Happiness Rate

Each person seems to have a “happiness rate.” In my life, it might be 3%, 25%, or 80%: a relatively stable level that tends to remain consistent over time. Even in the most difficult moments, if your happiness rate is high, you may be able to go through the storm with a certain capacity for well-being. And conversely, if that rate is low, you may feel unhappy even in objectively pleasant circumstances.

I invite you to observe the different “levels” of happiness around you and to reflect on what yours might be. From there, to take ownership of your own way of experiencing happiness.

If in childhood it was already difficult for you to feel satisfied, if in adolescence you were unable to fully enjoy things, if in university nothing ever felt interesting enough, or if in adult life that sense of fulfillment rarely appears, it may be related to the “happiness rate” that has been shaped within you. And conversely, if you tend to feel good in many different circumstances, you may have a higher happiness rate.

What does this “rate” depend on? Probably on multiple factors. There is a temperamental base that combines with life experiences, with models of optimism or pessimism learned in the family environment, and with the various defensive strategies we develop to avoid suffering.

What is your “happiness rate”? Can you perceive that consistency throughout your life story?