glossary

1. An action or behavior pattern that is regular, repetitive, hard to give up and often unconscious. 3. An automatic reaction to a specific situation. 4. A behavior pattern acquired by frequent repetition or physiologic exposure.

1. An emotional state of well-being which includes positive or pleasant emotions ranging from contentment to intense joy. 2. Feeling or showing pleasure, contentment or joy. 3. A pleasurable or satisfying experience. 4. Feeling satisfied that something is right, or is being done right. 5. Philosophers often define happiness in terms of living a good life, or flourishing, rather than simply as an emotion. Happiness in this sense was used to translate the Greek eudaimonia. 6. The emotions associated with feeling happy are involuntarily controlled by the automatic nervous system. 7. Higher levels of the neurotransmitters serotonin and dopamine in the brain are physiological indicators of increased happiness and decreased anxiety. Dopamine also contributes to good mood, and in addition, causes an increase in activity and willpower. 8. In order to achieve a state of happiness, people often pursue pleasure and avoid pain or discomfort. Feelings of depression, sadness, fear, anxiety, and hostility are often associated with unhappiness. Denial of these feelings may lead to temporary relief, often numbness, which is incompatible with genuine happiness. Accurate perception, acceptance of reality, accompanied with taking action to alleviate the root causes of the unpleasant emotions, taking right actions, correcting wrong actions, living a life of meaning and purpose, pursuing one’s passions and contributing to others are known to increase and sustain a general feeling of well-being and happiness.

Hormones that make you happy include; serotonin, dopamine, endorphins, phenylethylamine, ghrelin, oxytocin, and vasopressin.

1. An intentional act that harms another person, group or entity. Usually an attempt to solve a real or perceived problem. 2. Research suggests that quantifying the damage or harm of an action depends on whether we perceive the act to be intentional.

1. Agreement in feeling or opinion; accord. 2. A pleasing combination of musical sounds. 3. An orderly or pleasing combination of elements in a whole. 4. A relationship in which various components exist together without destroying one another. 5. A relationship characterized by a lack of conflict or by agreement, as of opinion or interest.