Happiness & Health

Judaism says “Happiness is not a happening. Happiness is a state of mind.” You can have everything in the world and be miserable or have relatively little and feel a sense of joy.

The question then arises “Who is rich? The one who appreciates what he has.” (Pirkei Avot 4:1).
How is happiness related to health? Researchers have been studying well-being, life satisfaction and happiness and its positive effect on health.

Research indicates that there is quantifiable evidence that optimism can add years to one’s life. A study conducted at the Mayo Clinic tracked 839 people over a period of 30 years. Those who scored high in pessimism on a standardized scale had a 19% greater chance of premature death than those who scored more optimistically. Optimists get fewer colds, have more effective immune systems, recover from major surgery sooner, with less trauma, and usually meet with stressful events with better resources.

Dr. Martin Seligman of the Center of Applied Cognitive Studies at the University of Pennsylvania said that one can identify optimists and pessimists by the way they perceive and interpret adversity and success.
He identifies these differences with three words:

1. Personalization
2. Permanence
3. Pervasiveness

When bad things happen, a pessimist thinks: It’s my fault (personalization); it’s never going to get better (permanence) and it’s going to effect every part of my life (pervasiveness). An optimist takes the same event and thinks: I will do better next time (personalization), the problem is temporary (permanence) and this too shall pass (pervasiveness).

Further research indicates that there is no correlation between an individual’s social status, income, gender or physical attractiveness and happiness. Having more things is not a guarantee for happiness. It is interesting to note that when one achieves more material comfort, the individual is seeking more. The act of striving for better and better never truly allows one to feel satisfied or content.
Our sages have taught us that the key to happiness is pure appreciation for all our blessings. Perkei Avot 4:1, says “Who is rich? The one who appreciates what he has.”

Through Torah and scientific research, we can deduce that happiness is directly associated with health and longevity. It is important for you to begin to consciously notice and appreciate what you have. Start by thanking G-d for life.
To begin appreciating life, think about things you are grateful for and notice them everyday. Set some time each day to contemplate these pleasures and feel gratitude. Become conscious of these feelings by writing them down. By doing this we can begin to see what we have and not what we don’t have. Take a moment each day to appreciate all those around you. Acknowledging each pleasure enforces how much you truly are blessed. Once this realization is embedded into your being, you can experience happiness and peace. This subsequently will result in peace of mind and well-being.