Hello Everyone, This is Chaplain Sung Kim. I am Deputy CMD CH in the 63d Readiness Division. I pray you are well.
Happiness is literally the number one goal for most people in life. It’s what we’re chasing all of our lives.
That’s why Positive Psychology and the science of happiness is so important. It shows us what really makes us happy and what doesn’t. Knowing that, we can finally create our lives in ways that are optimized for happiness.
Let’s unpack those variables a bit: Researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky says,
Your genes determine 50% of your happiness.
Your external circumstances determine only 10% of your happiness. This is what shocks most people: Your life circumstances—whether you’re rich or poor, healthy or unhealthy, married or divorced, beautiful or plain, driving a new or an old car—only account for a measly 10% of your happiness. This explains why some kids in Brazilian slums can be just as happy as grumpy millionaires in the Western world. “Stuff” and other circumstances just don’t have much of an impact on happiness.
Your intentional activities determine 40% of your happiness. This refers to our behavior: what we do and how we think. As far as boosting our happiness goes, this is where the money is. Why? Because it makes up a huge 40% of our happiness. Plus our behavior is much easier to change than our circumstances.
So there you have it. That’s how happiness works.
The key to happiness lies not in changing your genes (which is impossible) and not in changing your circumstances (which is hard and impractical), but in changing what you do and how you think.
Happy people engage in more behaviors that boost happiness, such as spending time with their family, practicing optimism, exercising regularly, savoring life’s pleasures, living in the present moment, or expressing gratitude for what they have.
Here are 12 Happiness Activities:
Goldie Hawn says that the only thing that will make you happy is being happy with who you are, and not who people think you are.
Psalm 37:4 reads, “Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
Today’s prayer: Loving God, please grant me peace of mind and calm my troubled heart. My soul is like a turbulent sea. I can't seem to find my balance so I stumble and worry constantly. Give me the strength and clarity of mind to find my purpose and walk the path you've laid out for me.
Have a blessed day! Blood and Fire!
Here is the direct email and phone number for anyone requesting support From
the 63d RD Chaplain office,
usarmy.usarc.63-rsc.list.chaplain-all-users@mail.mil
650-526-9668