My Intent is to be happier
What Does It Mean to Be Happier?Happiness is one of those things that you know when you see it – or, more precisely, feel it. It falls somewhere along the spectrum between peace and contentment on up to unbridled joy and euphoria. But whatever makes you happy, we all know that it tends to be elusive. Which means most of us wind up chasing it down a lot, striving to draw more happiness into our lives. In his book The Art of Happiness: A Handbook for Daily Living the Dalai Lama notes that happiness has less to do with what’s around us – where we live, how much money we make, whether we have the perfect relationship or job – than our state of mind, which means the key to greater happiness lies largely in our own hands.
How Can I Achieve My Intent?An exclusive round-up of the best thinking from leading experts“At the end of the day — while driving home from work, at dinner with your family, just before you go to sleep, whatever works for you — ask yourself three questions: 1. What am I thankful for today? 2. What do I feel satisfied about? 3. What did I enjoy doing today? You’ll not only get an instant uplift, but like a heat-seeking missile, you’ll get more and more in touch with what brings you happiness in your life.” — M.J. Ryan, coach and author of The Happiness Makeover, is reachable at maryjaneryan@gmail.com“If you want to be happier, ancient philosophers and contemporary scientists agree on what to do: strengthen your bonds with other people. Spend time with your family and friends, show up, find ways to give support to others, join or start a group, pick up the phone, travel to visit someone you haven’t seen…anything that brings you into more constant and deeper contact with other people will boost your happiness.” — Gretchen Rubin is creator of the blog, The Happiness Project, where she reports her daily adventures in trying to be happier. Her book, The Happiness Project (Harper) will be published in December 2009“As much as 40% of happiness is shaped by our intentional efforts — that is, by how we think and how we act in our daily lives. This means that up to 40% of happiness is under our control. Here are a few things research has shown improve happiness: Expressing gratitude for what you have, either privately – through contemplation or journaling – or to someone who’s close to you, or conveying your appreciation to one or more individuals whom you’ve never properly thanked. Another one: Cultivating optimism, perhaps by keeping a journal in which you imagine and write about the best possible future for yourself, or practicing to look at the bright side of every situation.” – Sonja Lyubomirsky, Ph.D., professor of psychology at University of California, Riverside, California, and author of The How of Happiness: A Scientific Approach to Getting the Life You Want“Take a moment every now and then to stop whatever you are doing and just be in the present. Make yourself aware of everything around you and remind yourself how lucky you are to be where you are. That coffee mug? Not everyone has one. Those clothes you are wearing? Appreciate them. The clean air you are breathing? Say a quiet ‘thank you’ for having it. That tummy that is not rumbling out of control? Appreciate how lucky you are to be one of the few people in history who has never had to listen to the rumbling with nothing to feed it but despair. The paper clip on the paper? The paper? The ability to write on the paper? So much to appreciate. So much happiness from appreciating – happiness that eludes people who take those things for granted.” — David Leonhardt, creator of The Happy Guy blog and author of Climb Your Stairway to Heaven: The 9 Habits of Maximum HappinessWhere Do I Start?For my book, The Geography of Bliss, I spent a year traveling the world, exploring why some countries are happier than others. Here are a few of the universal lessons I learned about how to—and how not to—pursue happiness.Engage in Bracketed Indulgence: Everything in moderation, including moderation. There is something to be said for the binge mentality. Icelanders know this well. They drink like fish on the weekends but are teetotalers during the week. That’s the way they approach work and love, too. It makes for a zesty life.Reach Out And…. The notion of "personal happiness" is ridiculous. No one ever found happiness gazing at their navel, alone. Happiness is not personal. It is relational. If we improve our relationships, we will surely boost our happiness. An obvious lesson, perhaps, but an essential one.Think About Death For Five Minutes Every Day: This is not as morbid as it sounds. We in the West avoid the subject of death at all costs. But, of course, the fear of death is always there—amplified, ironically, by our avoidance of it. So we experience a chronic background anxiety. This can be relieved by contemplating, though not dwelling on, our own mortality.Avoid Envy: Envy is one of the great enemies of happiness. It is toxic. Envious societies are invariably unhappy ones, since people are forever yoking their own happiness to the unhappiness of others. It is a game with no winners, and the happiest countries in the world go to great lengths to squelch envy. The Swiss, for instance, don’t show off their considerable wealth. Their attitude is: "If you’ve got it, hide it." It works.Don’t Think Too Much: Some of the happiest places in the world are those where people don’t contemplate happiness very much. In these cultures, excessive thinking—about anything—is considered a form of mental illness. The Thais have a wonderful expression that translates as, "You think too much!" There is much to recommend the unexamined life. It can be liberating.– Eric Weiner, author of best-selling The Geography of Bliss: One Grump’s Search for the Happiest Places in the WorldBest Sites & Organizations Authentic Happiness / University of Pennsylvania Positive Psychology Center
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For a refreshingly clear, direct perspective on happiness, try the following link
http://www.option.org/about-us:what-we-teach,37
Thank you thank you thank you! What a wonderful article, and an eye-opener, really, on the sorts of things that we can be grateful for… the paper I'm writing on, the ability to write, the ability to feed my rumbling tummy…. WOW! I needed this today!
This is really great!! Reading about happiness makes me happy. I recently started this book "How we choose to be Happy" and it is really great as well. It is pretty amazing that happiness is something that we all say we want, yet we creatively find ways to talk or think ourselves out of being the happy people that we could be. Thank you again for helping me remember all that I already know but sometimes misplace in my thoughts.
PBP
My very best method for happiness: 10. min appreciation before going sleep, and 10 min. appreciation when get up. Appreciation for anything.. for my bed, for the warm shower, for my lovers arms and warm body, for my life, my beautiful healthy body, for the food we ate for dinner, for the kind people I met that day, for the home I live in, for my beautiful harmonious relationship with my lover, for the air I breathe, for the fantastic Mac I have, for the summer sounds at night…
As I wrote this I already feel my vibes raise. Wonderful!
Happiness is acceptance, and being there to enjoy what comes your way. If it is not so great, be kind to yourself. If it is great: Celebrate, share and be grateful. All is flowing, impermanent. The important thing is to live life to the fullest. Wishing you well, Jas/Lisa
liked the last point,
somthing that seems to work out the best
"dont think too much"
Thanks!
Be Well
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I loooooooooove your post here Veronica! Made me smile, and remember all the little things that I too am grateful for!
Much love and happiness to you,
Sharren
I am feeling very much happier after my recent cheap gran canaria holidays. Because it was very cheap and exciting tour. This article also provide me some great tips to make happier in daily life. Thanks for share
That's the way they approach work and love, too. It makes for a zesty life.
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You are correct. May I add some, Happiness is the feeling of being contented with what we have and to not wanting more in spite the capability. Some points to ponder from an advocate of happiness seeing people to eat only toxic-free and preservative-free food hampers
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This is a good advice for all but most important thing is we have to keep our life as stable.
regards,
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Happiness is acceptance, and being there to enjoy what comes your way. If it is not so great, be kind to yourself. If it is great: Celebrate, share and be grateful. All is flowing, impermanent. The important thing is to live life to the fullest. Wishing you well, Jas/Lisa Alcohol poisoning symptoms
internet…. the chain that combining the world…. due to this. the whole world has being changed. keep in mind that, there are advantages as well dis advantages too…
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I think happiness can be found in every little thing in the world, each person has theirs ways to be happier, could be having a family, or getting a dreamed job. Everybody is seeking for their happiness in different ways, so we cannot complain what is happines, because it is always seem in different ways. Programas