Keep the 5 Habits of Happy People alive in your life. View the following videos for more tips and inspiration.
Happiness 101 with Tal Ben-Shahar
The Secret to Happiness
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 1 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4h
Part 2 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4j
Part 3 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4r
Part 4 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5J
Part 5 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5W
Part 6 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6x
Part 7 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6J
It has been said that happiness depends less on what happens to us and more on how we view the past, enjoy the moment and create the future.
We now have the knowledge to be happy with the past, present and future of our lives by applying the skills we have just learned.
Happy people view the past with Gratitude and Forgiveness. That sounds something like: “My parents did the best that they could with what they had, and I appreciate their efforts.” OR “I didn’t get treated the way I wish I would have, but I always had a roof over my head and food on the table.” OR “Everything I went through, hard as it was, made me the person that I am today.”
And now that we are the people we are today, we choose to approach the present with Mindfulness. We notice what is going on around us, and we find something to enjoy about each new day.
Finally, happy people view the future with Optimism and Hope. We believe that we have a bright future, that we can get through, that we will be my best possible self and see cool things and do great things and have a good time.
This picture at the top of this blog captures all of those: past, present and future.
That dad above, he could be carrying bitterness about his past, or he could be just thankful that he got to where he is now with the help of all those who came before him. He is living in the present, enjoying his time with that little guy, the sights, sounds and smells going on around him. The laughter and happiness is visible on both of their faces. And he can hold hope about his future and the future of his little boy there.
That’s how that works.
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 1 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4h
Part 2 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4j
Part 3 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4r
Part 4 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5J
Part 5 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5W
Part 6 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6x
Part 8 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6T
In the Magnificat, Mary sings, “My soul doth magnify the Lord. My spirit leaps for joy in Him.”
Habit #5: Self-care
Habit #5 is all about the care of the body and soul. This habit encapsulates anything that we do to care for ourselves: from exercise, sleep, hydration and diet, to spiritual practices, prayer and meditation, and moments of solitude to think and regroup.
As printed above, Mary sings in the Magnificat, “My spirit leaps for joy.” Mary’s words seem to speak to the finding that 47% of people who attend regular religious services describe themselves as “very happy,” even joyful.
Many aspects of spiritual practices are in line with the happiness habits, including volunteering and giving to charity, forgiving others, being grateful, connecting with one’s meaning in life and finding the sacred in everyday life.
Another aspect of self-care that we might not think about even though it is right there in the word, self-care, is how we treat ourselves. Are we hard on ourselves? Do we blame ourselves? Are we our own worst critic?
Something that therapists sometimes recommend is to treat ourselves and talk to ourselves like we would talk to a dear friend. We must treat ourselves with care and compassion, not with criticism and judgment. We must treat ourselves like someone who deserves to be happy, and act like a happy person even if we don’t believe that we are a happy person.
Act like a happy person. We can smile even if we don’t always feel like it. Smiling – even fake smiling – actually produces a momentary pleasant sensation in us that can induce us to be happier.
Here is a question to ponder: Is it our joy that makes us smile, or is it our smile that makes us joyful? Think about that for a minute. This is one of those chicken-and-the-egg questions. Which comes first: a smile or the feeling of joy? Research shows that a smile can encourage happiness.
Here is something to try at home to illustrate this point. Take a drinking straw. First, hold it between the lips with the straw sticking forward. Holding it like this mimics a frown because the same muscles are used. Then, hold it between the teeth with the straw going sideways. This movement mimics a smile. If done right, holding the straw gripped in the teeth should feel better, even just a tad bit better.
Let’s use that mental image of the straw held in our teeth — the silliness of that visual — to remind us to smile more and to act like a happy person.
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 1 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4h
Part 2 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4j
Part 3 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4r
Part 4 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5J
Part 5 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5W
Part 7 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6J
Part 8 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6T
“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” — Omar Khavyam, 11th Century Persian poet
Habit #4: Present orientation and mindfulness.
While Habit #3 (Coping skills and forgiveness) mostly pertains to how we deal with things that have already happened to us, Habit #4 is centered squarely in the here and now.
