Dr. Martin Seligman on Happiness:

Dr. Martin Seligman on Happiness:

Psychologist Martin Seligman has identified three components of happiness: the hedonic life, the engaged life, and the meaningful life.

- Hedonic is the most fleeting – it is the pleasure we get from buying a new television or from eating chocolate.

- Engaged is what you are when you are absorbed by what you’re doing, usually to the extent that time flies.

- The meaningful life is a life that serves something beyond yourself, whether religious faith or helping others.
Seligman believes that happiness can be improved. Most people concentrate too much on hedonic happiness – which feels good at the time but offers little lasting impact – and too little on engaged and meaningful happiness.

By discovering your strengths – those activities that engage you the most – and concentrating on developing those areas that offer lasting happiness, overall mental wellbeing can be increased.

In general, Seligman recommends that people be thankful for what they have rather than focus on negatives, help others, savour the smallest pleasures, formally express gratitude to people who help them, learn to forgive, and spend time with family and friends. Essentially, people will be happiest when living a good life rather than trying to acquire pleasure.
See www.authentichappiness.org for tests and other exercises.