How much does being happy matter? Very much, say happiness experts

Did you know that happy people tend to be more healthy, successful, confident and creative than unhappy people? And these are just a few of the many reasons happiness is important for good quality of life.

I’ve tracked-down experts’ opinions on why happiness matters. Here are three of the best that I’ve found.

Professor Adrian Furnham’s views on why happiness matters

Adrian Furnham is a Professor of Psychology at University College London. He has written over 650 scientific papers and 55 books. Furnham wrote the following paragraph about the importance of happiness in his book 50 Psychology Ideas You Really Need to Know.

“Does happiness matter? Indeed it does! The research evidence suggests happy people have strong immune systems so they are healthier and live longer than unhappy people. They tend to be more successful at work and have better personal relationships. They are more attractive to others. They seem to like themselves more than unhappy people and to cope better with all sorts of setbacks. Happy people make better decisions and tend to be more creative. Unhappy people seem to waste time and effort being vigilant for signs of danger or failure. This saps their energy.”

Professor Sonja Lyubomirsky’s findings on why it’s good to be happy

In 2008 Wellsphere.com reported on the benefits of being happy that Professor of Psychology Sonja Lyubomirsky found.

“…Happy people have overall higher incomes, greater productivity, higher quality of work, more satisfying and longer-lasting marriages, more friends, stronger social support and better social interactions. They also experience more energy, more flow, stronger immune systems, lower stress levels, less pain and even longer lives than unhappy people…Study after study indicated that happy people are “more creative, helpful, charitable, and self-confident, have better self-control, and show greater self-regulatory and coping abilities.””

Happiness guru Andrew Matthews shares his reasons for why being happy is important

Best-selling motivational author and international public speaker Andrew Matthews discussed during an interview what motivated him to write books on happiness.

“I don’t think there’s anything more important than being happy because our happiness affects everything:

• When we are happy we are healthier.
• When we are happier we have more energy.
• When we are happier we live longer.
• When we are happier we are kinder to other people.
• When we are happier we support the people that we work with.

It’s really the foundation of everything that we do. There is nothing we can do that is more important than being happy with our life and who we are.”

So being happy is important for all areas of our lives – mental, physical, social, work, home life… Put in the time to be happy because, as the saying goes, it will “add years to our life and life to our years.”

written by Nyomi Graef

References:
Furnham, A, 2008, 50 Psychology Ideas You Really Need to Know, London, UK: Quercus Publishing, p. 54

Kearns, M, 2008, The Importance of Being Happy, Wellsphere,
http://www.wellsphere.com/happiness-article/the-importance-of-being-happy/360865