Sometimes we get on autopilot. We feel so stressed or so rushed that we walk around like robots, in a daze, jumping from here to there, switching from channel to channel while life just passes us by.
Dr. Rich Hanson writes in his book Hardwiring Happiness about finishing one task and then shifting to the next with “little sense of accomplishment.” He writes, “We hear the children laughing, but it doesn’t lift our hearts.” I call this zoning out.
Present orientation and mindfulness are about living in the moment and enjoying the moment that we’re living in.
How can we be happy people if we don’t notice even the happiest moments going on all around us? Happy people are oriented and rooted in the present. Instead of zoning out, they tune in. They are mindful, they keep their mind open, and they savor the good things that are going on to them and around them.
Life is a series of moments, and we can decide to be happy in this moment, right now, not some distant moment way off in the future. Happy moments accumulate into happy hours, happy days, happy weeks and a happy lifetime.
Dr. Hanson presents a framework for hardwiring happiness that he calls “taking in the good.” Mindfulness is another word for this practice. The first three steps of taking in the good are 1) to have a positive experience, 2) to enrich it and 3) to absorb it.
A pleasant experience can be as simple or as complicated as you want to make it.
A very simple pleasant experience is the sensation of running water, like in the picture at the top of this blog. Maybe we are running our hands under warm or hot water, washing dishes or in the shower, washing our hair. Or maybe on a hot day, we are cooling off with some refreshing cold water. Notice the feel of the water, the wetness of it, the temperature, the force of the drops.
Enrich the experience by drawing it into attention and letting the pleasantness of the moment become stronger and more intense. Absorb it by allowing the feeling to sink in, absorbing into your skin, your bones, your lungs.
We can do this with all sorts of experiences that play on all five senses: warm sunshine, a good smell, the taste of fresh herbs, a favorite song, children playing and laughing, a sense of pride in something we have accomplished.
Think for a second now about this present moment and something positive to focus on. Recognize the positive experience. Enrich it. Absorb it.
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 1 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4h
Part 2 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4j
Part 3 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4r
Part 4 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5J
Part 6 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6x
Part 7 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6J
Part 8 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6T
Happy people are resilient. They view problems as predictable and manageable.
Habit #3: Coping skills and forgiveness.
Despite the theme of this blog series being The Habits of Happy People, the reality is that no one can be happy all the time.
Our relationships with others will sometimes cause us stress. Sometimes the car doesn’t start, the money runs low, work is demanding, or we fight with our spouse or kids. Sometimes, through no fault of our own, bad things happen.
When all those things and more start to get to us, we need Habit #3. Habit #3 is Coping skills and Forgiveness.
Happy people know that problems and challenges are a part of life. Problems are as predictable as sunshine and taxes. Problems don’t happen only to bad people or to good people. They just happen.
Happy people are resilient and are able to get through problems in life by developing coping skills that they can use in times of distress.
“Coping skills” is just a fancy way of saying whatever we do to get through. Eating something tasty, donating to a worthy cause, spending positive time with friends and family, taking up a hobby, taking a deep breath, going for a walk… All of these sorts of things are coping skills.
Re-examining what it is that got us so upset in the first place and practicing some acceptance and forgiveness are other coping skills. Sonja Lyubomirsky, author of The How of Happiness, defined forgiveness as “a shift in thinking, such that your desire to harm that person has decreased, and your desire to do him good … has increased.”
Lyubomirskly also acknowledges that forgiveness is extremely challenging in practice. For those of us stuck when it comes to extending forgiveness, here are some tips that Lyubomirsky recommends:
• Recall a time when you needed forgiveness and were forgiven for something that you did.
• Practice empathy and try to put yourself in another person’s position and perspective.
• Imagine what your life would be like if you had forgiven the person who is asking for forgiveness.
• Write a letter to that person in which you describe the hurt and how it has affected you. Then write a statement in which you express forgiveness for that person. You don’t have to deliver the letter, but you may choose to.
