{"id":7111,"date":"2026-06-27T18:59:53","date_gmt":"2026-06-27T18:59:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/researchtoday.co.za\/?p=7111"},"modified":"2026-06-27T19:07:49","modified_gmt":"2026-06-27T19:07:49","slug":"why-some-people-seem-happier-than-others-even-when-life-gets-difficult","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/researchtoday.co.za\/?p=7111","title":{"rendered":"Why some people seem happier than others, even when life gets difficult"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Why do some people remain optimistic through major setbacks while others struggle to recover from relatively minor challenges?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For decades, psychologists have searched for the answer, often focusing on personality, income, relationships or physical health. Increasingly, however, research suggests that happiness may depend less on avoiding hardship and more on how people interpret and respond to life’s experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That idea sits at the centre of a study published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology<\/em>, where researchers examined how psychological flexibility influences long-term wellbeing. Rather than asking whether people experience stress, the research explored why some individuals are able to maintain positive mental health despite facing significant challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study was led by Steven C. Hayes<\/strong>, Patricia C. Doran<\/strong> and colleagues, who analysed data collected from adults across multiple countries and age groups. Their aim was to understand whether psychological flexibility\u2014the ability to adapt thoughts and behaviours to changing circumstances while remaining aligned with personal values, could predict overall wellbeing more effectively than many traditional measures of mental health.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To answer that question, the researchers combined data from more than 20 longitudinal and cross-sectional studies<\/strong>, representing over 18,000 participants<\/strong>. Participants completed validated psychological assessments measuring flexibility, resilience, emotional wellbeing, anxiety and life satisfaction. The researchers then used structural equation modelling and longitudinal statistical analysis to examine how these variables changed over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One pattern emerged consistently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Individuals with higher levels of psychological flexibility reported greater life satisfaction, stronger emotional wellbeing and lower levels of depression and anxiety. Importantly, these differences remained even after accounting for age, education, income and significant life events.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The findings challenge a common misconception about happiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many people assume that emotionally healthy individuals experience fewer negative emotions. The analysis suggests something different. People with higher psychological flexibility still experienced stress, disappointment and uncertainty. What distinguished them was their ability to acknowledge those emotions without becoming overwhelmed by them or allowing them to dictate future decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another finding stood out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Psychological flexibility appeared to strengthen resilience during periods of change. Whether participants experienced career transitions, relationship difficulties, financial pressure or health challenges, those scoring higher on flexibility consistently recovered more quickly and maintained stronger overall wellbeing than less flexible individuals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This has important implications for everyday life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Modern society often encourages people to eliminate discomfort wherever possible, whether through constant productivity, digital distraction or the pursuit of certainty. The evidence suggests that long-term wellbeing may instead depend on developing the capacity to live alongside uncertainty while continuing to pursue meaningful goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That perspective resonates in a world where many people are navigating rapid technological change, economic uncertainty and increasingly demanding work environments. Building psychological flexibility does not require ignoring problems or remaining permanently positive. Instead, it involves developing the ability to respond thoughtfully rather than react automatically when circumstances change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research also offers an encouraging message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unlike some personality traits, psychological flexibility appears to be a skill that can be strengthened over time. Previous clinical research has shown that interventions such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), mindfulness-based approaches and values-focused behavioural strategies can improve flexibility, helping people navigate difficult experiences more effectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The study stops short of claiming that psychological flexibility is the only ingredient of happiness. Physical health, financial security, supportive relationships and social connection all remain important contributors to wellbeing. Even so, the evidence suggests flexibility acts as something of a foundation, helping people make better use of those resources when life becomes unpredictable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps that explains why happiness often looks different than many people expect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It is not necessarily the absence of stress, failure or uncertainty. More often, it is the ability to adapt, recover and continue moving forward without losing sight of what matters most.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source Information<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Study Title:<\/strong> Psychological Flexibility as a Fundamental Aspect of Health<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Authors:<\/strong> Steven C. Hayes, Patricia C. Doran and colleagues<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Journal:<\/strong> Journal of Personality and Social Psychology<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Year:<\/strong> 2025<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The happiest people are not necessarily those who experience the least adversity, but those who develop the flexibility to navigate it while remaining connected to what matters most.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":7112,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[32,29],"class_list":["post-7111","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-people","tag-highlights","tag-trending"],"yoast_head":"\nWhy some people seem happier than others, even when life gets difficult - Research Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/researchtoday.co.za\/?p=7111\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why some people seem happier than others, even when life gets difficult - 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