Happy (documentary), by Sonja Lyubomirsky
2011
Rated: NR
1hour/ 15 minutes
I can’t remember where I first discovered this documentary.
It is narrated by Marci Shimoff, author of “Happy for No Reason.”
As a Recreational Therapist, I noticed several things in
this documentary that Recreational Therapists might want like to know because
we, RTs often provide treatment for people who are depressed.
These are some of the big tips I got from the documentary:
·
Physical activity promotes happiness and helps a
person to have better resilience: It seems to be more effective when it is fun
and creative. Some examples shown in the DVD included: aerobics, surfing, rock
climbing, skateboarding, dancing, playing/ swimming
·
Nature: one person said it is “good medicine.”
·
Flow: Csíkszentmihályi’s flow theory was discussed. This is where people feel joy
from participating in an activity where their skills and challenges meet. This
activity could be anything the person enjoys, such as playing piano. A person would
feel anxiety if the challenge it far greater than the individuals skill level.
A person would feel bored if their skill level is greater than the activity/
challenge.
·
Social support: eating with other people, having
close connections with family and friends
o
Social bonding/ social interaction, inhibited self-interest,
and strong connections were associated with happiness.
o
Denmark had the highest levels of happiness.
Their society has social equality, free college and healthcare for their
people. People live in housing communities and they eat together.
·
Focus: A person can select to focus on what they
do not have or they can focus on what they do have.
·
People with strong internal values are happier.
These include: (personal growth, connected relationships, altruism and the
feeling that comes from helping the world).
What is NOT associated with happiness, include:
·
More stuff does not equal happiness. We’re often
told in the media that more cards, houses, and stuff makes people happier.
Studies showed that we have more stuff (cars, bigger houses, electronics)
compared to people who lived a few generations back, however, the level of
happiness of people has not changed overtime.
·
Focus on external (rewards, praise, getting
stuff) is not associated with long-term happiness.
·
Japan had the lowest level of happiness. They
work a lot and have a little leisure time. It is cliché, but all work and no
play make Jack a dull boy. Japan actually has a term for people who die at an
early age from overworking. Play, recreation, and rest are needed for health
and happiness.
·
Winning and losing: a person will feel ecstatic
for a short-term period. It is not a long lasting feeling when a person wins
something big. Losing: people do feel devastated when they’ve lost something,
especially if they lost a close friend or family member or their house in a
disaster. This feeling does not last forever.
·
Religion and a belief in something better is
associated with happiness. However, this is not the case in religious groups
that focus more time and attention on hate and destruction.
Some of the benefits for being happy
include:
Function better, live longer, get what you want
better.
The formula for happiness is not the same
for every person. What works with one
person might not work with another. Some tips for finding happiness include:
play, having new experiences, having strong social connections with family and
friends, having an existential view on meaning in the world, having gratitude
and appreciation in life, and altruism.
There are two different self-study CEU courses at my site that you may be interested in taking.
These include:
a.) Positive Psychology (5 clock hours) based on Barbara Fredrickson's (2009) "Positivity."
b.) Treating Depression: Techniques for Promoting Happiness based on Shimoff and Cline's (2007) Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Becoming Happy From the Inside Out
Go here for these courses:
http://www.dannypettry.com/Courses.htm
There are two different self-study CEU courses at my site that you may be interested in taking.
These include:
a.) Positive Psychology (5 clock hours) based on Barbara Fredrickson's (2009) "Positivity."
b.) Treating Depression: Techniques for Promoting Happiness based on Shimoff and Cline's (2007) Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Becoming Happy From the Inside Out
Go here for these courses:
http://www.dannypettry.com/Courses.htm
Watch the DVD:
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