Forgiveness and coping skills are two practices that make it easier for us to live a happy life. Life isn’t perfect, but that fact doesn’t have to keep us down.
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 1 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4h
Part 2 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4j
Part 3 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4r
Part 5 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5W
Part 6 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6x
Part 7 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6J
Part 8 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6T
“Without kindness, there can be no true joy.” –Thomas Carlyle
Habit #2: Social connections.
When I think of social connections and relationships, I am reminded of something that I heard early in my career.
My mentor at one of my first social works jobs was a retired Army colonel. He was 82, and he was retiring from his third career.
In preparation for his retirement celebration, we had a video produced in which those of us who worked with him spoke about what we had learned from him and how important he had been in our lives. He was also interviewed in the video, and when we played the video at his retirement celebration, his remarks were the most poignant of all.
I clearly remember him saying in the opening of the video in his clear and commanding voice, “If I had it all to do over again, I would spend more time with people.”
This man was a successful military officer who held three masters degrees. Yet he was constantly reminding us all – and me in particular – that it is our social connections that form the cornerstone of our lives.
How we treat others and how we live in relationship with others is a key factor in our happiness.
Social connection is not equivalent to being popular or well-liked by lots of people. This habit speaks to the need to spend time and foster connections with a few significant people.
Time seems to be the biggest challenge to our ability to nurture social connections. We get busy with work and family and paying the bills and maybe also going to school or engaging in professional and personal development. Who has time to just go out and do something fun with our spouse or spend time with friends when we have so much to do?
The tip here is really just to make the time. Make your friendships and your social connections a priority instead of the last thing on a long list of things to do.
Besides putting a greater priority on the relationships that we already have with our spouse or friends or family members, there is a benefit in reaching out to others outside of our social circle. As the lead quote for this blog states, “Without kindness, there can be no true joy.”
We can show kindness in so many different ways: smiling at our co-workers, letting someone merge in traffic, giving a gift or card to someone in our workplace or neighborhood who has experienced a special event or a difficulty, calling a friend or family member to let them know we’re thinking of them, not to mention all of the volunteer activities and opportunities to donate to charity that we can take part in.
Those who give to others and who spend time with people, helping others through volunteerism and involvement in activities that are meaningful to them, are happier people.
Take a second now to take a breath, maybe close your eyes, and think of one thing that you can do to nurture your social connections or show kindness. Make a commitment to do that one thing before the week is over.
Start now. Spend more time with people.
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 1 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4h
Part 2 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4j
Part 4 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5J
Part 5 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5W
Part 6 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6x
Part 7 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6J
Part 8 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6T
“Folks are usually about as happy as they make up their mind to be.” –Abraham Lincoln
Activities, choices, habits. As Lincoln alludes to above, these are what distinguish happy people from those who talk of happiness or chase it or complain that they don’t have enough of it but don’t seem to be able to attain the happiness they crave.
Let’s make up our mind to be happy as we learn about the first of the 5 Habits of Happy People that I will cover in this series.
Habit #1: Gratitude and optimism.
Gratitude and optimism allow us to look on the bright side and have a positive outlook – by choice, if not by disposition. If we aren’t naturally grateful or optimistic people, we will have to make up our minds to find something to be grateful or optimistic about in any given situation.
Think about it: It is hard to feel sad or down when we are thanking someone else and noticing the good in our lives. Noticing the good makes us feel good.
We can begin to feel happier by finding something to be thankful for: a job that enables us to pay the bills, a vehicle to get around in, a roof over our heads. Or someone in our lives: an understanding boss, a good friend, a neighbor who looks after our pets or who just stays out of our hair. Or the resources around us: the sun that shines, the rain that falls and waters the plants, beautiful beaches or forests, a safe community.
A woman I know writes notes on the outside of envelopes that she sends in the mail. To the mail carriers, she writes, “Thank you for the work you do. Smile!” This woman is so thoughtful and considerate. The act of writing those little notes probably does more for her than for the mail carriers who deliver those envelopes.
Like her, we can draw our attention to the things we are grateful for and allow our mind to rest on them. Notice these things as we go about our day. Show gratitude.
