In the article of "Seligman on Happiness" (pursuit-of-happiness.org, 2009), Seligman's formula for happiness in life is succinctly described. Seligman is the father of Positive Psychology.
However, as a layman in this field, I would like to suggest an easy way to explain the formula, by means of our very common sense and instincts.
Instincts
Obviously, instincts are our ancestors'successfulexperiencessaved on DNA in 10,000 years ago.
From our instincts, one can easily understand that the ultimate goal of our life is to propagate our offspring or keep our DNA alive. Otherwise, mankind can not survive. (Re #1)
One of the most important instincts is feeling happy, which is the green traffic light directing us to the right way towards propagation of our offspring or keeping our DNA alive.
What is Happiness?
Apparently, happiness is the momentarily feeling of things beinga step betterfor propagating offspring. This is the very reason that human has not become instinct. (Re #1)
What Makes Us Happy?
Of course, it is anything that makes usinstinctivelyfeel better for propagating our offspring. Specifically, it includes the following 5 important instincts:
(1)Love；A baby needs love to grow up, a couple of spouse needs love to make baby, a symbiotic group of a family or a society needs love to be maintain safely and healthily.
[Including Seligman's "kindness," "gratitude and forgiveness," "meaningful," etc.]
(2)Symbiosis； Our ancestors could not beat wild animals or natural disasters individually in 10,000 years ago if not lived symbiotically or collectively.
[Including Seligman's "kindness," "justice," "gratitude and forgiveness," "Meaningful Life (developing meaning and purpose)," etc. ]
(3)Courage； Without instinctive courage, any baby can not grow up and nobody can survive in the nature.
[Including Seligman's "positive emotion," "an outlook of hope and optimism," "happiness causes positive emotions ... positive emotions cause happiness," etc. ]
(4)Creation； One of the important strong points of mankind for their survival is the instinct of creation.
But be careful! Do not indulge in the creation of trivia at the expense of important tasks.
[Including Seligman's "flow," "engagement," "temperance," etc.]
(5)Pre-InstinctFormation: Another important instinct is the ability to form pre-instinct (unconsciousness) by many times of repetition.
[Including Seligman's "Strength," "Good Life (cultivating strengths and virtues)," "happiness can be taught and learned," etc.]
Invalid Happiness
However, our happiness has its own valid scope. The scope is that all the conditions must be the same as those in 10,000 years ago. (Re #2)
To pursue happiness out of the valid scope, usually, is the most important origin of our unhappiness today. For examples, invalid richness, invalid beauty, etc. (Re #2,3)
To avoid the invalid happiness needs efforts to make it a pre-instinct. That is what Seligman said "none of these changes come without real effort."
However, if one really understands the 10,000-years-ago norm by simply thinking enough, one can suddenly acquire the ability to avoid the invalid happiness. (Re #5)
Conclusion
The gist of Seligman's formula of happy can be explained simply by our common sense with instincts.
References:#1. W. Ying,articlesbasee.com, "Happy Life, Instincts, Wisdom, and Human Computer System." #2.ibid, "Valid Happiness, Instinct and Wisdom." #3.ibid, " Competing Instinct-Blindly or Instinct-Wisely?" #4.ibid, " Layman Talks 'Is It Possible to Become Lastingly Happier?'" #5.ibid, "Layman Talks "The Happiness Project".
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