The Science of Happiness

Are you happy? Many people say they feel happier during the holidays.But I’m not happy.Democrats and Republicans keep voting for bigger government. Few people accept the idea that government that governs least — governs best.

It makes me sad.I once did an ABC special on “The Mystery of Happiness.” We interviewed the “Giggle Twins,” two sisters who were so happy all the time that our film crew found them annoying to be around. The twins laughed all the time.It wasn’t because of anything their parents did. The girls were separated at birth and didn’t meet until they were in their 30s.“Probably 50% of happiness is genetic,” says twins researcher Thomas Bouchard.Other research with brain scans shows babies who smile a lot usually have more electrical activity in their left prefrontal cortex.I volunteered for a scan.My brain scan showed less activity in that part of my brain.“Someone like you can become happier if you want to,” says psychology professor Sonja Lyubomirsky in my new vi …