How Happy Are You?
Whether you are dealing with a loss or everything is going well in your life, it is a good practice to evaluate your level of happiness from time to time. This quick assessment will give you a picture of some happiness habits that are impacting your life.
While it’s natural to want to portray our habits as better than they actually are, it’s important to be as honest as possible.
There are no right or wrong answers. You cannot fail this test!
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Rate each of the following happiness habits on a scale of 1 to 5 by how often the statement occurs in your life:
1 = Never
2 = Almost Never
3 = Sometimes
4 = Frequently
5 = Daily
*Answer each question on a scale between 1 and 5:
1. I call myself unkind names (stupid, lazy, etc.)
2. I “Should” myself (“I should have… I shouldn’t have…”)
Answer Key
1 = Never
2 = Almost Never
3 = Sometimes
4 = Frequently
5 = Daily
3. I spend time regretting past decisions
4. I place my happiness outside of myself (“If I just got that job/boyfriend/girlfriend/house/made more money, I’d be happy”)
5. I like foods high in refined sugar
6. I go to bed later than I want to
7. I have trouble getting out of bed
8. I spend time with people who I don’t really like (outside of work/home)
9. I drink more than one cup of a caffeinated beverage
10. I drink alcoholic beverages to cope with stress
11. I buy things to help me feel better (“Retail Therapy”)
12. I go to bed feeling angry
13. I go to bed in a room that is cluttered or messy
Answer Key
1 = Almost Never
2 = Less than once a week
3 = Once or twice a week
4 = A few times a week
5 = Daily
14. I go to bed feeling my home is not clean enough
15. I put off things that are important to me (work or personal)
Click the button to
calculate your final score
CHT Happiness Assessment
INTERPRETATION OF SCORE
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5: Not happy. If you answered honestly and got a very high score, you’re probably seeing yourself and your situation as worse than it really is. I recommend taking the Depression Symptoms Test (CES-D Questionnaire) at the University of Pennsylvania’s “Authentic Happiness” Testing Center. You’ll have to register, but this is beneficial because there are a lot of good tests there and you can re-take them later and compare your scores.
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4-5: Somewhat unhappy. Try some of the exercises on this site like the Gratitude Journal & Gratitude Lists, or the Gratitude Visit, or take a look at the “Authentic Happiness” site mentioned immediately above.
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3-4: Not particularly happy or unhappy. Most people score in this range. Some exercises mentioned just above have been tested in scientific studies and help to make you happier.
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2-3: Pretty happy. Being happy has more benefits than just feeling good. It’s correlated with benefits like health, better marriages, and attaining your goals.
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1: Too happy. Yes, you read that right. Recent research seems to show that there’s an optimal level of happiness for things like doing well at work or school, or for being healthy and that being “too happy” may be associated with lower levels of such things.
If you are concerned about your Happiness Score, we are here to help. Use the form below to submit your score and we will contact you to schedule a FREE 30-minute consultation.