7 Signs You're Not As Happy As You Think

Right now, if someone asked you if you're happy, what would you tell them? Take a moment to pause the video to answer this question to yourself or let us know in the comments. We'll wait. You back? Cool. If you said yes, think about why you said yes. Are you truly content or are you going through the motions and putting a smile on while you do? Well, today we're gonna find out. Let's learn about seven signs you're not as happy as you think, according to science. Let's go. Side note, if you're struggling with happiness or feeling content with your life, this is a serious matter. Please reach out to a trusted mental health professional to help navigate those thoughts and feelings. Number one, comparison. In 1991, Ruth Vinhoven did a study on happiness where he proved one of the predictors of happiness can be comparison. If you feel your situation is better than someone else's, you're probably happier. Now, apply it to your life. Say a coworker gets a promotion that you interviewed for as well. You smile, congratulate them, but they ask, you're not upset, right? Let's pause. Are you really happy? Vinhoven states, happiness tends to be quite stable through time and that happiness relates more strongly to psychological variables than socioeconomic ones. If you realize that promotion comes with more responsibility and longer hours that take away from your other priorities, you may actually be happy they took the job. On the other hand, you might just be faking a smile to not be perceived as a sore loser. However, in both situations, happiness is solely based on who has the better situation. If you are curious if you're happy with something in life, ask yourself, do I like this because I think it's better than others? If the answer is no, you may not be as happy as you think. Number two, inner life. In the same year as his study, Vinhoven wrote a book called Questions on Happiness, classical topics, modern answers, blind spots. In the book, Vinhoven brings up that first point again, that external factors can affect happiness, but that's only if the inner life matches with it. Even if you have the best job, car, house, partner, and so on, it still won't make you happy if you're not in the right mental state or if you're unhappy with yourself. Now, this also means that it can be hard to be happy if you're not having all of your basic human needs met. It all starts and ends with you. So please be sure to take care of yourselves. If you may be struggling with your mental health, you may not be as happy as you think. Number three, stress. This seems pretty common sense, but we're sort of obliged to say it. In 2008, the University of Mary Washington conducted a study on the relationship between happiness and stress. They found the two have an inverse relationship. This means one is high, the other is low, and vice versa. So if you're stressed about an upcoming exam, anxious around your boss, have a first date coming up, have a few past due bills, and your parents have been calling since you haven't been home to visit in the last few months, you probably aren't very happy, even if you think you are. Take some baby steps to clear out that to-do list. This can be a big reason why you're not as happy as you think. Number four, social interactions. When you take work and your necessary errands and chores away from the week, what are you left with? Anything where you're interacting with another person is a drum roll, social interaction. In a meta-analysis of 44 different trials involving adults over the age of 65, it was found that the participants with the most benefit to their quality of life had recurring social interactions of at least three months, like an exercise class or meeting up with a book club. Now, everyone has a different level of social interaction they're comfortable with. Whatever your level is, find something you're comfortable with to help break up all the work and give your mind a break. This can help promote true happiness. Number five, perception. Back to our buddy, Vanhoeven. In his article, Happiness, he states that we don't calculate happiness or unhappiness by our wants versus reality. This means if we really want something and don't have it, our brain doesn't calculate this as unhappiness. Our brains infer happiness or unhappiness from our extreme moods. For example, if everyone at school is getting the newest iPhone, but you're still a few versions behind, your brain will infer happiness or sadness based on your reaction. If you're super pissed and jealous about not getting the new iPhone, your brain will register this extreme mood and cause you to be unhappy about your current phone. On the other hand, if you're a little relieved that you won't have a more expensive phone bill and still content that you have a working phone, your brain may register the lack of extreme emotion as happiness. It's all about how you look at things. If you tend to have a negative outlook on things, you may not be as happy as you think. Number six, balance. If you're a horror fan, I know you've heard this one. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. Come on, it's spooky season. We had to throw in a horror reference. In the movie, The Shining, Johnny's wife finds this phrase typed out from his typewriter over and over and over. Aside from staying in a haunted hotel, he worked himself crazy by not taking breaks. Happiness is kind of the same thing. It's not about eliminating every little piece of negativity in your life. Jeremy Bentham, one of the first people to study happiness, defined happiness as the sum of pleasures and pains. Then Hovind agrees and states that happiness is the overall appreciation of one's life as a whole. We've all had a crappy job or have gone through some stress here and there. Nothing is perfect. Understanding this and making sure you have balance in your life will greatly improve your level of happiness. And number seven, gratitude. In a study done in 2017 on the relationship between gratitude and happiness, a higher level of gratitude is a predictor for a higher level of happiness. In the study, participants were divided into two groups, one control group and the other that asked the participants to think about a past hope that they now have with gratitude. Those who thought of that past thing with gratitude actually showed a higher level of happiness and hope for the future. An easy way to show gratitude is to say thank you for what you have. You could actually say it out loud or quietly in your head or write it down. But the point is that you express it when you sit down to eat, wake up in the morning, or even when you have a little extra money to order a new Funko Pop. Say that quick little thank you. This can help you to be just as happy as you believe you are. Now, I don't wanna argue with the meaning of life here because we all know it's 42, but I think all of us are searching for whatever makes us happy. Life may not be all rainbows and butterflies, but it's the way we make it through the storm that really shows our true satisfaction with life. Are there any other signs you've seen that show you may truly be unhappy? Share them in the comments below for us all to learn. As always, keep an eye on Psy for more Psych2Go content. See ya. Are you looking for a cuddly companion that brings positivity and mental wellness to your daily life? Get your very own Psy. The lovable plushie is here to brighten your days. It embodies the spirit of Psych2Go and it serves as a reminder to prioritize your mental wellbeing. Its green leaf symbolizes growth, renewal, and the importance of self-care, whether it's for yourself or as a thoughtful gift for a loved one. Psy is ready to be your snuggly friend through all of life's ups and downs. Buy your Psy plushie today. Link is listed in the description box.