The Counterintuitive Path to Happiness: Focus on What Makes You Unhappy
Trying too hard to be happy is a one- way ticket to disappointment . The trick is to focus on what’s upsetting you and work from there.
According to Randy J. Paterson, Ph.D., author of How To Be Unhappy: 40 Strategies You Are Already Using , you cannot be happier if you don’t know what causes you suffering in the first place. Paterson explains to David Marchese of Science of Us:
If you understand that if you want to feel worse, you can be completely inactive, not exercising, eating non-nutritious food, or negatively comparing yourself to others, you can go, well, wait a minute, maybe I can do the same. … on the contrary, and that would be helpful .
Of course, figuring out what makes you unhappy is just the first step. Paterson says making the necessary changes in your life to protect your well-being is the hard part. So, the secret to happiness is not seeking it, but reflecting what you know is pulling you down. You can read more about Paterson’s thoughts on happiness in the link below.
To Be Happy, Focus On What Makes You Unhappy | Science about us