Let your 'hidden self' cure stress

New research reveals the 3 surprising aspects of your identity that lead to greater happiness, less stress and more confidence every day

- KRISTINA MASTROCOLA

 

Though your summer days are filled with everything from family barbecues to road trips, you feel a nagging sense of emptiness— like something is missing or some part of you isn’t as satisfied as it could be. Your intuition is spot-on: Recent research shows there are important, hidden aspects of ourselves we tend to overlook. While most of us perceive our inner self as a “monolith,” singular and indivisible, a study in Psychological Science shows we contain several specific “selves” with different strengths and needs. And we can boost our joy dramatically while slashing stress by nurturing each of these dynamic facets.

“People’s happiness is influenced by a complex interplay of factors that include the ‘Core Self,’ our central values and important goals, the ‘Social Self,’ our relationships and social interactions and the ‘Experiential Self,’ our ability to regulate emotions,” explains study co-author and social psychologist Kostadin Kushlev, Ph.D., Assistant Professor at Georgetown.

The great news is tending to this “inner trifecta” helps bring all of the aspects of who we are into harmony, allowing us to lead a more satisfying life. “Research shows this helps us feel more authentic, which is great for happiness, and increases our sense of purpose,” confirms Kushlev. Read on for simple ways to care for all of your “selves” so you can live each day with greater bliss and intention.

Fearful? Uncertain? Self-critical?