Want More Happiness in Your Life

Posted on June 09, 2012 by Liz Wiltzen, One of Thousands of Leadership Coaches on Noomii.

Happiness isn’t something that comes to us, it’s our job to create it in our lives, and the best way to achieve this is to do at least one thing everyday that leads to it.

Experiments in the field of positive psychology have proven that even small steps taken to create happiness have profound and lasting effects in our lives.

The thinking is that the formula “work hard, achieve success, be happy” is completely backwards. In order to be truly successful, happiness must come first.

Gather Your Tools

When we have a toolkit established of “happiness generating actions”, they become powerful allies in diffusing negative emotions such as anxiety, stress and depression. The problem with these negative emotions is that they severely limit our capacity to think clearly and problem solve effectively, so they interfere with successful outcomes. It’s helpful to be prepared with a strategy when they crop up.

Remember to Use Them

The good news is, no matter what emotions arise for us, there is room to work with them. For example, one random act of kindness, viewing something humorous, talking with someone you love, a few moments focused on gratitude, or a walk outside in nature all have the ability to instantly create a shift in your focus and expand your perspective, and the benefits last long after the action has passed. These actions are a few of several listed in a book called “The Happiness Advantage”, written by Harvard researcher Shawn Achor.

What Strengths Do You Naturally Possess?

Another tool suggested is to make a habit of exercising a ‘signature strength’ on a daily basis. The premise is that out of a list of 24 character strengths that contribute to human flourishing, we all have a “Top 5″ list that come most naturally to us. Once you have determined your signature strengths, the goal is to pick one and use it in a new way each day. I was a bit surprised to find my number one was Curiosity, and it’s been interesting coming up with unique ways to use it each day. If you make it a game, the fun factor goes way up.

To learn your own top 5, you can take the free survey here. (When you are directed to the “Get your results” page, just scroll to the bottom for the free results option).

Good to ponder:
“The truth is that your outer conditions – your environment – are the expression of your mentality, and nothing more. They are not cause; they are effect. They do not come first; they follow after. You do not have faith because things are going well. They are going well because you have faith. You are not depressed because trouble has come to you, but trouble has come because your realization of the Truth had first fallen off. Man is not limited by his environment. He creates his environment by his beliefs and feelings. To suppose otherwise is like thinking that the tail can wag the dog.” – Emmet Fox