Declare Your Independence—From Misery

On this day, Americans celebrate one of the most famous statements on happiness ever made: the Declaration of Independence’s assertion that there is an “unalienable right” to the “pursuit of happiness.” The Founders talked a lot about happiness, in fact, and much of their thinking reaches us today through their personal correspondence and other writings.

As a happiness specialist, I have always been puzzled by something about this early-American happiness advice. It almost always seems defined in the negative, focusing on what to abstain from or avoid in life and on the need to moderate natural urges. Finally, it dawned on me that, as wise as they were, the Founders were mixing up getting happier with minimizing the sources of unhappiness.

his distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to ehis distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to e

his distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to e

his distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to ehis distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to e

his distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to e

his distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to e

his distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to ehis distinction is not hair-splitting. As I have written previously, negative and positive emotions are separable and measurable. (You can take a test of your own levels here to see where your greater challenge resides.) In fact, it is fair to say that the early American philosophy is not about learning how to e