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To be happy these three things may help: spending time with people you care about, having fun, and spending more of your time outdoors.

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1“ Family and friends are hidden treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches."
"Happiness always looks small when you hold it in your hand, but let it go and at once you realize how big and precious it is."
"Everyone want happiness, no one want pain, but you can't have a rainbow, without a little rain"

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1 https://www.baycare.net/newsroom/secret-to-happiness-family-friends-and-close-relationships/
2 https://thehiredguns.com/do-what-you-love-love-what-you-do-how-to-be-happy-and-successful-at-work
3 https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-moment-youth/201403/does-nature-make-us-happy

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With all the technology we are exposed to now, we need to start being adventurous and spend more time outdoors and we might be more thankful and happy!

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In today's age of high technology, research shows that our hunger for the natural world still endures. In fact, our connections with nature could just be the best medicine for people of all ages-improving our health, happiness, and well-being. Those same connections could also heal the planet.

Few would disagree that our natural and cognitive worlds have grown disconnected. Most of us, particularly children, spend far less time in nature today than in recent decades. There are no required classes in nature connectedness in our schools, nor is nature a well-utilized tool for teaching kids to critically think about the world around them. New research, however, suggests our relationship with nature may be deeply linked to our happiness.

We don't have to look far into history to know that humans evolved in natural settings and were deeply connected to their ecological environments. In the 18 th century, poet and writer, Samuel Johnson, wisely stated, "Deviation from nature is deviation from happiness." Could those natural settings not only become an avenue by which we find happiness in the 21 st century, but also provide new psychological insights that help motivate generations toward environmental sustainability?

Several particularly interesting studies were published recently in Environment and Behavior by John Zelenski and Elizabeth Nisbet. Not surprisingly, the studies found that our emotional connections with nature are predictive of our attitudes and the choices we make about living sustainable lifestyles. But in addition, the study also found a unique connection between nature and happiness itself.

The Link between Nature and Happiness

Zelenski and Nisbet conducted two studies with one question in mind: Is the link between nature and happiness independent from the other things that make us feel emotionally connected to life, like family, country, culture, music, and friends?

In the first study, they measured people's feelings of connectedness across many spheres, including nature. They called the concept of how we emotionally connect to our natural world nature relatedness. Using a Likert-type scale, participants rated their nature relatedness by their level of agreement or disagreement with statements like "My relationship to nature is an important part of who I am," and "I take notice of wildlife wherever I am."

Other scales and inventories were used to rate people's subjective happiness across these same areas. The result? Among the various happiness scales, the relationship between nature and happiness was highly significant.

One of the primary goals of the study "was to determine whether the association between nature relatedness and happiness is due to a general sense of connectedness or a more specific link with nature." In other words, the researchers wanted to know if nature stood out from other things that made us feel connected to life and gave us a sense of happiness.

The results of their research suggest that "nature relatedness has a distinct happiness benefit" beyond the more generalized benefit of feeling connected to family, friends, and home. Our connection to nature also correlated with most measures of human well-being, indicating it may play an extremely important role in maintaining positive mental health.

To further understand and expand the findings of the first study, Zelenski and Nisbet conducted a 2 nd study. In this study they used well-validated assessments to more deeply explore various connections to happiness, particularly those of an interpersonal quality, including attachment, interdependence, and belongingness. Not only did they hope to replicate the findings from Study 1, but they also wanted to see if nature relatedness could actually predict happiness.

Important Findings on Nature Relatedness

While not every correlation between nature and happiness could be duplicated in the second study, the general pattern of findings and ensuing comparison to past studies led researchers to important conclusions, including:

Our emotional connectedness to the natural world is distinct from other psychological connections in our lives.

Nature relatedness often predicts happiness regardless of other psychological factors.

Psychological connections with nature have the capacity to facilitate sustainable attitudes, and may be an important tool in preserving our environment.

Ecopsychology and the Future of Planet Earth

While these studies provide insightful data on the relationship of nature and happiness, they build on many previous studies that link our health and well-being to the natural world. In fact, a whole new field of ecopsychology has emerged, combining the efforts of ecologists, psychologists, spiritualists, philosophers, and others. The International Community for Ecopsychology says, "Ecopsychology explores the synergistic relation between personal health and well-being and the health and well-being of our home, the Earth."

