The Book of Joy

we get accustomed to any new situation and inevitably return to our
general state of happiness.
However, more recent research by psychologist Sonja Lyubomirsky
suggests that perhaps only 50 percent of our happiness is determined by
immutable factors like our genes or temperament, our “set point.” The
other half is determined by a combination of our circumstances, over
which we may have limited control, and our attitudes and actions, over
which we have a great deal of control. According to Lyubomirsky, the
three factors that seem to have the greatest influence on increasing our
happiness are our ability to reframe our situation more positively, our
ability to experience gratitude, and our choice to be kind and generous.
These were exactly the attitudes and actions that the Dalai Lama and the
Archbishop had already mentioned and to which they would return as
central pillars of joy.