Choosing happiness during a pandemic
International Day of Happiness is here on March 20th and the timing is interesting, as it arrives right in the middle of a global coronavirus pandemic. As people across the world scramble to figure out their new normal – at least for the time being – happiness is probably the furthest thing from their minds. But I don’t think that it should be, and I’ll explain why.
Happiness is good for our health. Feeling happy supports our immune system and helps us to fight disease. It’s important, then, to know what will bring us real happiness, so that we don’t waste our time and energy pursuing things that are empty promises.
Many people believe that happiness comes from having everything we want and by avoiding all the things we don’t want. This formula is supposed to create happiness. With our new reality of living with covid-19, happiness would therefore be impossible. Fortunately, this formula for happiness is wrong.
Happiness comes from giving, not having
To me, happiness comes from living an authentic life in which we’re free to be our best selves and to follow our dreams. It comes from having close connections with others; from pursuing meaning and purpose over materialism and popularity, and most of all it comes from giving, rather than having.
The happiest people aren’t the richest, most famous, most loaded-down with possessions; they’re the ones who feel like their lives make sense and who are deeply fulfilled. They’re the ones who feel powerfully interconnected with others and who are filled with compassion. The happiest people are the ones who are kind, generous and altruistic.
We’re living in frightening times. Many people around the world have fallen ill and many have already died from the novel coronavirus. It’s likely that many more will succumb to the disease before things stabilize. Some people are falling into unnecessary panic and some are in dangerous denial. Neither of these attitudes is helpful but it’s understandable, with the uncertainty of the situation making things difficult for everyone.
Acts of kindness generate more happiness
Still, in the middle of the pandemic, we’ve been hearing all sorts of stories about acts of kindness. People are bringing food to elderly neighbors; they’re walking dogs for sick friends; they’re providing supplies for people who can’t afford them. These stories are inspiring, but what I want to underscore is that everyone who’s engaging in such an act of kindness is also creating more happiness for themselves.
Obviously, we don’t help others for selfish purposes. No-one goes around being helpful in anticipation of an emotional pay-off. We help others because we feel compelled to do it by a sense of responsibility and our feelings of compassion. Nevertheless, kindness is rewarding. The more we care and the more we share, the happier we’ll be. It just works that way.
There will be many opportunities to be kind and giving during this pandemic, but no-one has to do it all. And it doesn’t have to be a grand gesture either. It can be as simple as calling someone on the phone so that they feel a bit less isolated, or making sure that an elderly or infirm neighbor has enough supplies.
It feels good to do good
It feels good to do good deeds. And when we’re anxious about the unknown and we feel helpless in the face of this new viral threat, taking some sort of positive action is likely to alleviate our stress. It’s reassuring to know that there are concrete things that we can do to make life a bit easier for those around us and to lift our mood.
If a happy life is one filled with meaning and purpose, kindness and compassion, it can be said that being there for others will bring us the happiness we’re so desperate for in these uncertain times. And, because happiness is good for our emotional and physical well-being, engaging in acts of kindness is a win-win.
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