the show! Mindfulness gives us skills to work creatively with habits of mind, and most importantly, teaches us not to believe everything our minds tells us! It helps put things in perspective.
- Mindfulness helps us build resilience. It’s true that the more engaged I am, the more fulfilling my life is. And this even applies to times when things are not easy. I’m slowly learning through mindfulness training, that the energy required in avoiding difficulty is often more taxing than facing up to what’s there. It also reminds me I have choice when getting into a state over the things I can’t control. Mindfulness helps us gain confidence in our capacity to be with a broader range of emotion.
Mindfulness has definitely had a significant impact on my happiness. In fact, you could even say it’s shifted its definition. Rather than happiness being hinged on external circumstances – a response to things ‘out there’ going my way, or the enjoyment of a pleasurable activity – it’s more of a state of being that’s available to me all the time… if I only remember to pay attention!