Growth and Improvement Boosts Happiness

We all tend to be happy when we feel we are on the right path, moving in the right direction. Steady improvement, or growth, especially in our careers, makes us feel happy.

This is because progress causes a boosts in certain Happiness Neurotransmitters, such as Dopamine and Serotonin as well as Endorphins.

Conversely, a lack of progress, or feeling stuck, produces a drop in Happiness Neurotransmitters, making us feel unhappy.

Those who choose to work in a field that requires constant learning, or requires improving or developing new skills, are happiest at what they do, so long as the money they earn from work, meets or exceeds their cost of living.

In my Rich Habits research, I identified 7 Growth Habits that contribute to happiness:

1. Daily Exercise – Boosts Dopamine and Endorphin levels
2. Daily Self-Improvement Reading – Boosts Dopamine levels
3. Constructive Relationships – Building relationships with upbeat, optimistic individuals boosts Serotonin levels
4. Adequate Sleep – 7 – 8 hours of sleep a night cleans the brain and resets your emotional center back to its baseline level
5. Healthy Diet – Eating healthy, nutritious food improves the microbiota (bacteria) inside your gut. This keeps your immune system operating at optimum levels, giving you a feeling of well-being.
6. Clear Vision of a Brighter Future – Having a clear vision of where you are going in life, keeps you from feeling stuck and boosts your emotional energy. When you feel you are on the right path in life, you are happier.
7. Simplify Your Life – Complexity creates stress. Simplicity reduces stress. This is why the more possessions you own, the more stress you add to your life.