Causes of Happiness

    I just found this interesting study:

    Quote

    Does happiness come from within, or is it shaped by external influences such as our jobs, health, relationships and material circumstances? A new study published in Nature Human Behaviour shows that happiness can come from either within or from external influences, from both, or neither — and which is true differs across people.

    The Secret to Happiness Lies Within You, Or Society — Or Both
    What is the secret to happiness? Does happiness come from within, or is it shaped by external influences such as our jobs, health, relationships and material…
    www.ucdavis.edu

    Happiness causes, which (according to the above article) are unique to each person, meaning that the specifics and the quantities are variable and different for each person - there is no "one-size-fits-all" prescription for happiness. And this also shines the light on how some people can be happy even when they do not have certain externals, because they have figured out how to compensate from other areas of their lives (either other externals or through internals).

    External Causes of Happiness:

    Having sufficient necessities, such as enough food to eat, adequate housing, and safety, etc.

    Having good health

    Having good friendships

    Having good family and spousal relationships

    Enjoyment of common pleasures: tasty foods, enjoyable scenery or living environments, enjoyable music and art, etc.

    Enjoyment of intellectual pursuits or hobbies

    Internal Causes of Happiness:

    Good attitudes

    Good feelings

    Good thoughts

    Good moods

    *****

    I think that Epicurean philosophy would say that happiness comes from a combination of both External and Internal causes.

    Why the key to losing weight may be enjoying your food

    https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20260424-diet-why-enjoying-your-food-is-key-to-weight-loss?at_campaign_type=owned&at_medium=emails&at_objective=awareness&at_ptr_type=email&at_ptr_name=salesforce&at_campaign=healthfix&at_email_send_date=20260429&at_send_id=4592355&at_link_title=https%3a%2f%2fwww.bbc.com%2ffuture%2farticle%2f20260424-diet-why-enjoying-your-food-is-key-to-weight-loss&at_bbc_team=crm&at_audience_id=170035466

    I'm not interested in losing weight but the research points to relationship between pleasure and food that is interesting. Some quotes below.

    "But research points to the idea that to maintain a healthier weight, we shouldn't only focus on what we eat – but our mindset around food. In fact, there are health benefits to finding pleasure in eating, precisely because the expectation of what we've eaten goes on to shape how hungry we are."


    "This shows that health labels can reduce the expectation of experiencing pleasure, meaning foods labelled as healthy could leave us feeling less satisfied."


    "Reducing ultra-processed foods will also help with that as they do not provide the nutrients we need, and can leave us wanting more. We can do this with a "mindset of indulgence" too, Crum argues. This means ensuring your body is getting exactly what it needs rather than focusing on restraint. "Trust yourself and your body to be hungry for the right things at the right time," Crum says."

    Edited once, last by Lowri834 (May 2, 2026 at 9:36 AM).

    Quote from Lowri834

    "But research points to the idea that to maintain a healthier weight, we shouldn't only focus on what we eat – but our mindset around food. In fact, there are health benefits to finding pleasure in eating, precisely because the expectation of what we've eaten goes on to shape how hungry we are."

    Thanks for the post, Lowri834 .


    I have found the premise of increasing the mind-body connection to be true to reach and maintain a healthy body weight (I lost 40lb in 6 months) using these techniques.

    There are several ways I have learned to apply Epicurean principles to maintaining a healthy BMI. First is to continually practice Epicurean Choice & Avoidance techniques in planning, selecting and serving size for daily meals. Next is to practice gratitude before consuming the food; gratitude for all that brought the food to the table. Next is to use your senses of sight, smell and taste to fully enjoy the delightful pleasure of each bite, taking time to thoroughly chew and savor the moment.😀

    Patrikios

    Lowri834

    Here is another supportive quote from the book I am reading, Epicurus and the Pleasant Life [2nd Edition].

    Quote

    Epicurus’s approach to happiness combines genetics and free will.8 The appeal to animals and infants as witnesses of the innate dispositions of living beings is a confirmation of the genetic influence over our well-being. For example, the pleasure we take in eating is an effective way to secure that the body will get the nutrition it needs to be healthy.

    Living with a healthy body and a calm mind leads to our life of well-being - happiness.

    Patrikios

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