Is Happiness a Choice?
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Happiness Poll
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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In One Word
How do you define Happiness?
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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When? What? Where? Who?
of Happiness ….
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Pleasure.
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Achievement.
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Engagement.
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Meaning.
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Authentic Happiness
Pleasure
Achievement
Engagement
Meaning
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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What Makes Other People Happy?
Diversity of Happiness
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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How happy are you?
1 = Not at all true 4 = Moderately True 7 = Absolutely True
1.
In most ways, my life is close to ideal.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
2.
The conditions of my life are excellent.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
3.
I am satisfied with my life.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
4.
So far I have gotten the important things I want in life.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
5.
If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
http://www.psych.uiuc.edu/~ediener/SWLS.htm
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Interpretation of Scores
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–
–
–
–
–
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35 - 31 Extremely satisfied
26 - 30 Satisfied
21 - 25 Slightly satisfied
20
Neutral
15 - 19 Slightly dissatisfied
10 - 14 Dissatisfied
5 - 9 Extremely dissatisfied
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Seminar Overview
Psychology and science of happiness from 3 perspectives:
(1) developmental origins of happiness
(2) individual differences in personality and happiness
(3) paradoxical relationship between trauma and happiness
Practical, hands-on techniques for choosing happiness
- one minute at a time
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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My Objective for Today.
1.What are your expectations?
2.What do you hope to learn?
3.Any specific questions?
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Theories of Happiness.
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Developmental Origins
of Happiness
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Are some people “born” happy?
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While others are born “difficult”?
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Origins of Personality
Temperament
Emotional component of
personality
– Represents basic pattern
of personality
– Predicts personality in
later life
• Happy Child – Happy Adult.
• A combination of the basic
pattern and myriad life
experiences
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Developmental Origins of Personality
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Individual Differences
in Personality & Happiness
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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What do you see?
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What do you see?
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© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Perception is Reality.
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Do you focus you have or on do not have?
–
–
–
e.g., I have a job versus what does not work at work?
e.g., I have a spouse versus what’s wrong with my spouse?
e.g., My body moves versus my increasing cellulite?
Optimism Questionnaire
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Optimists
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Pessimists
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© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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What about
our children?
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
http://stress.about.com/od/parentingskills/ht/raiseoptimists.htm
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Ask Yourself….
What is my internal dialogue
throughout the day?
How does my self-talk influence
my happiness?
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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What will it take for you to appreciate
what is right in front of you?
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Traumatic
Life Events
and
Happiness
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© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Do happy people experience less
adversity and fewer life stressors?
Positive Change Following Trauma and Adversity:
A Review of the Research
Journal of Traumatic Stress (Volume 17 (1) 2004)
http://www.springerlink.com/content/n7182816m722m893/
Construing Benefits from Adversity: Adaptational
Significance and Dispositional Underpinnings
Journal of Personality (Volume 64 (4) 1996)
http://www.blackwellsynergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1467-6494.1996.tb00948.x
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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The Attitude of Happiness.
Hardiness
• Control
• Commitment
• Challenge
http://www.psychologymatters.org/hardiness.html
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Broaden-and-Build
Theory
of Positive Emotions
“Posttraumatic Growth”
“Stress-related Growth”
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1
693418&blobtype=pdf
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Paradox of Stress and Happiness.
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Choosing Happiness
Taking back Control, Being Committed,
Accepting Challenge of Life’s Adventures!
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Choosing happiness.
Is Hard Work !!
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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3 “C’s” of Happiness
• Control
• Commitment
• Challenge
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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*challenge*
Openness
To New
Experiences
Expanding
Social
Support
Network
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
Self
Awareness
and
Reflection.
*commitment*
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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True Change Takes Place
….One Minute at a Time.
“the one minute miracle”
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Self
Discipline
and
Self
*Control*
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17362505/
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Healthy Living
*control, *commitment,*challenge
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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http://www.time.com/time/2005/happiness/graphics/
Neurochemistry of Exercise.
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Letting Go
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Serenity Prayer
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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And if all else fails …
Dance !
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eK1dRCfGEJo&feature=related
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One final question…
Is Happiness Your Choice ?
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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Positive Psychology Seminar Series







The
The
The
The
The
The
The
Price of Happiness
Spirit of Happiness
Gender of Happiness
Discipline of Happiness
Personality of Happiness
Relationship of Happiness
Demographics of Happiness
© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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© Dr. Andrea Dinardo, C.Psych.
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