My children were born with very different temperaments. My oldest daughter had a very quiet cry. She smiled at us, but it took several months before we heard the sound of her laughter. Today, she is a little reserved and a little serious. My youngest daughter used to scream when she wanted something. She was also born laughing. Today, she is very emotional and she loves to joke around and make people laugh.
We are all born with a temperament. In fact, research shows that some people are born with a happier disposition than others. Happiness is written in their genetic make-up. I have a friend who is like that. She never wakes up in a grumpy mood. When she told me that, I didn’t believe her… Never??? How could that be possible?
I, very often wake up grumpy. So, I have to work on putting a smile on my face. I remember in my 20’s when I was traveling through Europe with my friend Christina. She would wake up in such a sunny, happy mood and I would look at her thinking: “What the heck are you so happy about?” Since that time, I have tried to change that aspect of my personality and I truly make an effort to work those cheek muscles when I get up in order to save my family from my grumpiness.
So, we all start out life at different set points of happiness. Research shows that 50% of our happiness depends on our genetic baggage. Does it mean that if you are not born with this genetic gift, you are doomed to have an unhappy life? I hope not! Probably those who were not born with that happy gene just have to work harder at it. The same way some people have to work hard at attaining and keeping a healthy weight.
Being happy for some people is a natural way of being. For others, it goes entirely against their nature. I believe that for most of us, the potential for happiness is there, we just need to work at it on a daily basis.
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