Get Happier!

Use This Checklist to Increase Your Happiness
By Maurine Patten

It is possible to be happier. On-going research in the area of Positive Psychology is helping to identify thinking and behavior patterns of happy people.

According to recent studies, your genes are responsible for fifty percent of your happiness level. Circumstances in your life are responsible for another ten percent. The good news is that the remaining forty percent of your happiness level depends on choices you make.

In addition, research is helping to identify more skills and factors that help maximize your potential for reaching your goals and enjoying life. This is important because feeling happy has many benefits. Some of the benefits are:

* Being healthier and living longer.

* Having better relationships.

* Having more energy.

* Being more curious and willing to learn new things.

* Making more money.

The book, "The How of Happiness" by Sonja Lyubomirsky (2008) discusses how what you do and how you think affects the choices you make. Since the daily choices you make fall into the forty percent area of happiness that is under your control, it is important to know which choices will enhance your happiness level.

You may be surprised to see what choices happy people make. Use the following checklist to discover what you are currently doing and what you might want to add to increase your sense of well-being. Happy people do as many of the following things as possible:

* Set aside time for family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships.

* Feel comfortable expressing gratitude for what they have.

* Freely offer to help coworkers or strangers.

* Practice optimism when they think of the future.

* Try to live in the present and savor pleasures.

* Exercise regularly.

* Are committed to lifelong goals and ambitions.

* Are resilient during challenging times.

To reap the reward of feeling happier, it is important to find a place to begin. Think of your strengths and what is important to you. You do not have to do everything listed on the checklist to increase your level of happiness. It is best to chose one or two strategies that will work for you.

Use this checklist to establish what is working for you now. Then which one or two strategies might you choose to add to your daily life? It may take some effort at first. Make sure you have people around you that support the choices you are making. This might be your partner, a friend, or a coach. Enjoy the benefits.

Maurine Patten, EdD. CMC, Maximize Your Possibilities

http://www.PattenCoaching.Com

Mailto:mdpcoach@pattencoaching.com

Visit my website at the above link for a free ezine and more information about how to increase your sense of well-being.

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Where Do You Place Your Attention?

This afternoon, I found myself laughing and having fun in one moment and feeling sad and close to tears in the next.   Years ago, my dark moods would have lasted much longer.  However, today it didn't take long before I was once again looking on the bright side of life.  

How did my moods shift so quickly?  Well, I've learned that while I can't do much about the blues entering my life occasionally, I can definitely do something about how long they stay to visit.  It is all a matter of where I place my attention.  You see, today I saw the movie, "Mamma Mia" and  laughed and giggled through most of it.  I could definitely relate to Mamma!  But then, as I related to her memories of her daughter's childhood, I began to feel the sadness sweep into my heart and body.  I focused on the fact that time has passed so quickly in my own life, and I felt a great sense of nostalgia for all the funny little things my children did when they were much younger.  In that particular moment, I felt old and tired and knew I needed to shift my attention in order to transform my mood.  So I reminded myself of all the great things going on in my life right now.  

• I enjoy talking and laughing with my "adult" children, my family and my friends. 
  
• I'm alive and surrounded by people and things I love and who love me.
  
• I get to travel to Europe every year as a chaperone for a high school trip.
  
• I've taught myself how to build a website and create blogs this past year.  
  
• I love celebrating life and exploring all the possibilities open to me.  
  
• My dog, Gigi, brings sunshine and love into my life.
  
• I have much to be thankful for.   The list could go on and on.

Once I turned my attention to my blessings, the dark mood vanished in an instant.   It is so empowering to recognize the degree to which we can take control of our thinking and affect our moods in a positive way.  So the next time you feel a dark cloud hovering over your day, ask yourself these two questions.  What have I been thinking about?  What would I need to pay attention to in order to feel better?

What Makes You Happy?

              

Spend some time today making a list of as many things you can think of that make you happy. What is the purpose of this list? Well, it will focus your attention on the positive things in your life, build a sense of gratitude within you, and remind you of what is truly important. You can start creating your "dream-come-true" life by making sure that your days are filled with items from your list on a regular basis. This puts you in the driver's seat where your life is concerned.

Some of the things that are on my list include:

MY FAMILY   

MY FRIENDS

HOT CHOCOLATE IN EUROPE

MY YORKIE, GIGI

FLOWERS

READING IN BED IN THE EARLY MORNING

GODIVA CHOCOLATE

VACATIONS

SHOPPING

LAUGHTER

BABIES

WEDDINGS        . . .   and the list goes on and on and on!

Copyright © 2008 by Holly Cox, L.C. P.C., C.D.C.®

Let Go of Judgments!

Think about it for a moment. How many judgments do we make in the course of a day, a week, a month, a year? We judge ourselves, and we judge others. We label things and people as being good, bad, right, wrong, ugly, beautiful, correct, or incorrect. Then we live our lives acting as if these assessments are 100% accurate.

When and where did we learn to evaluate things and people this way? We certainly did not come out of the womb with these deeply held beliefs. Somewhere along the line, we learned them. Recognizing that our thoughts lie can be a liberating experience for many of us. Usually, we judge ourselves even more harshly than we judge others. If we begin to notice the critical thoughts we have regarding ourselves and others, we can then decide whether or not we choose to believe them. Change does not happen without awareness. Once we start paying attention to our thinking, we can get rid of thoughts which no longer serve us in our lives or in our relationships.

Copyright © 2008 by Holly Cox, L.C. P.C., C.D.C.®

Indulge with Great Books!

Take time out this week to indulge yourself with great books that help you enhance your life, transform your mind and body, and have fun in the process. Try some of my personal favorites.