It's clear that the relationship is bi-directional. It's an upward spiral.

When people feel happy, they tend to feel confident, optimistic, and energetic and others find them likable and sociable. Happy people are thus able to benefit from these perceptions.

It just means that the person who's born happy doesn't have to try as hard -- just like thin people don't have to work at it as much. You can make yourself happier using all kinds of strategies -- but you have to put some effort into it.

This may be because happy people frequently experience positive moods and these positive moods prompt them to be more likely to work actively toward new goals and build new resources. When people feel happy, they tend to feel confident, optimistic, and energetic and others find them likable and sociable. Happy people are thus able to benefit from these perceptions.

Happy people are more likely than their less happy peers to have fulfilling marriages and relationships, high incomes, superior work performance, community involvement, robust health and even a long life.

It is quite clear that our current global efforts remain inadequate for an epidemic that is continuing to spiral out of control.