“I just want to be happy!” That’s the way many of us feel. The pursuit of happiness is something that fills up a lot of our time, but what we think will make us happy doesn’t always work out the way we imagine. So what even is happiness? It’s Paula on the Dóchas blog today, and I want to unpack how we can approach our pursuit of feeling a sense of happiness.
What is Happiness?
First, what is happiness? One part of our feelings of happiness is the level of the chemicals in our brain, and a major one of these is dopamine. The funny thing about dopamine is that you get the highest level during the pursuit—said another way, it’s during the “action” or striving for that goal that you feel happiness. Who knew, striving for goals actually enhances motivation and fosters happiness!
Using Goals to Boost Happiness
The takeaway is to use a combination of goals to boost your dopamine, including big longer-term goals and smaller short-term goals. You can find daily things to be excited about, such as your morning coffee, clean sheets, a phone call with a friend, or achieving workout goals. And checklists for these things help to enhance that dopamine in the brain!
Tips for Pursuing Happiness
Now that we know all about the role of dopamine, there are some tips for regulating it.
First, it’s important to manage your energy and maintain realistic expectations when you create goals and routines you want to follow. Burnout doesn’t really help in the pursuit of happiness! Make sure you are not forgetting about the basics when you pursue happiness—continue to prioritize sleep, movement, hydration, mind-quieting hobbies and so on. Building daily habits to practice these things will help keep you from forgetting them in your pursuit of other goals.
Connected to this, check in on your energy levels and make sure you’re in touch with how you feel overall. This will help you notice signs of burnout before it happens.
The next tip is to reframe what you think of as the pursuit of happiness. Instead of thinking, “when this happens, I’ll feel happy,” try to reframe it as living within a balance. Change your pursuit into daily sensations of contentment from the little things in life, and enjoy those boosts of dopamine.
Sometimes you need to release some things in life to increase your feelings of happiness. To recognize this, you need to get out of autopilot. This might mean you need to do less, focus on the basics, focus on your life priorities, and release the rest. Your priorities might be interpersonal relationships, your mental, spiritual or physical health, or mindful and intentional practices.
Lastly, set personal goals for yourself. Instead of driving to achieve something tangible, set daily goals that can boost dopamine, and along with that, your intrinsic happiness. After all, your subjective feelings of happiness is composed of numerous experiences, not just one big achievement!
There you have it! I hope these were some helpful tips to guide you in your pursuit of happiness. Sometimes we have trouble feeling happy on our own, and we need an extra helping hand. If this is you, reach out to us here at 780 446 0300 or drop us a line at info@dochaspsych.com.
About Dóchas Psychological
Dóchas Psychological Services is a well-established and trusted therapy clinic located in Spruce Grove, Alberta. At Dóchas we value the idea that everyone deserves a safe space. Through connection and education, our team works hard to build a trustworthy relationship with each of our clients. It is our goal to create a community for our clients to feel like they belong.
Disclaimer
Information provided through Dóchas Psychological Services blogs or vlogs is meant for educational purposes only. They are NOT medical or mental health advice. You can read more about our disclaimer here.
