Creating Your Own Happiness Algorithm

“One happiness scatters a thousand sorrows.” ~Chinese proverb

What if we could create a formula for happiness? If it were possible to create such a formula, then the person who created it could sell it for a fortune! What if I said there is such a formula, but that it is different for each person?

Well, there is. There are parts of this formula that, if followed, will lead each person to a greater sense of well-being. I didn’t make this up. It comes from the field of positive psychology. It is a theory of well-being called PERMA.

PERMA is a five-part theory consisting of Positivity, Engagement, Relationships (positive), Meaning, and Achievement/Accomplishment. When we work to develop each area of PERMA, research shows that our sense of well-being increases.

The first element of PERMA is Positivity, and it has its own formula as well. Each of us has what is called by researcher Barbara Fredrickson a positivity ratio. The ratio is the difference between the overall positive emotions we experience to the overall negative emotions. Those achieving a 3 to 1 ratio, three positives to one negative, tend to be happier.

When I thought about this formula, I compared it to how I experience Facebook. I like my Facebook feed because I see things that interest me. That’s because Facebook has a formula, or algorithm, that keeps giving me more of what I like.

The Facebook algorithm is somewhat like Barbara Fredrickson’s Broaden and Build Theory of Positivity. On Facebook, I have liked certain pages, shared stories, and joined groups. However, Facebook enhances my experience by sending even more content my way that I didn’t even know about.

In the Broaden and Build Theory, the more I focus on creating positive emotions, the more open I am to see and experience positivity. My experience of these positive experiences expands, primarily because now I am more open to see the opportunities for positivity.

The opposite is true for negative emotions. When I experience more negative emotions than positive ones, I close down. I am now unable to see the opportunities that exist for experiencing positivity. Anyone who has ever been depressed knows what this feels like.

This morning on my Facebook feed there was a video with Life is Good co-founder Bert Jacobs talking about how his mother inspired him and his siblings to focus on the good in life. I forwarded the video to many of my contacts, and I got back so many positive responses. That is the Broaden and Build Theory at work.

I was out walking the dog when I thought about writing this blog post. My goal is to create a bit more positivity in the world, and I use the Broaden and Build Theory to help me.

Life is Good posted a positive video, and I shared it with others. The echo from that was positive because I heard from many of those people that the video inspired them in some way. In turn, I felt even better because people I care about were a bit happier today. I sat down to write about positivity, and on and on it goes…

Photo by Michael Nunes on Unsplash