Action for Happiness

Action for Happiness
Lord Richard Layard
23rd of January 2010

Founded by Alain de Botton, the School of Life calls itself “a new social enterprise offering good ideas for everyday living”. Once a month they organise a secular alternative to a church sermon, delivered by experts in subjects ranging from envy and hope to sexuality and good design! On Sunday the 23rd of January our intrepid Office Manager, Sarah, attended a sermon delivered by Lord Richard Layard on the subject of happiness.

Layard is the founder of the influential Centre for Economic Performance at the LSE and has advised the government since the 1960’s. Most recently, his attention has turned to researching national happiness, and he has published a book of his findings called Happiness: Lessons from a New Science (2005). He has also co-founded Action for Happiness, a social movement which aims to increase national levels of happiness. This is what he had to say:

Why does happiness matter?
• In Government, and in society in general, there is a reluctance to use the word ‘happiness’ – people seem to prefer the less emotive word ‘wellbeing’
• Layard suggests that happiness, apart for being self-evidently good, is the ultimate good for people, and is in direct contrast to misery.
• He cited a number of studies that showed that helping others (altruism) activates the reward centres in the brain, making people who commit acts of altruism happy. In comparison, acts of selfishness decrease people’s feelings of happiness.

The causes of happiness
• Increased income has been shown to have a weak link with happiness. Lottery winners’ overall happiness increases for the first couple of years after their win and then returns to average levels.
• Human relationships: the quality of your home life, work life and community (not feeling threatened by others) are all highly linked to happiness
• Personal mental health: your inner sense of self is also related to happiness.

GREAT DREAM – 10 keys to happier living.
Layard suggests the following actions to increase personal happiness:
Giving – to other people, and helping others
Relating – to others
Exercising – endorphins!
Appreciating – noticing the world around us. Layard suggests keeping a gratitude journal and making a daily note of 3 things to be grateful for
Trying new things – increases the connections in the brain. It can be as small as taking a different route to work or doing one of your daily tasks differently.

Direction – choosing goals that are achievable. Realistic goals that are also challenging
Resilience – Consciously choosing to have a positive attitude
Emotional Positivity – optimism and gratefulness
Acceptance – of ourselves and others. This includes being forgiving of our own and other people’s failings, and stopping engaging in negative comparisons with other people
Meaning – knowing that we are related to something greater than ourselves. Spirituality.

The lecture ended with everyone getting cups of peppermint tea and ‘happy pill’ cookies made by the people who made these Self Centred biscuits for another of the School of Life’s sermons. YUM!