@showyourhappy
feel love and kindness “When wetoward others it not only makes others feel
loved and cared for,
inner happiness and peace.”
it helps us also to develop
– Dalai Lama
PROJECT 1: DESIGN AS A RESEARCH - LED RESPONSE
What Makes
People Happy?
F
or project one in Applied Visual Communications, I started exploring the different aspects of happiness. Happiness can come in various forms, so I decided to research what forms were more dominant than others. To gather this information and investigate what happiness means to other people, I reached out to others through social media. I created accounts on both Facebook and Instagram, so that people could send their responses and photos about what makes them happy in life. The responses I got were slow at first, but once I learned how to communicate more effectively using social media, getting the word out and asking friends and family for help, made a significant different to the posts I was receiving. Other ways that helped gain more followers, likes, and responses to my pages included knowing popular hashtags and posting encouraging photos that promoted my page. I would also come up with photo challenges such as, using old photos and photos that featured people that made them feel happy. The accounts I made went by the name Showyourhappy. I came up with this name so people knew to show me the happiness in their life and use their own happiness to help improve the lives of others. It was a difficult task coming up with a name because of availability of account names on Instagram, but was eventually able to come up with something that worked perfectly for what I was trying to do and accomplish. When someone sent or tagged me in their photos I would repost their picture to show to everyone else. I did this not only to spread some cheer, but I also wanted to use social media as a tool for positivity. Cyber bullying and negative images that appear everywhere online has become an issue for many people, so I wanted to find a way to redirect that attention.
I also took into account the amount of feedback and “likes� that I got for each of the photos as a part of my research as well. Popularity plays a factor in what type of photographic images might create some sort of emotion. Each photo and response that I got from someone was unique and special. Since the main use of gaining information was through social media my number one tool was my iPhone. I had all the apps that made this possible and used them to their full potential. I also went through the process of creating posters for people to respond to, asking them what makes them happy and posted them around the college and city. This was both successful and unsuccessful, depending where the posters were located. I also made posters to advertise my page on Instagram by asking people to tag their old photos on their Instagram accounts with @showyourhappy, a process that would only take approximately 10 seconds. This book describes what I did, what worked and didn’t, and the results.
These are the pages I created on Instagram (top) and Facebook (bottom). These pages were created on September 16, 2013 and information was obtained until October 4, 2013. For 19 days, I gathered photos and responses and reposted them daily. By the end of the process I had 61 likes on my Facebook page and 87 followers on Instagram. I was able to link both pages together, so that whenever I posted something on Instagram, it would also be posted onto my Facebook page as well.
he t e m s e k a tm The thing thyais. . most happ 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20.
@showyourhappy
I handed out these business sized cards for people to send me their responses through email and to tag their photos. The email response was not successful in this project because I did not receive any responses.
@showyourhap
Do You Have Instagram? If so, go to your gallery and find a picture of something that makes you HAPPY. Tag it with @showyourhappy. This is for a class at the college.
happy @showyour
The poster above was placed in both the college and at bus stops around the city. I collected some of the most interesting responses with these posters that were hung in the college. Unfortunately, majority of the posters that I had put around the city in bus stop terminals were torn down, except one, but it did not have any responses. The poster on the right was put up the last week of collecting, which asked people to simply tag their existing photos with @showyourhappy. This was very successful especially amoung college students and almost double my photo collection.
@showyourhappy
@showyourhap
@showyourhappy
@showyourhap
Do You Have Instagram?
If so, go to your gallery and find a picture of something that makes you HAPPY. Tag it with @showyourhappy. This is for a class at the college.
@showyourhappy
@showyourhap
The poster with different opacities of pictures represents the amount of “likes” that each photo got on Instagram. The photos with the lowest opacity represents pictures that had the least “likes” and the photos with the most opacity represent pictures that had the most “likes”. The blank spots mean the photos did not get any likes or did not get posted.
There are many factors as to why some photos may have gotten more likes than others, such as use of hashtags, quality of photo, and longevity of the photo. Longevity meaning, the longer the photos are on the page the more likes they eventually get over time. I found that the photos that featured nature tended to get more likes as well.
The screen shot shown above describes the different hashtags I used in order to get more likes and followers. The screen shot shown on the left is one of my favorite captions for a photo. “When love lets you down, step back. Look at the big pictures.” This particular photo was classified under “other” because there was not one significant idea for the picture. Many pictures changed their title to “other” based on their captions. The screen shot on the right, shows someone tagging my account with @showyourhappy. This notified me right away on my cell phone. This picture was clearly classified under “animals”.
