If we focus too narrowly on the pursuit of happiness, we are at risk of forgetting about wellbeing, which runs deeper than simple hedonism and includes connections with people, life purpose, a sense of accomplishment and self-worth. In traumatic times, exhorting people to “be happy” can come across as tone deaf or lacking in compassion. Advocating for initiatives to increase happiness can lead to people feeling alienated and misunderstood. To put it simply, being happy is not a priority in these situations. Those who score the highest in any happiness rankings report good social support (for instance, supporting others when in need and in return being offered support) (Source: ) This is just one of the reasons why the narrow focus on “happiness” can be damaging.Īpart from happiness not being good for the pursuers, it is often inappropriate to talk about happiness when interacting with people suffering extreme poverty, experiencing political injustice, living through devastating conflicts or facing natural disasters. Our obsession with happiness has spawned an industry of people and organisations promising quick-fix ways to make us happy. The implication that we should all be happy and that it is easy to achieve can make us feel like there is something wrong with those who are not happy, causing further distress. It can make us blame ourselves for being unhappy. The more we value happiness, the more likely it is that we will be disappointed with our current situations.Įven worse, the more desperate we become about finding happiness, the more likely we are to experience symptoms of depression. The idea that we should be searching for it can highlight the absence of happiness in our lives. It can make us realise that we’re unhappy. Focusing on ourselves and wanting to be happier reduces our chances of experiencing happiness. This is the irony of the single-minded pursuit of happiness.

Those who score the highest in any happiness rankings report good social support (for instance, supporting others when in need and in return being offered support), live meaningful lives that allow them to contribute to society (put effort into developing skills that serve others well), experience abundance of positive emotions which are often created in the company of others (we smile 30 times more often in a group than in solitude). Also Read | Matters of the Mind: The business of finding happiness

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