When we are fresh, at peak energy levels, and have a highly challenging task such as a big tennis match or speech to give, being in the zone of harmonious functioning is at a much higher level of stimulation and arousal than being in the zone is at the end of the day. At the end of the day laying on the couch with my head in Sherry's lap, a fire in the fireplace, and watching a good mystery on TV is being in the zone. Being in the zone covers a range of stimulation and arousal levels. The more we understand about values , the more we gain a tool for getting control of our happiness. The next few sections will show how closely the key concept of values is connected to the concept of harmonious functioning.
Happiness is caused by satisfaction of underlying values.
However, I didn't say what I think causes us to learn these values in the first place. The harmonious functioning model explains how values are learned. When I was in the second grade, I didn't know anything about baseball and didn't like or dislike baseball. I had little knowledge of it and did not value it. But Mom literally pushed me out the door and forced me to try out for the little league team.