Direct Response 15% Family Friends Animal Food Nature Object Travel Other
27%
8%
8% 6%
10%
15% 10%
Photos
7%
6% People Animals Nature Music Food Objects Other Places Promos
30%
9% 4%
7% 3%
16%
18%
Categories All 140 photos were sorted into 9 categories in order to better understand what capture through photography to represent their happiness.
Here is the color key for each category:
People Animals Nature Music Food
Objects Other Places Promos
Tea
Ocean Views
My Son xo
Exploring
Pets
Animals That Aren’t Very Smart
Being Alive
My Onesie
Seeing New Places
Taking Your Pants Off After a Long Day Family
Drinks in the Garage With Friends
Being Around Family
Cats
Bright Colors Someone Being Funny and Making Me Laugh Ellen
Smiles
Family
GTA V
God
Having a Fulfilling Lifestyle
Baking cookies
Friends
Happy People
Riding My Horse
Food
Sex
My Girls Laughing Cheese
My Husband and Kids
Extra Time to Sleep In
Old Photographs
Singing
Summer
Thinking of All the Possibilities I Have
Swimming, So Relaxing Family Chocolate
French Fries
Driving
Friends
Sex
Letters
Tutti Fruiti
Sleep Family
Me Makes Me Happy
Autumn Leaves Change Color
You
Phil, L. Near
Travelling
Family of Course
Harry Potter
My Family All Together
Friends
Nice Cool Weather
Learning Something New and Finding I Love It
Cabin Life
Sunshine
A Clean Kitchen
My Llama’s Faces
Sushi
Football
Friends
Tea
Watching Lightening on the Porch
Family
Food
Sunshine Puppies
The Gym
Friends
My Couch
Wine!
My Daughter Sunsets
Family Friends Animal Food Nature Object Travel Other
Direct Response I reached out to people on Facebook and Instagram to get majority of my answers but I also put up posters for people to write down their answers as well. Each direct response that I received reflects on the individual and what they believe makes them happy, which directly relates to their own personality and identity. I found that I got a lot of interesting answers that I would not have been able to get through the use of visuals. Some answers were poetic and expressed more feelings rather than a specific subject. Words can be just as powerful as or even more than an image depending on how a person says it.
The people we spend time with the most tend to shape who we are and what interests we have. These people include our families, friends, classmates, coworkers, and the everyday strangers you meet on a daily basis. I believe that other people inspire other people to be happy and spread the same happiness that they feel. People will also sometimes participate in different actions with people that will bring about happiness. Especially people that are closest to us, like family, friends, significant others, and even the occassional stranger can spark a feeling of joy. Some people make us feel good when we are around them, so it’s important to spend time with those that do, rather than people who do not. People want to live a meaningful life so it is important that we spend that time with people that want the same and truly want happiness.
Animals are similar to people. Their characteristics, forms, and actions can bring joy by watching and interacting with them. They can be our companions or acts of entertainment when we watch them do unusual things on YouTube videos. Yes believe it or not our furry companions is the second most photographed subject, especially in the instagram world. People can’t seem to get enough of those cute puppy dog eyes or cuddly cats.
Nature has a huge impact on people’s happiness because it interferes with people’s environment in which they live and survive in. Whether it’s waterscapes, mountains, prairies, or trees; nature has a tendency to inspire us. Nature has the tendency to provoke and inspire people in so many ways and has so much to offer us that we sometimes take the world we live in for granted.
Music is sound that can bring about joy. Lots of people enjoy music and playing it. It’s a language that speaks differently to every person. People will use music as a tool to communicate their emotions, relax, and escape from the world. Music can make people feel more than just happy but also other emotions as well. People can relate to the lyrics in a song and it then becomes personal to that person.
Food is something everyone can enjoy and sometimes people even get really creative with their food! Whether its junk food or wholesome food, people need nutrients. When it comes to eating food, there are many scientific reasons for why eating certain types of food can result in the feeling of happiness. This can come from the consumption of fatty acids or saline and the releasing of hormones, but I also believe that the experience of eating can also be involved with this type of happiness. Typically, people tend to eat with other people so that could be a contributing factor. Some types of food can be high in fats or sugar (usually known as comfort food), so they can have a “feel good” quality to them. Alcohol can definitely makes people feel “happy” even though it might not actually be real. But once again, people usually tend to drink with company.
