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I have just seen a reference to research on happiness; unfortunately no source was given so I cannot be sure that the research itself has merit. But I was taken with what is supposed to have been shown.


A sample was asked to rate how happy they felt. One half was asked to write a list of people that they were glad not to be; the other half was asked to write a list of people that they wished they were. When people wrote a list of people worse off than themselves, their "happiness" improved; when writing a list of people they envied, their "happiness" reduced.


I normally avoid any comparison but there seems to be merit in looking at how things could be worse to gain a better sense of perspective. This sits well with a technique frequently encouraged in Twelve-step programmes - writing a gratitude list.


The research results underline the fact that our moment-to-moment happiness is determined by how we view what ids happening to us not by what is actually happening. To be happy we need to be satisfied it seems. If we can be accepting, we can be happy; but wanting more (or better or even just different) will invariably lead to unhappiness.