Royane Real
4 Simple Secrets to Feeling Happier Every Day - Part One
I have news that really will put a smile on your face.
You can significantly increase your level of happiness without being granted a surprise inheritance or an elusive 25th hour in every day by adopting new ways of thinking.
You see, while about 50 percent of our happiness quotient is determined by what researchers call our natural set point for happiness, and 10 percent depends on the circumstances of our lives, a whopping 40 percent is entirely up to you - the way you react to events, cope with stress, choose to spend your time and more.
The fact that we can influence nearly half of our contentment is huge, and realizing the role we can all play in boosting our joy spurred me to team up with SELFs mental-health expert, Catherine Birndorf, M.D., to write our new book, The Nine Rooms of Happiness (Voice).
What we’ve found: By changing your approach to certain situations, you can make your inner voice more positive, enjoy your passion (whether it be gardening, an active lifestyle or traveling) and find a sense of purpose which helps you be happier in each of the rooms of your emotional house.
We use the metaphor of your life as a house to allow you to see different areas of your life as rooms: The bedroom for romance, the office for work and money issues, the living room for friendships, etc.
Just like anything else worthwhile - your health, your financial security, improving your happiness is a matter of making tiny tweaks in your decision making that have big, long-term payoffs you will be thrilled with later.
Make these 4 habits a regular part of your day to reap more fulfillment, today and every day.
1. Too much of a good thing is a bad thing
The airlines have it right when they tell you in case of emergency, put your own oxygen mask on before you help the person next to you.
It’s not selfish, it’s self-preservation.
The same is true when it comes to caring for all those around you in your daily life. Yes, it’s wonderful to be giving, especially with your time, but at a certain point you can give too much of yourself, and then it’s just depleting and you’re no good to anyone.
When you get to this point, you need to learn to say no to the next person who asks you to chair another school benefit.
You can also ask for help from your spouse, your best pal or your child’s friend’s mother in sharing carpooling duties, for instance.
You’ll have more opportunities to pursue your own interests and nurture facets of your personality that make you happier, and then you’ll be more of a giver when you have the energy again.
So whether its signing up for a local extension course, getting outside for a walk after dinner, taking a morning swim, reading on your porch, or doing whatever else it is that turns you on and replenishes you, you’ll feel less overwhelmed by too many “have to’s” with more “want to’s” in your week.
Think of it this way: You have to be strong to help others. Taking care of your inner self is as important as taking care of your outer self.
Know your limits, and be happy to be healthy.
2. Now is the moment! Enjoy it!
I remember when I was a child, enjoying long, luxurious afternoons with pals in the playground while my mother and her friends watched us.
We had hours to explore every inch of the place and it felt freeing. I think of those as perfect moments of my childhood.
But when it came time to take my own kids to the playground, I was always rushing them to and fro. I thought to myself: What will they remember? Me saying “Hurry up!” on the way to the park.
My daughter, especially, loved to dilly-dally, and now I understand that for her, pausing on the street to stoop down and watch a caterpillar was more interesting than being at the swings.
I had to slow down, too, and say: My memories of the playground may play like a movie on the screen in my mind, but her movie will be of this, the fuzzy wuzzy she helped to safety.
My thinking had to change from "Get to the playground to have fun!" to "Have fun here, or wherever you may be." This is it. Now is the moment. Enjoy it! Connect. This could be another perfect moment, for her, if you let it be.
Glean more happiness secrets at Lucys Blog at Self.com or by reading The Nine Rooms of Happiness by Lucy Danziger and Catherine Birndorf, M.D.
Article source: http://better-health.article-dynamics.com
Read Part Two of this article at: http://www.royane.com/articles/happiness/801-4-simple-secrets-to-feeling-happier-every-day-part-two
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