Objects
Materialism is not usually associated with happiness but to some people it is, and in some ways it can connect to happiness because of our experience. Video games, clothing, and photographs were some of the answers I received, which made me think why people may have choose these. Simply put, it can trigger certain memories, shape our identities, or just give a moment of joy and relaxation.
I believe it is important for every individual to experience whether it’s in your own province or in an entirely different continent. Visiting a new place can change how you view the world and experience different cultures that they would never know from reading a book.
Travel
Travelling is not just about visiting and venturing new places, it’s gaining experience. People learn new things when they explore new places. This new knowledge can include something about ourselves that we did not realize or comprehend before.
Majority of the answers that I got had to be classified under other because the answer would be so different or too vague. These answers were the most interesting and reminded me that happiness is not just one thing, it can be a feeling that can come from something, someone, or an action. Happiness is a feeling so it makes sense that other feelings can inspire it.
How Do You Become a Happier Person? Truth is, everyone is on the hunt for happiness or trying to find some way to be happier. But happiness can only come from you. You are responsible for your own happiness and unhappiness in many ways.
Conclusion What is Happiness? Hap·pi·ness: the quality or state of being happy. Good fortune; pleasure; contentment; joy. Hap·py 1. delighted, pleased, or glad, as over a particular thing: to be happy to see a person. 2. characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy: a happy mood; a happy frame of mind. 3. favored by fortune; fortunate or lucky: a happy, fruitful land. 4. apt or felicitous, as actions, utterances, or ideas. 5. obsessed by or quick to use the item indicated (usually used in combination): a trigger-happy gangster. Everybody is gadget-happy these days. Happiness is an emotional feeling we get that can range between contentment and overjoyment. There really is no one way to define happiness because it really depends on a person’s outlook on life, identity, and environment.
Happiness is actually quite simple. If we live in the now rather than dwell on the past, we are able to move on and make every day more fulfilling. Sometimes people are waiting for happiness to come (like after a stressful moment), but in reality we don’t have time to wait because what matters is what happens now. There are many times when people will focus more on what they don’t have, rather than what they do have. Rather, we should be thankful for what we have, like a good home, good education, loving people, and good health. Sometimes media will play factor in our thoughts which can really make us cynical and negative towards ourselves. Media only does this so companies can earn more money. We need to look beyond the external factors and consider more of what makes us beautiful as individuals. People worry and think. These are two main contributors why we might feel depressed. Our thoughts aren’t always necessarily true because we are influenced so much by false advertisement, people, and the atrocious power of society. When we are accomplishing our purpose in life and doing things that are the most meaningful to us, we can find happiness from doing what allows us to live in the moment. You’re happiness is up to you.
So What Are the Results? What Makes People Happy?
So I urge you to express your gratitude to other people, especially those who are closest to you. You’ll be happy you did and so will they.
After all the answers I received, photos and responses, I realized there are so many things that make us happy. But when it comes to long term happiness, I noticed that most of the answers eventually led to other people and the love for those people. So you might think this is what makes people the most happy, but you’re not totally correct.
Personal Reflection
The correct answer is gratitude. We are grateful for the people that we see each day. And for those who inspire and influence us that we have a relationship with. Our interaction with the people we surround ourselves with creates happiness and will ultimately show our gratitude towards. We praise, thank, converse with, protect, inspire, listen to, laugh with, and love them. We love them for who they are and what they do for us in our lives. Whether it’s a child, a parent/grandparent, spouse, friend, teacher, or the kindness of a stranger, we appreciate these people and find joy from them. We our influenced by these people because they inspire us to live positively, rather than negatively. They want us to be happy and therefore, inspire us to live to our full potential. Kindness is a type of happiness because the more you give the more you will receive. When we express our gratitude to the special people in our lives not only does it make them feel good, but it also gives us that serene “warm-chest” feeling when we are moved by something so extraoridinary. This evidently will give us the opportunity to grow as individuals.
Through the process of researching happiness and asking for people’s help, I believe I am a happier person as a result. I have taken to heart everything that I have discovered in this process and the ways of how I can improve on my well-being and overall happiness. I am grateful for those who helped and gave me answers and data that I was looking for. I am grateful for my classmates and teachers for inspiring and pushing me to work harder than I ever have. I am also grateful for, of course, my family and friends, for loving the person that I am and inspiring me to be a better individual, so that I can live every day in bliss by following my purpose.
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