Happiness is a hot topic these days. Over the past couple of years, it has been a headline in virtually every major magazine and newspaper, and it has been the subject of several televisions shows, including Oprah. Yet, the interest in happiness is nothing really new. 

The ancient philosopher Aristotle claimed that happiness was the goal of human existence. He believed that all human behavior was motivated by the pursuit of happiness. Since then every serious philosopher has agreed. Even our founding fathers referred to the pursuit of happiness as one of the three basic rights. In so doing, they recognized how important happiness is to human beings. 

In the past, people looked for advice on how to become and remain happy from a number of sources. Some people turned to parents, grandparents and other family members who seemed to have developed some wisdom in this area over the course of a lifetime. Others relied on religion to point the way.

For example, within the Jewish tradition it is believed that happiness and emotional well-being are a result of following ideas about how people are supposed to behave, which are found in the Ten Commandments, other sacred writings and the teachings of prominent religious leaders. Christians believe that happiness can be found by following what Jesus had to say about behavior. Even today, billions of people rely on religion for instructions on how to find contentment and satisfaction with life. 

Why has happiness become a newsworthy topic these days? Within the past 10 to 15 years there has been a concerted effort on the part of a number of psychologists to use science to figure out what happiness is and what factors actually enhance a person’s overall level of happiness. The result has been a level of insight into the nature of happiness, which enables us to manage our level of happiness. It is much like a knowledge of how the human body gains and loses fat enables us to manage our body weight. 

In the coming weeks I will be sharing with you what science has revealed about the nature of happiness and how you can make use of this knowledge to enrich and enhance you life.  As you make use of this information you should be able to experience a greater level of emotional well-being, contentment and satisfaction with life.

[Ed. Note: Dr. Douglas Ramm is a psychologist, philosopher, author and leading researcher in the field of emotional well-being, contentment and life satisfaction. He has appeared on numerous radio and television talk shows where he shares insights for enhancing quality of life. Discover how to enhance yours at www.theformulaforhappiness.com.]

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