While happiness is partly hereditary, there are plenty of things you can do to feel happier.

BY JEFF HADEN, CONTRIBUTING EDITOR, INC.@JEFF_HADEN

For Inc.

Photo: Getty Images

Everyone wants to feel less stressed, especially entrepreneurs; a landmark study shows 45 percent of entrepreneurs report feeling stressed and anxious, percentage points higher than other workers.

In a broader sense, feeling stressed and anxious is widely prevalent. A recent study conducted by the Cleveland Clinic shows that one out of three respondents ranked their mental health as “low.” And it gets worse: Forty-five percent of respondents said they had dealt with anxiety in the previous week. Thirty-six percent said they had experienced sadness or depression.

The last part of that sentence is telling, yet not in the way you might think. Research shows only 40 percent of the people who experience depression seek some form of support.

And that one in four say they have “no idea” how to improve their level of happiness and overall emotional well-being.

The good news? There are simple ways to better deal with stress and anxiety, improve your overall outlook, and increase your feelings of happiness.

But first, let’s talk about the nature of happiness.

Your Happiness Set-Point

Research shows that approximately 50 percent of your level of happiness — what psychologists call your happiness set-point — is determined by hereditary personality traits. Think nature, not nurture.

Bummer. But then again, that means approximately half of your subjective well-being — a term psychologists like better than “happiness” — is within your control.

How you’re made affects your happiness. So do current circumstances.

Unfortunately, you can’t do anything about your genes. You often can’t control your circumstances (although you can control how you respond).

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