Any guesses about what’s been found to be the top contributor to happiness?
Fame and fortune? Nope.
Captivating looks? No.
Going on a Caribbean cruise? Guess again!
Autonomy??? YESSSS!!!
As reported by The Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, all those other possibilities were second to autonomy! Wow! Autonomy. This has a lot to do with recognizing what we have control over, recognizing what our strengths are, and recognizing our ability to control our destiny.
A University of Michigan nationwide survey raved about autonomy as well, saying that the fifteen percent of Americans who declared they felt "in control of their lives" in the survey also professed they had "extraordinarily positive feelings of happiness!"
So here we are at the next step in the right direction for overcoming barriers and hindrances, and that is to realize what we have control over and what our strengths are. When we figure that out—whoa! Break out into a happy dance! We really do have the ability to control our own destiny through our effort, knowledge, skill, and the choices we make about these. We also need to recognize that we can’t gain this knowledge and skill without challenge. Sometimes we freeze in fear when confronted with challenges and the chance to grow. But remember, it’s through trials and challenging experiences that we learn and develop new capabilities. And as a result, we gain greater autonomy and power over our own lives.
Kari Archibald, professor of Recreation Management at BYU-I, stated that “Tough personal effort and resilience is not required in a trouble-free life. It is only through the winters, the droughts, the devastating wildfires, and the loss of our nesting places [AKA: It is only through the trials and challenges.] that we can become mature and complete, like our Heavenly Father. As has been oft quoted, ‘For it must needs be, that there is an opposition in all things.’” (Italics added.)
There you have it—a resilient person who is able to overcome obstacles recognizes her/his strengths and autonomy, uses them, and chooses to see the opportunity for growth through challenges.
Yale psychologist Judith Rodin conducted an experiment among depressed nursing-home patients. She encouraged them to exert more control in their lives by persuading them to make some small but essential changes in their environments. To instigate this, Rodin made sure patients were asked to decide for themselves if they would like the channel changed on the TV, if they would like the air conditioning off or on, if they would like the furniture in their room arranged differently, or if they would like to choose among different foods for breakfast. Rodin even motivated these nursing home residents to request changes in various nursing home policies—which they later received. The result? A whopping ninety-three percent of them became more active, happy, and alert!
So don’t freeze in fear when you’re confronted with a challenge that seems beyond your abilities! Focus on what you CAN control and exert yourself! Unhappy people leave decisions to others when they are actually capable of making the decisions themselves. They leave their time unfilled, uncommitted—open to whatever. They sleep in late, lie around, watch too much TV. Don’t do that! Jump in with vigor! Proclaim your autonomy!! And GROW!!!
Pam Smith, M.Ed.
WSR Office Mgr.
ADSENSE HERE
Pam Smith, M.Ed.
WSR Office Mgr.