{"id":64137,"date":"2022-07-08T17:26:27","date_gmt":"2022-07-08T09:26:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.mindvalley.com\/?p=64137"},"modified":"2025-09-02T18:44:03","modified_gmt":"2025-09-02T17:44:03","slug":"happy-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindvalley.com\/blog\/happy-people\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are happy people annoying? Here\u2019s what science says"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u201cWhy are happy people annoying?<\/em>\u201d asks Vishen, founder of Mindvalley, to actor Josh Peck in an interview on The Mindvalley Show. It\u2019s the question that inspired our curiosity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We\u2019ve all known at least one person. Their state of constant sunshine may not reach the extremes of The Simpsons\u2019<\/em> Ned Flanders or 30 Rock\u2019s<\/em> Kenneth Parcell, but they sure do rub us the wrong way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But why<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The answer, it seems, lies with the value we put on our own happiness rather than that of the other person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why we value happiness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s get one thing straight: happiness matters<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not only does it make you feel good, but research shows that happiness is great for our mind, body, soul, relationships, work, and performance. Plus, there\u2019s a whole other level of energy when it comes to happy people. It\u2019s all about the good vibes, right?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, before we dive into why we get so triggered by all the Perky McPerkisons, it\u2019s important to understand why happiness is of importance to us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What does “being happy” mean?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Humans, since the dawn of time, have been in the pursuit of happiness. The annual United Nations Happiness Report<\/a> is proof of how we\u2019re doing as a society (Finland holds the #1 spot for 2022, for your information).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But do we know or understand what “being happy” truly means?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Its interpretation really depends on who you ask. But in essence, \u201chappiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence,<\/em>\u201d as per Aristotle, the Greek philosopher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happiness, it seems, is our very nature. Our brains release seven neurochemicals<\/a> when we experience moments of positive emotions, particularly during these five elements of well-being:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Spiritual: <\/strong>a sense of meaning and purpose in life<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Physical:<\/strong> having good health and enough energy to maintain a quality of life<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Intellectual: <\/strong>being a lifelong learner<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Relational: <\/strong>the connection with other people<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. Emotional: <\/strong>dealing with painful emotions and cultivating pleasurable emotions<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    What makes people happy is when they have present benefits as well as future ones, according to positive psychology expert Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar in an episode<\/a> of The Mindvalley Show. For example, if someone is in a relationship where they enjoy spending time with their partner and building a life together, then that present pleasure plus future contentment equals happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    So think of a time when you were in pure bliss\u2014maybe it was when you bought your dream car, the day your child was born, or when you surrounded yourself with people who made you happy. These are reasons why happiness is so important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The benefits of being happy<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    It\u2019s not only about feeling good; happiness makes us healthier and more productive. And here are three (of many) studies to show for it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n