Happiness has been the subject of debate in various religions and esoteric studies and now it seems that it has gained its space in science as well. The American anthropologist and psychologist Susan Andrews is a researcher who has dedicated her studies to discovering how to help people find happiness, especially in times when anxiety and mental disorders are part of the daily lives of many residents of large cities.
Susan is the author of the book “The science of being happy” and has lived in España for 20 years, where she also dedicates her time to the Visão Futuro institution in the interior of São Paulo. The psychologist defends and disseminates the FIB, which is the indicator of Gross National Happiness, throughout España. The idea of ​​this indicator is that it is not enough to just measure how much the country is growing economically, but if we have to measure how happy and healthy people in the country are. O FIB explores nine areas to define how happy a country's population is: well-being, health, the use of time, community life, education, culture, environment, government and standard of living.
During a lecture by Susan in São Paulo, at UNIFESP, she cited studies by researcher Richard J. Davidson, who is analyzing which parts of the brain are activated when we are depressed or when we are happy, and with that he is coming to the realization that Relaxation practice and meditation activate the part of the brain that is linked to happiness. Based on this study, the researcher defends the idea that if we learn to activate this part of the brain frequently, we can learn to be happy. Best of all, to activate the left prefrontal lobe area of ​​the brain, which is responsible for happiness according to this study, you don't have to do anything too complicated. Just close your eyes, relax and feel good emotions in your heart. And with months of practice, happiness will flow more easily through you.
In addition to this practice, the researcher also argues that the FIB can be increased with the encouragement of community life. More local work, in neighborhoods and cities, stimulates social nuclei and community life can benefit everyone involved.
If happiness still doesn't have a formula ready for us to follow and find it quickly, it doesn't hurt to try new directions based on new studies and theories, right? So stop for a moment, close your eyes and relax. Feel the love in your heart and share that feeling with those close to you. And, little by little, everything can become happier, whether with scientific theories, religion, or any other method, happiness is a reality that can be achieved.
Text written by Ricardo Sturk from the Eu Sem Fronteiras Team