Many experts have sounded the alarm about our disconnection from the natural world, from the Industrial Revolution onward. But the Digital Age evokes additional concerns.

Richard Louv, in his award winning book, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, linked the lack of nature in the lives of today's wired generation to troubling childhood trends, including the rise of obesity and depression.

A 2005 study by the American Institutes for Research found that kids who learn in outdoor classrooms improve their science scores by 27 percent.

Not only have experts found that outdoor education is critical for child development, it is also important for the future of the planet. Why? Because when we feel connected to nature, we are more likely to live sustainable lifestyles. We are also more likely to support environmental causes that educate and engage others with the natural world.

How should studies like these affect our actions in the world? While I consider myself deeply connected to nature already, these studies motivated me to take a walk in my neighborhood with new eyes. Not only did I engage differently with the many blossoming trees, but I discovered 15 Great Blue Heron nests in a tree within a block of my home. I had been walking by them for days, but had never looked up! The thrill of seeing each nest topped with a large heron definitely increased my happiness! It showed me that there is much more to learn and many more ways to engage with the many living organisms around us.

Let's get our children and teenagers out in the natural world and engage them with its beauty and vibrant spirit. In the end, it is their and our relationships with nature that will determine our futures.

How would you describe your own connection with nature? Your children's? Do those relationships with the natural world bring happiness to your lives?

References

American Institutes for Research (AIR) (2005). Effects of Outdoor Education Programs for Children in California. Palo Alto, CA.

Louv, R. (2008). Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder, Algonquin Books.

Zelenski, J. M., & Nisbet, E. K. (2014). Happiness and Feeling Connected The Distinct Role of Nature Relatedness. Environment and Behavior, 46(1), 3-23.

Author

Marilyn Price-Mitchell, PhD, is a developmental psychologist working at the intersection of youth development, leadership, education, and civic engagement.Subscribe to Updates at Roots of Action to receive email notices of Marilyn's articles.

©2014 Marilyn Price-Mitchell. All rights reserved. Please contact for permission to reprint.

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In today's age of high technology, research shows that our hunger for the natural world still endures. In fact, our connections with nature could just be the best medicine for people of all ages-improving our health, happiness, and well-being. Those same connections could also heal the planet.

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To be happy you should do something you like with your free time and something your good at so you have fun and you don't think "oh I'm not good at this" or "this is so boring".

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That's an old adage by Frederick W. Taylor, the original management guru. Seems like common sense, doesn't it? And yet, so many people hate their jobs.

So why is that?

Well, think about your hobbies. You know, the things you do for fun. Whatever it is, whether it's playing a sport, a musical instrument, practicing a craft, or whatever, you probably do it for at least one of the following two reasons: you're good at it and/or you enjoy it. Otherwise, why do it?

If you love doing something, let's say, playing the guitar - even if you're not very good at it - you're going to pick it up and fiddle around with it, spending your spare time practicing, and watching and listening to others play, all in the hope of getting better. Even if you're not that great and know you're probably never going to play in a band, you still do it because it's fun.

Similarly, if you're good at something, even if it's balancing your checkbook, you may not love doing it, but because you're skilled in math and it comes quick-and-easy to you, you don't really mind doing it.

So, what about something that you love doing AND you're good at it? Now you've hit the magic bulls eye: your passions and your skills are in alignment! Let's say you love playing tennis and you discovered years ago that you're pretty good at it. Most likely, with this combination of passion and skill, you enjoyed watching tennis on TV to see how the pros do it, didn't mind hitting a tennis ball against the wall thousands of times, and got a rush from playing every chance you got.

Over time, your skills grew. And as your skills grew, so did your confidence, which led to your taking on tougher challenges, practicing more, winning against better and better opponents, having fun competing and winning, and enjoying your increased success. No, you're probably not going to play in the U.S. Open, but you're at a level that you are proud of and enjoy as you keep working on taking your game to the next level.

Now, what about when you are stuck doing something that you are not good at, and do not like doing? How successful do you think you are going to be?

Probably not very.

And, yet, this describes a lot of people's jobs. So how does this happen?

