As I’ve studied Flow—whether in individuals, teams, organizations, or even large-scale communities—one principle keeps showing up: what works at the micro level often scales to the macro, and vice versa. People influence things, others, and contexts—and in turn, contexts, others, and things influence people. It’s a mutually influential relationship.

And wherever the conversation turns to why we do what we do—why we work, serve, build, and even exist—the topic of happiness hovers close by. People want to know:

• Am I happy?
• Are my relationships happy?
• Is my team happy?
• Is my organization happy?
• Is my community happy?

At every level, we hope the answer is yes. But more often than not, we pause and wonder.

Happiness and Flow

My own research into Flow is about the mechanisms that optimize focus in the moment—the immersive state of being fully at one with your craft. There’s happiness in that. Joy. Fulfillment.

But happiness is broader. People ask not only, “Am I focused?”, “Am I aligned?”  but “Am I happy?”

And here’s the truth: some of us have to work at it harder than others.

A Conversation on Happiness

Recently, I was talking with a colleague who just launched a new magazine on happiness (and where I had the honor of publishing an inaugural article). We reflected on how many people assume happiness is a simple byproduct of living. Yet like anything else, for some of us it takes intentional work.

The science backs upbacks it up this assertion. Researchers like Ed Diener and Sonja Lyubomirsky have shown that genetics, environment, and intentionality all play a role.. Some people have a naturally higher “set point” for happiness, while others have a lower one. Think of Eeyore—always gloomy—as one extreme, and someone like Goldie Hawn—seemingly radiant—as another.

But wherever your baseline is, happiness isn’t fixed. It’s malleable. And it requires effort.

Don’t Be Tricked

Here’s where it gets tricky: we live in a world eager to tell you what should make you happy. Antidepressants might help, or they might not. A new car might spark joy—or it might leave you restless until the next shiny thing comes along.

Some chase happiness by buying bigger houses, upgrading careers, or posting curated versions of their lives online. Others sell their car, live a simpler life, and donate to a cause—and claim that’s happiness.

The point? Don’t be fooled. Many voices, institutions, and industries have an agenda. They want to sell you their definition of happiness. But the real work of happiness is deeply personal—a process of investigation and experimentation. Unlocking it is like cracking a complex security system. Some days, the combination shifts. But if you’re paying attention, you’ll notice patterns—the dials and levers that tend to work for you, over and over again.

Start With the Free Stuff

Here’s my advice: before you spend time, energy, or money chasing someone else’s formula or product, start with the free stuff.

• Smile at others.
• Offer a genuine compliment.
• Get a little more sleep.
• Do a good deed without telling anyone.
• Reflect on what you’re grateful for.
• Read something inspiring—or even something holy.
• Take stock of your positive experiences.
• Make a list of ways you could be more connected in your community.
• Identify two or three people you need to say “I’m sorry” to.
• Take a walk in the woods.
• Buy a plant and nurture it.
• Visit a memory care unit.
• Send a handwritten note to a cousin.
• Volunteer half a day at a food bank.
• Go for a drive and listen to your favorite music.
• Ask a friend for a deep, honest conversation.
• Pray.
• Learn how to breathe intentionally.
• Write down five reasons you’ve been proud of yourself lately.

The list is endless. These simple practices cost nothing, yet they can shift the entire atmosphere of your day.

And here’s the catch: they’re simple—but not easy. Sometimes the hardest things to do are the ones right in front of us.

Becoming a Scientist of Yourself

The key is to approach your own happiness like a scientist. Pay attention to what works, when it works, and why. Notice what’s happening internally, externally, and temporally. Track what sustains happiness, and what shuts it down.

Over time, you’ll build your own “toolkit” of strategies—your unique quiver of arrows—to draw from when moods dip or life weighs heavily. And like Flow, happiness is a practice. It’s less about finding a magic formula and more about developing the awareness and discipline to pull the right levers at the right time.

Final Thought

Whether happiness comes easily to you, feels out of reach, or falls somewhere in between, don’t expect it just to show up. Study yourself. Be intentional. Do more of what works, less of what doesn’t. Over time, it can raise that natural bar that sets a new baseline for happiness.

Happiness isn’t just something you find. It’s something you practice. And while that practice is simple, it isn’t always easy. But rise to the challenge, and you’ll elevate not only your own happiness, but also the relationships, teams, organizations, and communities you touch.