Is Happiness Genetic?

6  2 min

We all have a distinctive DNA, which sets us apart from other people. Much information—and many qualities—rest encoded in our genes, but is happiness one of them?

A study from 2016, with roughly 300,000 participants, found a correlation between happiness and DNA. The results of this study show that we can inherit many traits from our parents, as well as their parents, including a sense of optimism, confidence, and happiness.

So, yeah, there are genes that can predispose you to happiness!

As it turns out, your genes account for about 40% of your ability to be happy.

However, this does not mean that you’re bound to unhappiness if you don’t have the happiness gene encoded in your genetic code. We can rewire our brains. The remaining 60%, after all, depend on us.

• How Does Happiness Work?

From a neurological point of view, happiness is regulated by hormones. These hormones transmit information from the brain to the body—and vice versa. Though there are many hormones that float through our bodies, the so-called “Happiness Hormones” are dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin.

• Can You Learn to Be Happier?Regardless of your DNA, there are ways through which you can make yourselves happier—even in moments of adversity. Emotional intelligence, which is very talked-about these days, is the ability to recognize our psychological state and have our emotions work for us.

  We can change our reactions to events by changing the way we look at the world. Positive psychology attempts to teach us just that—to look on the bright side!

  The 60%, which are no influenced by our genes, are solely dependent on our actions, attitudes, habits, and thoughts. Our unconscious mind—and its processes—also have a huge impact on these 60%.

How Can We Influence These 60%?

Considering recent research and studies on happiness, I’ve created a course on happiness. Titled “The DNA of Happiness,” this course:

• Shows participants how to decode their internal programs
• Discusses the process of rewiring your brain for happiness
• Helps participants reprogram their brains and find greater strength and resources within
• Helps participants locate their internal capabilities and activate positive unconscious mechanisms
• Includes practices and couple constellations that can help you unleash the flow of joy

I expect to see you on my webinar 5 Working Keys to Happiness
Love,
Natalia Kobylkina
Psychologist, family therapist, author
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