HAPPINESS?
NICOLE: WE KNOW IT WHEN WE SEE IT.
WE CAN CERTAINLY SENSE IT.
>> I KNOW IT WHEN I FEEL IT.
ABSOLUTELY.
NICOLE: SOME OF US CHASE IT, EVEN PAY BIG BUCKS FOR A PIECE OF IT.
IT IS HARD TO ESCAPE THOSE TRYING TO SELL IT.
>> THE KEY TO HAPPINESS IS PROBABLY FINDING THE THINGS THAT ARE GOOD IN LIFE INSTEAD OF FOCUSING ON THE BAD.
>> MY DAUGHTER AND MY GRANDSON.
NICOLE: WE ALL DEFINE IT OUR OWN WAY.
>> HAPPINESS MEANS THE ABILITY TO DO WHAT I WANT WITH PEOPLE THAT I LOVE.
NICOLE: OR MAYBE WE DON’T.
>> I THINK PEOPLE VALUE AT THEIR CORE A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS.
A LOT OF THE SAME THINGS MAKE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAPPY.
REPORTER FAMILY, JOBS, PURPOSE, RELIGION, THE PATH TO EVERLASTING JOY CAN SOMETIMES BE ELUSIVE.
SO CAN YOU FIND IT?
PERHAPS IT IS A PLACE.
MASSACHUSETTS RANKS AS THE SEVENTH HAPPIEST STATE AND AMONG THE HAPPIEST TOWNS NORTHBOROUGH, WINCHESTER, SHARON, AND AT THE TOP OF THAT LIST, YOU WILL HAVE TO HEAD WEST TO A TINY TOWN ON
THE BORDER OF CONNECTICUT.
>> WOULD YOU AGREE?
>> YES.
QUAINT NEIGHBORHOOD, NO CRIME.
NICOLE: WE CAUGHT UP WITH KEN MILLER WHO SAYS TRUE HAPPINESS IS FREEDOM.
WHEN ARE YOU HAPPIEST?
>> WHEN I’M DOING WHAT I LIKE.
NICOLE: MAYBE YOUR ZIP CODE IS THE KEY, BUT STUDIES SUGGEST THE EXTRA PEP IN YOUR STEP MAY BE MORE ABOUT YOUR DNA CODE.
>> ABOUT HALF OF OUR HAPPINESS SEEMS TO BE LINKED TO GENETICS.
SOME PEOPLE HAVE A HEAD START.
I THINK OF IT LIKE METABOLISM.
SOME PEOPLE CAN EAT WHATEVER THEY WANT AND THEY NEVER GAIN WEIGHT.
OTHER PEOPLE HAVE TO STRUGGLE.
THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE LOTS OF EMPIRICAL THINGS WE KNOW HAVE BEEN SCIENTIFICALLY PROVEN TO MAKE YOU HAPPY.
NICOLE: THAT IS THE GOOD NEWS ACCORDING TO CATHERINE SANDERSON, PROFESSOR, AMHERST COLLEGE, AUTHOR OF "THE POSITIVE SHIFT." >> WE THINK ABOUT HAPPINESS AS
SOMETHING WITHIN US OR A RESULT OF CIRCUMSTANCES.
LOTS OF RESEARCH SHOWS HAPPINESS HAS A TREMENDOUS ROLE IN HOW WE THINK ABOUT THINGS.
NICOLE: SCIENCE SAYS THE HAPPINESS PIE IS MADE UP OF 10% CIRCUMSTANCES.
IF IT IS INDEED 50% GENETIC, THAT LEAVES US ALL WITH A 40% OPTION TO DIG INTO OUR OWN GOOD MOOD.
WHERE DO WE BEGIN?
>> EXERCISING MAKES YOU FEEL HAPPIER.
IT ALSO IS THE CASE THAT PEOPLE WHO ARE EXERCISING CAN FEEL BETTER NOT ONLY WHILE THEY ARE DOING IT, BUT IT LASTS.
IT CAN BE A MOOD BOOST THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
>> I GET REALLY GRUMPY IF I HAVE NOT WORKED OUT IN 24 HOURS.
NICOLE: IT IS HARD TO IMAGINE HELEN, WHO TRAINS THROUGH HAPPY HELEN FITNESS, WEARING ANYTHING BUT A SMILE.
SHE SAYS IT IS A PRODUCT OF BEING ON THE MOVE.
>> IT IS CRUCIAL TO YOUR HAPPINESS.
THEY PRESCRIBE IT AS A WAY TO TREAT ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION.
IF YOU WORK OUT, IT HELPS EVERY ASPECT OF YOUR LIFE.
NICOLE: HELEN IS AN OLYMPIC LIFTER BUT EVEN SMALL STEPS COUNT.
>> GOING FOR A WALK, LIFTING A FEW WEIGHTS, HONESTLY JUST MOVING.
NICOLE OR IS IT ABOUT STILLNESS?
>> EVERYONE WANTS TO BE HAPPY.
WE THINK WE HAVE TO ARRANGE OUR LIVES A CERTAIN WAY TO ACHIEVE THAT HAPPINESS.
I LIVE IN THIS PLACE.
I HAVE THIS TYPE OF JOB, THESE TYPE OF FRIENDS.
A RANGE, ALL THESE THINGS.
THE ONLY CHALLENGE OF COURSE IS THAT EVERYTHING IS CHANGING ALL THE TIME.
NICOLE: ALEX HAS BEEN PRACTICING MEDITATION FOR 15 YEARS.
>> MEDITATION IS MY TRAINING.
HE GIVES THE ABILITY TO HAVE SOME SPACE AND DECIDE WHEN THIS EMOTIONAL EXPERIENCE APPEARS.
IF IT IS SOMETHING USEFUL WE CAN WORK WITH OR IF IT IS NOT.WE CAN NICOLE: HE MAY BE ONTO SOMETHING.
ACCORDING TO RESEARCHERS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN, MATTHEW RICARD IS THE HAPPIEST MAN IN THE WORLD.
A FRENCH BUDDHIST MONK WHO SAYS 15 MINUTES OF HAPPY THOUGHTS PER DAY WILL LIGHTEN YOUR MIND.
>> THE CAR DOES NOT GET HAPPY.
THE HOUSE DOES NOT GET HAPPY.
WHAT GETS HAPPY IS YOUR MIND.
ANTHONY: PROFESSOR SANDERSON SAYS ACTIVELY PURSUING HAPPINESS IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW.
HAVING THIS INCREASE IS HEALTH AND WE NEED TO STAY STRONG.
STAY CONNECTED TO FRIENDS AND FAMILY, GIVE TO OTHERS, EXERCISE, AND MAYBE EVEN GET A DOG.
SHE RECENTLY DEVELOPED A PRESENTATION ON BOOSTING PSYCHOLOGICAL RESILIENCE DURING A CRISIS.
WE WILL H