Why are Hallmark Christmas movies so enticing? What is the draw to these cheesy and predictable stories?
You're probably thinking, "Bill, Christmas is still six months away – it's way too early to talk about the Hallmark channel."
I agree, but check this out...
Hallmark has discovered a way to repeat a storyline a million times over and still keep people enthralled and tuning in – time and time again.
What's their secret?
Practically speaking, it's the journey to find love and a happy ending.
Chemically speaking, it's our human drive for oxytocin – and the feelings it produces.
All month long, we've been talking about the four primary chemicals in your body that make people happy. They are endorphins, dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin. These chemicals have unique functions and are released under different circumstances.
In Leaders Eat Last, Simon Sinek says,
"Whether acting alone or in concert, in small doses or large, anytime we feel any sense of happiness or joy, odds are it is because one or more of these chemicals is coursing through our veins."
Today we're focusing on oxytocin -- and the unique feelings of happiness it produces.
Oxytocin is a potent hormone that leads to feelings of friendship, love, or deep trust.
Friendship, love, and trust are some of our fundamental human needs. They're the focus of thousands of poems, songs, movies, and art pieces. They're why the Hallmark channel can pump out tons of Christmas movies yearly.
We hunger for significance, love, and connection -- and finding them makes us happier -- courtesy of oxytocin.
Here are three simple ways you can feel the effects of oxytocin in your life today:
1 - Hug someone. When you hug someone, your oxytocin levels increase. By forming a physical connection with another person, oxytocin releases. That's why giving and receiving hugs from someone you care about feels good. Dr. Michael Murphy (a research assistant at Carnegie Mellon University) found that hugs lead to lower stress levels and better health. He says, "Feeling safer and cared for, in turn, can make us less sensitive to physical pain and less reactive when faced with potentially threatening experiences, especially socially threatening experiences." Do you want to become happier, less stressed, and less sensitive to pain? Give someone a hug.
2 - Tell someone how much you care about them. We all want to feel special. Just think of the last time someone told you how special you were to them. The feelings of love, belonging, and appreciation you probably felt in that moment was the result of oxytocin. These feelings are byproducts of oxytocin releasing in you. And there's a bonus to sharing your feelings with someone else. When you share your feelings with someone, they often reply in kind (which adds to the release of oxytocin), making it a double win!
3 - Pet a dog. Did you know that spending time with your pup can actually make you happier? As strange as it may sound, petting a dog signals the release of oxytocin for both the person and the dog. According to research, "Oxytocin levels peak significantly in both dog owners and dogs when they interact and in particular when the owner strokes and caresses (the) dog." Who knew that happiness could be just a pet away?
Truly, the simplest things can make us happy. We desire significance, love, and connection -- and finding these makes us happier (and apparently, makes our dogs happier too.)
So who will you connect with today? Who will you hug? Who will you express your feelings to? Maybe it's time to get or pet that puppy you've always wanted.
You'll be happier for doing so – and that sounds far more rewarding than flipping on the Hallmark channel. Ha!
