Would you like to be happier? It is safe to say that most of us would. In the last 20 years the field of positive psychology has been focusing on the study of happiness and the research has shown us a lot. For example, researchers have determined that our genetic programing accounts for fifty percent of our happiness. That’s right, some of us are lucky enough to be born with a genetic predisposition for happiness. Additionally, another ten percent of our happiness can be accounted for by our life circumstance e.g. health, economics, or family system. But if you are not lucky enough to have a genetic disposition for happiness or the good fortune to be born into a happy “situation;” do not despair. The research shows that a full forty percent of the remaining factors contributing to happiness are within our power to control. Yes, we can increase our levels of happiness up to forty percent by practicing activities that have been proven to increase happiness.

The practice of gratitude is a potent happiness booster. This was demonstrated by Psychologist Martin Seligman in his study at the University of Pennsylvania. In this study a group of participants were asked to write down five things for which they were grateful once a week for ten weeks in a row. The group recording gratefulness reported a significant rise in optimism, more life satisfaction, and fewer physical problems than a control group who was not practicing gratitude. Multiple studies since have shown similar results. The bottom line is that practicing gratitude works. You can read more about this in the book The How of Happiness by Sonja Lyubomirsky.

While plenty of people can enhance happiness through self-help, others find the personalized guidance offered by a licensed therapist very valuable. Additionally, unhappiness can sometime be a symptom of another underlying condition such as depression. If your self-help efforts are not progressing a therapist can help you identify and work through other underlying challenges.