The Happiness Advantage

Last week I went to a class called The Happiness Advantage.  I left with a new idea about how to approach happiness and success.  The idea that when I am successful I will be happy never really works out.  Sure you will have snippets of happiness but it will be fleeting.  The premise behind this idea started by Shawn Achor is that in order to be successful you must be happy first.  I am interested in learning more about this because I think that it is human nature to strive to be successful and set goals for yourself to constantly challenge yourself.  As a matter of fact I have blogged about this exact thing.  I said make sure to set goals high enough so that they are challenging and worth fighting for but at the time I didn’t realize that reaching that goal may or may not bring you happiness.  After reading the book and taking the course I realize that you are more likely to be successful the happier you are.  In fact that happiness and gratefulness will bring more and more good things into your life.  

There are 5 things you can do (don’t worry – they are small things and easy to do) to help you find the happiness advantage. 

1      1. 3 gratitudes

        2.  Journaling

        3.   Exercise

        4.   Meditation

        5. Random acts of kindness

Mr. Achor is a psychologist from Harvard but he isn't telling us to sit on a couch and talk about our problems while spending thousands of dollars.  He is telling us to take control of our lives and make them better by doing more for others.  So let’s talk about the 5 things you can do. 

3 gratitudes is an easy one. Sit down and write 3 things you are grateful for and be specific.  Don’t just say my health.  Why?  Were you sick for a while? Did you have an injury you recovered from? What about your health are you grateful for?  

Journaling can seem like a senseless thing to do but think about the memories you are creating every time you write in it.  If you write in it every night – whether it’s a memory, a list of ideas to stir your creative juices or just a quick note telling yourself you are amazing, it’s a great thing to have and come back to years from now.  Plus there are always lessons to learn in what you are doing so use this journal as a tool to grow. 

Exercise.  This is a no brainer.  Everyone does better when their heart is pounding and sweat is pouring off of them.  It may not always feel that way but I guarantee your body will always thank you for pushing it to its limit.  Your heart needs to pound and you need to push toxins out of your body on a regular basis.  Find something you love to do and just do it!  It doesn't have to cost anything – it just has to be activity.  The cost of not working out is far greater.  Get your blood pumping and your creativity flying.

Meditation is a hard one for some of us.  I will not lie – I struggle to get my brain to quiet down long enough to feel relaxed but I do know that every time I meditate I get better and clearer.  It is not something you will ever master so stop trying – enjoy it for the benefit of peace and quiet. 

Random acts of kindness is probably the most fun of all of them.  Next time you are in the drive thru of Starbucks or a fast food place (eek!) pay for the person behind you while you’re paying for your order.  Imagine the look on the person’s face when they pull up and the person tells them that their order has been paid for by the car that just left.  There is no way for them to thank you and that is the point.  They may feel so grateful that they do something for the next person they see.  It’s all about paying it forward.  Let’s pay forward happiness rather than glares, dirty looks and horn honks. 

Will doing all these things alone make you successful?  Probably not, but they will make you happy and that in turn can bring you success.  Who knows what things will come your way just by doing some of these small things each day. 

Happy days to you all.

D.