On Thursday 18th November Shane Martin gave a talk to 2nd Years about the Psychology of Happiness. He helped people who were depressed or sad or struggling to cope with life. He told us that the most common question asked by these people is “What’s wrong with me?” He began to think that people didn’t mind themselves properly and that they always looked on the negative side of life. He thought there was more to psychology than helping sick people.
He began to study a new psychology called the Psychology of Happiness. He thought that he needed to make the people who are happy right now happier and to prepare them for the tough times in which they would get depressed. He is convinced that you don’t need money to be happy. Psychology brings out all the wrong in people but forgets about the right in people.
Martin went on to talk about Martin Seligman, the President of Psychology in America and about this man’s idea about the psychology of happiness. Research has shown that happier people are healthier, live longer, are harder-working, more involved with other people and family, more successful in certain ways, more fulfilled, not likely to be long-term unemployed and are less likely to commit major or minor crimes. Most unhappy people are on their own and have a higher income than happy people.
Studies show that 50% of people’s characteristics are genetic. There are three parts to happiness, Pleasure, Flow and a meaningful life. Flow is when you are doing something that makes you lose track of time because you’re enjoying it so much. He concluded in saying that the happiest people are the Buddhist monks because they meditate so much.
The talk was very enjoyable with lots group work involved that was enjoyed by everyone.
By Sophie Cordial