WORK SMARTER NOT HARDER: Trying to ‘Keep Your Chin Up’ May Bring You Down

Living in a place that gives you access to fulfill your basic needs, as well as the time and space to pursue your passions and enjoy a healthy family is all generally considered really good.

But a new study finds that feeling pressure to be happy can actually make people feel worse, overall.  In fact, it can actually reinforce an incorrect notion that you might not be “happy enough.”  Plus, happiness can only truly be appreciated, when other emotions are also, and inevitably, experienced, right?

Tilburg University researchers have found that people who live in countries with the highest scores on the World Happiness Report have actually reported significant pressure to feel happy – and – most of them ended up exhibiting poorer overall emotional well-being.

Study author Egon Dejonckheere explains, “The level of happiness individuals feel pressured to achieve may be unattainable and reveal differences between an individual’s emotional life and the emotions society approves of.  This discrepancy between an individual and society may create a perceived failure that can trigger negative emotions.  In countries where all citizens appear to be happy, deviations from the expected norm are likely more apparent, which makes it more distressing.”

Studies also show that internal pressure to feel happier can also have unintended negative effects.  Mental health experts warn that happiness is a fleeting emotion, which is difficult to sustain, over time.  So, enjoy it when it comes – it surely will.