News You Can Use: Quiet Contentment > Happiness Highs
Mar 25, 2024
Has "hustle culture" hijacked our ability to experience true happiness? Yes...and no.
Because of how our nervous systems work, the relentless pursuit of 'good vibes only' has made us addicted to euphoria at the expense of our joy and resilience.
Why it matters
We've been conditioned to believe happiness is conditional - e.g., a new client win, a flurry of social media 'likes', or a Stripe account that only goes up).
According to Dr Elissa Epel, the exhilaration we feel in those intense moments is naturally short-lived, leading to unrealistic expectations and inevitable lows.
Surveys reveal those who believe they should always be happy find themselves among the unhappiest.
Basically, the search for "happiness" is akin to heroin addicts chasing the feeling of their first high 🥴.
Your next step
Working for yourself is tough. So, it's no wonder small business owners and startups chase the dopamine rush of constant happiness.
However, if you want to avoid burnout, strengthen your "gratitude attitude" so true happiness feels like quiet contentment.
In fact, research from The Journal of Positive Psychology found gratitude improves sleep, anxiety, and blood pressure.
Need inspiration?
The first step towards quiet contentment is to understand how your central nervous system works.
That way, you can develop mental fitness practices that allow you to lean into the lows instead of chasing the happiness highs.
This bitesize lesson from EMDR therapist Maisie Nicholls has tips that you can use.
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