Being naturally happy or unhappy? Is there such a thing? And if an individual considers themselves unhappy, can they change?

We've all experienced it: there are people who seem to always be happy; no matter when, where, or with whom they are, without the need for external stimulation, the energy they emanate is always positive. But are you born or made?

Research shows that, on an unconscious level, some people's minds naturally tend to focus on an optimistic view of others and life; they perceive and remember the positive aspects more easily. Scientists call this bias the efecto Pollyanna.

On the other hand, people who don't consider themselves happy always focus on the negative, what they don't have, what they lack; they usually have convincing arguments for remaining unhappy. They argue that happiness is something too simplistic, short-lived, and complacent. For them, being happy is something life demands of you. naïve and other ideas. Therefore, the first challenge such a person faces in changing their state is overcoming themselves.

Oxford University psychiatrist Professor Michael Argyle, who has dedicated his life to researching happiness, published a study conducted by the BBC in London revealing that happy people have several things in common that normal people don't:

• A broad group of good relationships, including at least one very close one, as well as a network of friends or close relationships.
• A job that you enjoy and find challenging.
• Recreational activities that satisfy you.
• A special personality.
• He knows what he wants from life and gives it meaning.

Happy people tend to be extroverted rather than introverted; they are also very optimistic, assume everything will be fine, and only remember the good things from the past. If something goes wrong, they don't blame themselves—they may blame others or circumstances, but they never blame themselves the way unhappy people do.

On the other hand, they don't set impossible goals for themselves, so they don't get frustrated by the gap between their aspirations and their achievements. They have good social skills and tend to be more cooperative and assertive. They trust that if they meet someone, they'll get along and have fun with them, and in fact, that's what happens.

It's worth noting that when the Pollyanna effect is exaggerated and a person becomes "too" positive, they can become disconnected from reality and remain superficial and banal.

But what about those who don't have that natural disposition to be happy? "Don't give up, keep hope: personality, to a certain extent, is given to us at birth and to a certain extent is acquired in childhood, but it's not something you have for life: it can be changed," says Dr. Michael Argyle.

Parece simplista, mas algunas de las cosas que contribuyen a que un individuo se sienta feliz son: hacer ejercicio a diario, encontrar buenas noticias y compartirlas sin importar lo malo que estuvo el día, buscar 10 minutos de silencio y quietud para sí mismo, saberse merecedor de ser feliz, realizar una actividad que sea placentera por lo menos 30 minutos a diario, dormir bien, apreciar y agradecer los regalos de la vida.

Why is it important to explore this topic? Simply because being happy is a choice; it comes from within. This is the most important thing. So we could conclude that it's within me, and nothing else, to be naturally happy.