Researchers of a new study say that smiling and trying to be happy in the face of adversity can actually help in lifting one's spirits.
People often assume smiling in the face of adversity is a facade one puts up to hide the turbulence and sadness going on inside a person. However, researchers of a new study found that this might not actually be true and that trying to be happy can actually make a person feel happier and more positive.
For the study, researchers Yuna L. Ferguson and Kennon M. Sheldon divided participants into two groups and made them listen to happy music. Findings of the first part of the study revealed that the participants who actively tried to feel happy while listening to the music reported a higher level of positive vibes after the study.
For the second part of the study, researchers gave the participants "positive" music to listen to over a period of two weeks. While one group was instructed to focus on how to improve their happiness, the other group was instructed to focus only on the music. After the two-week duration, researchers observed that the former group experienced a greater increase in happiness than the latter.
"Our results suggest that without trying, individuals may not experience higher positive changes in their well-being," the researchers noted in a press release. "Thus, practitioners and individuals interested in happiness interventions might consider the motivational mindset as an important facet of improving well-being."
The findings of the study are important, especially in a country where depression affects one in every 10 people. Depression can adversely affect the course and outcome of common chronic conditions, such as arthritis, asthma, cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes, and obesity. Trying to be happy can help keep away depression and fight its symptoms.
