With everything going on in the world around us right now I think we could all use a little more happiness. The question is how? It’s easier said than done. Often, we look towards a specific dollar amount that’d bring us happiness. Past research has suggested money matters but basically anything above $75,000 doesn’t impact personal happiness. We just tend to spend to our means once we’re at least comfortable. Other recent research has shown optimists live an average of 12 years longer than pessimists. That certainty plays into happiness, quality of life, and longevity. Still, it’s not an easy fix to flip a switch and become an optimist. The same could be said of spontaneity, but unlike chemical reactions we have going on in our bodies which tend to determine how optimistic or pessimistic we might be, it can be more easily practiced.
A recent OnePoll Survey commissioned for Cub Cadet found we’re generally rather spontaneous naturally. On average we make 18 spontaneous decisions daily. Most are benign, like what we choose to eat. But still, it's clear spontaneity is natural for us. The question becomes to what degree. But here’s the thing. Embracing your spontaneous tendencies could be key to making you happier. In the survey, it was discovered that those who are among the most spontaneous are 40% more likely to be happy with their lives than those who aren’t so spontaneous. As the saying goes, variety is the spice of life. It appears there’s more to that saying that many might consider. If what’s going on around us has you down, perhaps you can practice embracing a bit more spontaneous activity into your life. There’s a better than not chance it’ll make you happier. Something we could all use a bit more of right now.
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