Optimism is also about finding the positive side of things. Being optimistic is as simple as believing in ourselves and the strength that we have to get through. We can practice optimism by thinking to ourselves that we will make it through the day or the week and that we have what it takes to do so.
Researchers have tested the effects of optimism on happiness by having folks write about what they called their Best Possible Selves. The research participants were asked to imagine themselves in 5 years. If all in their life had gone as well as they could expect and they had been their best possible self, what would their life be like?
We, too, can meditate on our best possible self and what that means to us.
Optimism comes into play when we avoid overthinking and making social comparisons. We can ask, “Does it really matter?” or “Will this matter to me in a day, a week, or a year?” If not, let it go.
And as far as social comparisons, really the only time that comparing ourselves to others works for us is when we are thinking, “I have it so good,” or “It could always be worse.” If we are comparing ourselves to someone else and saying, “I wish I had what they had. I am so envious,” that is not conducive to happiness.
We can begin practicing Habit #1 by picking up a card or a piece of paper or opening an email and drafting a thank-you note to someone who has helped us. Express gratitude to a teacher, parent, co-worker, family friend, pastor or whomever. Thank that person, and, ideally, send or give the note to that person.
Notice the happiness welling up inside as we choose to bring more gratitude and optimism into our lives.
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 1 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4h
Part 3 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4r
Part 4 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5J
Part 5 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5W
Part 6 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6x
Part 7 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6J
Part 8 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6T
“Because I’m happy…”
The Happy song by Pharrell Williams became an instant hit, being played and replayed and getting stuck in heads worldwide. The song speaks to an obsession with happiness that also has increased significantly in recent years.
Over and over again, in poll after poll, all sorts of people identify happiness as their main goal in life.
To be sure, happiness offers some lucrative benefits. Among them are better health, a tougher immune system and a longer life; more effective coping methods and greater self-control; more and stronger relationships; and a successful work life, higher income and greater job satisfaction.
Being happy seems very positive, and it feels good, too.
It has been said, “Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy.” Happy people choose to be happy.
But can we really become happier, just like that?
Some of us view happiness as our birthright, while others see happiness as an elusive state akin to paradise or nirvana.
We want to be happy, yet we may be going about pursuing happiness in entirely the wrong way.
In this series of blog posts, I will explore happiness and some of the habits that are most closely associated with a happy life.
Longitudinal research with a variety of populations indicates that the life events that we associate with happiness are not necessarily where it’s at. Happiness does not require much. Achieving lasting happiness is not dependent on securing a bigger paycheck, being cured of an illness or recapturing youth or beauty.
We humans tend to assume that positive events – job promotions, victories by our favored candidates or sports teams, attractive mates or smart kids – will make us happier than they actually do. These events lift our mood for a bit, but they don’t bring long-term joy.
Rather, happiness is influenced by three specific areas of life. The researcher Sonja Lyubomirsky wrote about these in her 2007 book The how of happiness: A new approach to getting the life you want.
The largest influence on happiness seems to be our genetics, also known as our nature, which accounts for 50% of our happiness level. This is our set point, how happy we are naturally. If we have happy parents, we are probably more likely to be happy people. If we have unhappy parents, we are probably affected by that, too. Our set point accounts for a lot, and it is not very changeable.
Another area that influences our life is our circumstances, also known as nurture, which accounts for about 10%. This is our environment, which is what most people focus their time and energy on changing or at least complaining about. Our childhood experiences, the city we live in, our friends and neighbors, our job, our income and our looks would all fall under this category. We have some control here – we can change jobs or move – but we don’t have much.
The area that really gives us the most bang for our buck is the last one: our activities or choices. This area accounts for 40% of the influence on happiness.
The remainder of the posts in this series will focus on the habits we can cultivate to make an impact in this area of our lives.
To read the other blogs in this series:
Part 2 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4j
Part 3 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-4r
Part 4 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5J
Part 5 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-5W
Part 6 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6x
Part 7 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6J
Part 8 http://wp.me/p2SXH1-6T
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