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8 Tips to Finding and Maintaining Happiness

This entry was posted on Friday, July 18th, 2008 at 10:31 am

After the quiz she wanted me to read an article entitled, “8 to Finding and Maintaining ”. I was not opposed to reading the article. I can definitely use these , which is why I decided to post the article here. I believe you may benefit from reading it as well.

1. Adjust your attitude.
It is vital to have an upbeat attitude to maintain . This doesn’t mean that you have to become a Pollyanna who overlooks problems and thinks everything is peachy even when it isn’t. Developing a postive attitude takes repeated practice, especially if you have gotten into the habit of being critical or looking on the dark side. It is important to consciously focus on what’s positive in your life because this can spawn a sense of optimisim and hope. When you approach life with an upbeat attitude, you set yourself up for greater joy and satisfaction. That is because a positive state of mind gives you confidence and a sense of vitality, which helps make the expectation of become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The secret to turning your outlook around is to start thinking positively right now. How? By expecting to have a joyful day everyday; by identifying negative thoghts and countering htem with positive or neutral ones (instead of viewing a mistake as a sign of incompetence, look at it as something you can learn from); and by embracing challenges instead of fearing them, realizing they will help you grow as a person.

2. Spend time with your favorite people.
It is as simple as this: carving out as much time as you can to spend with people you value gives you a sense of connection, as well as a support system for when your luck heads south - this is no small effect. Studies have shown that people who are consistently very happy have stronger romantic and social relationships than unhappy people. When you’re involved with others, it gives you a sense of belonging and lets you engage in mutually enjoyable activities, all of which can buffer you from stress.

3. Infuse your life with a sense of purpose.
If you want to be happy, it is important to give your life meaning: Research at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro found that having a sense of purpose is a significant predictor of and life satisfaction. To create a vision of what’s meaningful to you, ask yourself: What activities make me feel excited or enthusiastic?; What do I want to be remembered for?; What matters most to me?; If you can articulate these desires to yourself, you can set specific goals to help you fulfill them. If you realize that your stringest desire is to become an influential teacher and role model, for example, you might set a goal of volunteering to help disadvantaged kids or of going back to school to get your teaching degree.

4. Get a new lease on life.
So the weather was lousy for your weekend getaway car rear cargo flat on the way to — no problem! Instead of fretting about unfortunate life events, set your sights on what you can control (managing your time and money well, staying fit and healthy, being a good friend) and you’ll feel as though you’re in the driver seat of your life. Not only does this give you a can-do spirit — the feeling that you have the will and the way to achieve your goals — it also bolsters your ability to bounce back from everyday adversity without a woe is me mentality.

“The biggest difference between happy and unhappy people is happy people think of solutions, not problems,” says Marianne Troiani, Psy.D., a psychologist in Barrington Illinois and co-author of Spontaneous Optimism: Proven strategies for , prosperity and (castle gate publishers, 2005). When you do swing in the problem-solving mode, set goals for yourself and break them in the smaller targets that will help you stay on track and increase your sense of control. For example, if you want to rebound from financial setback. Try saving more from each paycheck up in the increment every month until you reach your goal.

5. Count your blessings, not your burdens.
When people keep a gratitude journal, in which they jot a down a daily list of what they appreciate in their lives, they experience a heightened sense of well-being, according to research at the University of California Davis and the University of Miami and Florida. “there’s a natural tendency to take things for granted, but if you stop and think of all the ways you are blessed, it doesn’t take long for the mind to use that as the new baseline for perceiving how happy you are,” explains study co-author Michael E. McCullough, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychology and religious studies at the University of Miami.

6. Get engaged: no ring needed.
Have you ever become so immersed in a pleasurable pursuit (whether it’s windsurfing, gardening, or drawing) that you’ve lost touch with what’s going on around you including all sense of time passing. If so, you’re no stranger to what’s known as “flow,” that magical state in which you become absorbed in it to be because of challenging, enjoyable and were rewarding.

“ comes from and leisure activities that engage your skills and enable you to get caught up in what you’re doing and lose consciousness of yourself,” Myers says. It’s a matter of embracing challenges that push you to do your personal best without overwhelming you. The payoff? The more you can go with the flow, the more exhilarated and happier you’ll feel.

7. Recharge your energy and your spirits.
Sure, exercise can wonders in keeping your buoyant, but so can getting some simple are and R & R. “happy people lead active, vigorous lives. Yet reserve time for restorative sleep in solitude,” Myers says. Shortchange yourself of the shuteye you need and it’s hard to enjoy much of anything when you’re exhausted. In a recent study involving more than 900 women, researchers assess how happy women were based on that day the equities and found sleep quality and a substantial influence over how much the women enjoyed life, even when they engaged in plenty of pleasurable activities like sex and socializing.

8. Put on a happy face!
If you act as if you’re on cloud 9 — by smiling with your mouth and eyes, speaking in a cheerful voice in walking confidently — going through the motions can trigger the actual emotion. There is even science to prove it. A study it Fairleigh Dickinson University in Teaneck, N.J., found that when people force themselves to smile or laugh. They experience a substantial boost in mood afterward.

So start off your day by acting like you’re walking on the sunny side of the street — even if it’s cloudy. Chances are, you’ll begin to feel a little happier after just a few steps.

By Stacey Colino

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Comments

3 Responses to “8 Tips to Finding and Maintaining Happiness”

  1. Chan on July 19th, 2008 6:58 am

    Good stuff there. I have recently read “don’t sweat the small stuff”, highly recommend it too!

  2. bipolarchick on July 19th, 2008 11:21 pm

    I haven’t read that one yet, but I’ve heard really good things about it. I’ll add it to my reading list.

  3. Dave Owen on September 4th, 2008 4:52 pm

    This is my first visit and you do not sound bi-polar. I think that your ideas are very level headed.

    I really like your suggestion about having a purpose. One of my “gurus”, Wayne Dyer, suggests that we “get out of judgment and on to purpose” to build a good life.

    Keep up the good work.

    Life is as good as I allow it to be.

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