Week 5- Science of Happiness Synthesis

 Mindfulness as a practice centers the mind and creates a space for non-judgmental internal reflection. Though mindfulness for many begins as a simple form of self-improvement, or a self-care habit, mindfulness has shown to have extremely positive impacts on the body and mind. Dating back to sacred Eastern world tradition, mindfulness meditation focuses on appearing in the present, and appreciating what it means to be living and conscious in the mind. Mindfulness promotes patience and compassion and when practiced has been shown to produce a range of monumental psychological benefits such as increased compassion, patience, attention span, and prosocial behavior. In addition to these psychological benefits, mindfulness has proven to impact our health and neurological makeup. Mindfulness has a meaningful impact on grey matter in the hippocampal regions of the brain, directly impacting levels of empathy, interconnection, and social awareness. In addition, mindfulness has an impact on how humans age as the practice increases activity in Telomeres (DNA protein complexes at the end of linear chromosomes) that protect against cellular aging and danger to the immune system. The power of mindfulness goes as far as impacting and having the ability to change our brain structure.  

Mindfulness and happiness go hand in hand as mindfulness is one of the most assessable and sustainable paths to cultivating happiness. Although some monetary forms of happiness like buying a new car or making large amounts of money at work provide fleeting joy, mindfulness provides a route for deep connection with the self and goes further than momentary pleasure as its benefits build on one another. Mindfulness can be used as a tool for individuals struggling to find joy in daily life or a practical habit for those who already report high levels of positive emotion as mindfulness has shown to boost productivity and improve social understanding. Mindfulness can even work as part of a treatment option for those fighting a chronic illness or battling depression. The power of mindfulness is directly tied to happiness as mindfulness teaches one how to center the mind on positivity and gratitude in the present moment. Mindfulness steers the mind away from pain and suffering and towards self-fulfillment and understanding.