Here's how it happened to me: A number of years ago, I was out of work for a while when I was offered an amazing job as the VP of Business Development and head of the New York office for a leading west coast interactive agency. I was so honored by being hired and excited about working for this innovative company to help them grow their east coast business.

But once the initial excitement wore off, the job itself ended up being much tougher for me than I ever expected as I started just around the time of the dot-com crash when finding new business instantly became tougher and tougher. And, unfortunately, I quickly discovered the hard way that I did not possess the abilities or the personality type required to succeed in this kind of role - especially in this type of market environment.

And, so, as time went on and as I continued to fail, my stress level rose, and I began to like this job less and less, until I could not even bear to get up for work in the morning.

If you've ever had a job that you didn't like AND that you were not good at, you know what I'm talking about. I was set up to fail every day, through nobody's fault but my own, and I just wanted out. Getting laid off, despite my feeling of loss as I loved the company and the people, actually ended up being a huge relief.

In almost every job, there are going to be aspects of your position that you like more than others, and that you're better at than others. And, similarly, there are going to be things you are good (or even great at), and things that you are not.

For example, in my current role as head of a management and leadership consulting, training, and coaching firm, I love and feel that I'm pretty good at the consulting, training, and coaching part. What I don't love, and am not that great at, is the actual running of the business itself (especially, the financial and administrative side).

So, what to do about it?

Taking a look at the Passion/Skill Matrix there on the left, and thinking about YOUR job:

1. Make a list of all the different things you do on a regular basis; and then

2. Place each of these different things in one of the four boxes.

The things that you Like/Love and are Good At: If you have a lot in that box, you're incredibly lucky! Try to spend as much time as possible on these things. This is where the intersection of your skills and passions lie, and where you have the greatest potential to leverage your strengths and go from good to great.

The things that you Like or Love to do, but are NOT great at: This is a wonderful developmental opportunity! If you like something, or feel you have potential in this area, you are more likely to work at it by learning more about it, studying, practicing, and seeking out training and coaching. Einstein once said that, "Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new." If you're passionate about it, keep working at it. You never know how far you might get unless you try.

The things that you Don't Like to do, but are Good At: Perhaps it's something you used to like doing, or you just became the "go to" person by default because it comes naturally to you and everyone knows it. Well, this is a great developmental opportunity - for someone else! Here's where you might be able to take on the role of a mentor or coach by helping someone else develop skills in this area. This is a win-win opportunity that will help someone else to grow while freeing you up to do other things.

And, lastly, the things that you Don't Like (or Hate!) to do, AND are Not Good At: This is your "Failure Zone"...and you need to do whatever it takes to get out of this box as soon as you can. Again, we all have aspects of our jobs that we may not love, but if you are spending more than 25% of your time in this box, you are setting yourself up for a whole lot of pain and suffering. And, to be honest, if you're in a job that you really, truly don't like and that you are really, truly not good at, you're not doing your employer any favors by staying in this role. Sometimes we stay just for the paycheck, but it's really hard to sustain that over the long haul. And it's ultimately going to take its toll on your physical and mental health.

As Dan Pink writes in his book Drive and as he speaks about in this amazing RSAnimate video, people are happiest and most productive when they have three key, intangible things: Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose.

If you are lucky enough to find a job where you spend most of your time with the freedom and flexibility to make your job your own (autonomy); in an environment that allows you to grow and develop into the best you can be (mastery); while doing work that matters (purpose), that's when you've got it made.

As they say, "If you love what you do, you'll never work a day in your life."

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Do What You Love, Love What You Do: How to Be Happy and Successful at Work | The Hired Guns

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"People do best, what they like best to do." That's an old adage by Frederick W. Taylor, the original management guru. Seems like common sense, doesn't it? And yet, so many people hate their jobs. So why is that? Todd Cherches knows, and he's happy to share.

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To be happy, research shows that you must focus on spending time with your family and friends instead of focusing completely on your grades or for adults, their work.

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Secret to happiness? Family, friends and close relationships

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Building and maintaining close relationships with family and friends is good for your health, a long-running study says. The Grant Study, a 75-year study of...

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Happiness is the state of being happy!