Mindfulness, Compassion, and the New Science of Happiness

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Mindfulness, Compassion, and the New Science of Happiness

Why Be Happy? Mindfulness, Compassion, and the • It’s good for our health Nun Study New Science of • 678 Elderly nuns • Optimistic in youth tended to be optimistic Happiness in old age • Top quartile in happiness lived 9.3 years longer than Ronald D. Siegel bottom quartile • Pessimism is a more powerful risk factor than smoking or alcoholism Why Else Be Happy? Set Points • Broaden and build Happiness boosts cognition • Clarity • Accuracy • Creativity • Concentration Supports play • Connection with Things are not as good or others as bad as they seem Happiness Determinants The Hedonic Treadmill We are terrible at predicting what will make us happy 1 Our Evolutionary Accident How Did We Get This Way? The Thinking Disease Life Is Difficult, for Everybody • Analyze past pleasure and pain • Maximize future pleasure and avoid future pain The Problem With Selfing What Doesn’t Work • Wealth (After meeting basic needs) • Education (or high IQ) • Sunny days Even though everyone thinks they help 2 Even Being Shopping Doesn’t Work Young Doesn’t Work • Thinking about buying • Ages 20-24 • Seeing Sad 3.4 days/mo • Using • Acquiring • Ages 65-74 • Owning Sad 2.3 days/mo • Habituating • Thinking about buying. Asceticism Doesn’t Work What Works? Being Present What is Mindfulness? • Sati in Pali Connotes awareness , attention , & remembering • In therapeutic arena, also includes Non-judgment Acceptance • Adds kindness & friendliness 3 Therapeutic Mindfulness Mind less ness • Operating on “autopilot” • Being lost in fantasies of the past and 1. Awareness future • Breaking or spilling things because 2. Of present experience we’re not paying attention 3. With acceptance • Rushing through activities without attending to them Acceptance Lateral Differences • Left prefrontal • Right prefrontal cortex activity cortex activity Happy Hypervigilance Enthusiastic Depression Energized Anxiety Mindful Savoring Biotech Workers • Taught MBSR 3hr/wk x 8 weeks Subjects tipped right before training Tipped left after training Moods improved • More engaged • Less anxious Immune response to flu vaccine enhanced 4 Engagement Gratitude • Flow (Csikszentmihalyi) Reduced self- awareness No hedonic treadmill Gratification vs. pleasure Strengths engaging challenges Meaning & Connection Compassion for Self and Others Engagement for the benefit of something larger than ourselves 3 Motivational Systems Security, Satisfaction, Anger, anxiety, disgust . Drive, excitement, vitality Connection Threat-focused Seeking pleasure Protection & Safety Seeking Achieving and Activating Activating/Inhibiting Affiliative Soothing/safety Well-being Contentment, safety, connection 5 Condon, Desbordes, & Loving-kindness Practice Miller (2013) • “Metta” practices May I be happy, peaceful, free from suffering May my loved ones be happy. May all beings be happy. To learn mindfulness practices, visit: www.mindfulness-solution.com email: [email protected] 6.

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