The Science of Happiness: Understanding the Psychology of Joy and Well-Being

How do you get happy? Can happiness be learned? The answer is yes - we can all become happier people.

The key to a happy life is simple: to live in accordance with our values. It's when we take care of ourselves and make our values our priority that we experience true joy and well-being.


We need to focus on our core values - not our problems or concerns. To do this, we must first understand the science of how our brains process and respond to information.

Once we've done this, we can then apply the scientific principles of happiness by asking ourselves three simple questions:

What values do I live by? What is important to me? How can I become the best version of myself?

It's important to keep in mind that we're not actually aiming to make our values align with reality. We can't really do that. Instead, we're looking to create a more realistic version of our values and then act in accordance with that new version.

Here's how to become the happiest you:

STEP 1: Know what your values are. Ask yourself:

What are my values? How important are they to me? What do I stand for?

STEP 2: Understand the role of your brain. Our brains are wired for action. They respond and adapt faster than we do, so if we don't actively participate in the process of changing our attitudes, our actions, and our behaviors, we'll never change. So it's important to understand the psychology of how our brains work so we can direct them toward what matters most.

STEP 3: Take responsibility for your own happiness. This goes against common sense and modern beliefs, but I'm going to say it anyway: you are responsible for your own happiness. There are no outside forces or circumstances that can affect your sense of wellbeing. You can't blame others or situations for your problems; you need to take responsibility for changing yourself.

The process begins with you. No one can do it for you.

STEP 4: Work on your values. Once you know your values and understand the psychology of your brain, you can begin taking steps to work towards achieving them. This is where the rubber meets the road. This is the part of the process where you act. Don't worry - this doesn't mean you have to become an extremist. But it does mean you have to take action towards your values.

STEP 5: Realize that you are never stuck. The moment you realize that you are responsible for your happiness, you can stop comparing your feelings to others, or worse, acting based on outside forces.

As long as you do this, you are already taking steps toward becoming a happier person. As you continue to change and grow, your happiness will follow.