Page 20 - ASC Highlights Spring 24-25

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The Science of Happiness:

What Makes Us Truly Happy?

After weeks of early alarms, late-night study sessions, and the kind of stress only students
understand, the thought of simply feeling happy again sounds like a distant dream. But
here’s the interesting thing: happiness isn’t just a random feeling that shows up when life
finally calms down. It’s something real, something studied, and something surprisingly
within reach even when the to-do list is long.

Scientists and psychologists have spent years trying to understand what makes people truly
happy. What they found might surprise you as it turns out that happiness isn’t about having a
perfect life, or even an easy one. It’s not about being rich, or famous, or always winning. The
happiest people, they discovered, are the ones who find meaning in small things and who
know how to look for joy even in the middle of chaos.

Our brains, as it turns out, are wired to feel good when we do certain things. Not just big
things, like graduating or traveling the world, but simple, everyday moments like laughing
with a friend, finishing a task, or helping someone without expecting anything back. Even
sitting in the sun for a few minutes, listening to music that stirs something inside you, or
remembering to be kind to yourself on a tough day can spark that quiet, steady kind of
happiness that lasts longer than any thrill.

One of the biggest secrets to happiness, according to research, has nothing to do with stuff
or status and everything has to do with people. The quality of your relationships, the feeling
that someone sees you and hears you and cares that you’re here, makes a deeper impact
than most of us realize. When we feel connected, supported, and valued, something inside
us lights up. That feeling stays with us longer than any new phone or perfect selfie ever
could.

Interestingly, happiness also grows when we slow down enough to notice it. When we take
a second to be grateful for something, even something small, like a warm drink or a kind
message. We actually train our minds to focus on what’s good. It’s not about pretending
everything is perfect. It’s about realizing that even in the middle of all the noise, there’s
always something to smile about

Of course, life isn’t always easy. There are bad days, disappointments, heartbreaks, and
failures. But even then, happiness doesn’t disappear. It just becomes quieter; the kind that
whispers rather than shouts. It shows up in the people who check on you, the songs that say
what you can’t, the moments when you realize you’re stronger than you thought.

Happiness isn’t something you find once and keep forever. It’s something you build, piece
by piece, day by day. And even though it sounds simple, it’s one of the most powerful things
you can ever learn. So maybe, even while you’re chasing grades and deadlines and dreams,
take a second now and then to chase happiness too. Not later. Not someday. But now, in the
life you’re already living.

Abu Dhabi University | ASC Highlights 24-25 Spring 24-25