I attended the LA Times Festival of Books last Saturday, April 26, 2008.� This annual event is filled not only with rows of white tents filled with books but also with wonderful lectures.� My boyfriend and I took part in one on happiness, specifically called �Smile: Is Happiness Overrated?�� The lecture consisted of a panel of three individuals who had all recently published books on happiness: Beth Lisick who wrote Helping Me Help Myself, Sonja Lyubomirsky who wrote The How of Happiness, and Eric Weiner who wrote The Geography of Bliss.� The moderator was Amy Alkon.� Amy proposed several questions to the panel beginning with: Can we evaluate our own happiness?

����������� The panel believed that yes, we can.� Happiness is subjective.� No one else knows better than each individual knows him or herself.� Moreover, those who evaluate happiness use more than just ten-point scales, ten being levels of �Oprah happiness� the panel joked.� They are multi-point scales, which makes the measurements more accurate and reliable.� Spouses, dear friends, and family can validate our own evaluation; however, only we can truly know how happy we are.� Ms. Lisick commented; however, that the search for happiness can actually make someone less happy.� Continually evaluating ourselves can erase all blissful ignorance and we may start realizing our faults and shortcomings.

����������� Plato had said long ago that the unexamined life is not worth living.� Is this true? the moderator questioned.� Unhappy people ruminate too much over negative aspects of their lives.� However, neutral or positive reflection is better and does not impact happiness levels as much.� Mr. Weiner in his travels found that the Thai people are fairly happy. �There exists a custom in that culture that says one should not think too much.� The act of thinking too much is considered to be a mental illness.� Mr. Weiner further recommended that happiness should be approached sideways like a crab; we should sneak up on it.� We should avoid (bad) books on happiness and aim for achievement in life and reaching our goals.� He believes that happiness will be a side effect.

����������� Dr. Lyubomirsky commented that happiness is partly genetic; however, forty percent is determined by what we do and think.� There are many strategies for helping someone become happier including expressing gratitude in our lives, keeping a thankfulness journal or diary, exercising, or meditating.� However, Dr. Lyubomirsky is quick to comment that not every technique will work for everyone.� Keeping a gratitude journal did not work for her and she even found it hokey.� However, in her book, there is a scale that helps people figure out which activity might work best for their personality.� Ms. Lisick agreed that some of these practices get a bit hokey or cheesy, or that one might feel that he/she is forcing it � I must meditate for an hour every morning! This forceful attitude can become clich� and most likely will not work.

����������� Dr. Lyubomirsky also said that hedonic adaptation impedes happiness.� Getting a new nose or more money may help in the short-term, but we adjust quickly as human beings to the new situation and what more or something different.� Mr. Weiner noted that Qatar has excessive wealth, they live longer, healthier lives than those in poorer nations; however, they are unhappy.� Beyond a certain point, money does not bring happiness and that point is surprisingly low � at about $15,000 per year.� I imagined he meant relative to America�s cost of living and lifestyle.� He continued to note that money puts up walls such as in gated communities and it creates a barrier between you and the other and the entire community.� The panelists were indicating that fellowship seems to be an important part of happiness.

����������� Ms. Lisick spent a year attending happiness conferences, meditating, and trying to better her life.� She was told such clich�s, as your life is a painting, make it a masterpiece! And she paid $800 to do it.� She found herself embarrassed to pay such large sums of money when happiness did seem to have so much to do with the people that surrounded her.

����������� Moreover, Dr. Lyubomirsky said that the happiest people in the world all have goals for which they are striving, such as a hobby or raising a child.� However, you can be too goal-oriented, she noted, after being prompted by the moderator.� We must put in effort to be happy, similar to loosing weight.� We must exercise and eat right; however, if one does it too hard, too obsessively, or too forcefully, it often backfires.� A matter of fact, in one study she conducted, people who kept gratitude journals only once a week versus three times per week were happier.� Everyone has an optimal amount to put into his or her happiness, just like with dieting and exercise; it is only necessary to find that amount.

����������� The moderator then asked about the miserable artist clich�.� Ms. Lisick responded that she is most productive with her writing when she is happy and feels good; however, she noted that this kind of writing is not always the most interesting.� Mr. Wiener said that in Iceland, which is one of the top five happiest countries, a musician who worked with Bjork, said that he is a happy person who cherishes his melancholia.� He cherishes it and nourishes it.� Happy and unhappy are not opposites.� One can had a sad side, just not overdo it; it is not necessary to die of a drug overdose.�

Positive psychology, Dr. Lyubomirsky�s field, is often misconstrued; they do not want everyone to be happy all of the time and evolutionary theories indicate that we need to be sad and upset some of the time.� When people see injustice, they should be angry.� Varying emotions provide contrast and function; however, negative emotions must be in moderation.� When there is too much suffering or misery, it is no longer helpful and is not functional.

����������� The moderator next questioned the panel about gurus.� Beth responded that life coaches could be helpful.� On her yearlong quest to become happier and healthier, she worked with Jack Canfield.� She felt that what he recommended worked for her when she was alone; however, in a group, she found it too difficult because it assaulted her individuality � when everyone had to do what he suggested together and simultaneously.� She also attended a health cruise with Richard Simmons, which was a bigger success.� He receives as much out of the weeklong adventure as all his clients that are attending it.� She feels that there must be two-way interaction between the leader and the client.� The link between people takes precedence in happiness.� Moreover, if you improve yourself, your life will improve around you.

����������� In addition to talking about how we affect our own happiness and the effect of people on our lives, the moderator wondered where the happiest place in the world is.� Mr. Wiener said frankly that it was not Disneyland.� In addition, it is not the usual trope of paradise � warm, sunny, tropical islands.� Some of the happiest countries include Iceland, Denmark, and Switzerland, all countries that are often dark and cold; therefore, climate does not matter.� In America, whether you live in California or Michigan does not affect your happiness level.� Where you live does not matter so much.�

What is important is trust.� In areas where there are high levels of trust among family, friends, and strangers, people are generally happier.� Examples would be places where you can pump gas before paying, make a hotel reservation without a credit card, or allow five-year-olds to walk to and from school by themselves.� In countries such as Moldova and Russia there is a lack of trust, and there is also a lot of envy.� Envy seems to be a toxic poison to happiness.� It seems that people in these countries want to see their neighbor fail more than they succeed.� Moreover, Russia and Moldova compare themselves with their immediate neighbors � France and Poland, who are richer countries than they are, not with the countries in Africa, who are significantly poorer.