| The Beatles famously sang 'can't buy me love' but can | | | | Fundamentally, Seligman maintains happiness is |
| the same be said about happiness? What exactly is | | | | delivered through focusing on the key areas of your |
| happiness? Where is our source of happiness? It is | | | | life: satisfaction from your PAST, optimism about you |
| that magnificent designer watch or it is that feeling of | | | | FUTURE and happiness about the PRESENT. Take a |
| time standing still? | | | | moment to ask yourself, if you were to create greater |
| Is it jumping out of bed ready to live a new day? Or | | | | happiness in your life starting today, where would you |
| maybe knowing you did your best today. Exactly | | | | see the biggest impact? What would be different from |
| where do we place our happiness and how can we | | | | yesterday? |
| optimise it? | | | | For most of us, to increase our level of happiness |
| We are living in a time of abundance, a time of | | | | would create a positive ripple effect. Happy people |
| unlimited technological advances and most importantly | | | | have shown to be less self-focused, more sociable, |
| a time of exuberant wealth. Yet amongst all this | | | | creative, flexible and able to tolerate life's frustrations |
| choice, we can still find ourselves feeling empty and | | | | more easily. As well as being found to be more loving |
| craving something more. | | | | and forgiving. With a high sense of self worth, |
| International research has shown that if you were born | | | | confidence and ability to appreciate the present, it |
| after WWII rather then before it, you are ten times | | | | seems happy people have a vast ability to live life to |
| more likely to feel depressed. Additionally, we are | | | | the full. |
| much more affluent today then in the 1950's but people | | | | So how can you bring greater happiness into your life? |
| report the same amount of happiness today as they | | | | Here are some possible actions: |
| did back then. It seems we are in a state of happiness | | | | 1) Happiness is a |
| confusion. | | | | CHOICE, make your decision and start immediately; |
| Interestingly, a new 'condition' called 'affluenza' has | | | | smile, look for the positives and start to cherish every |
| recently emerged in the States. It is affecting only the | | | | special moment so you can build them into your daily |
| super-rich whom suffer from symptoms such as | | | | life. |
| never knowing whether people like you for who you | | | | 2) It is your |
| are or for your money and of having no need for | | | | RESPONSIBILITY to nurture your own happiness. |
| structure, purpose or motivation in their life. Looks like | | | | Remove any obstacles which may get in the way; a |
| the Beatles predicted before their time. But all is not | | | | stale relationship or monotony at work are not |
| lost... | | | | conducive to happy state. No one appreciates a |
| Recently I attended a seminar by Dr Martin Seligman, | | | | moaner or a martyr; it is up to you to change your |
| the leading spokesperson on Positive Psychology and | | | | conditions |
| Happiness. His research has demonstrated that it is | | | | 3) Disown |
| possible to be happier - to feel more satisfied, to be | | | | ENVY, there will always be someone smarter, prettier, |
| more engaged with life, find more meaning, have higher | | | | richer or cleverer then you but it is up to you to remind |
| hopes, and probably even laugh and smile more, | | | | yourself of the great things in your life and to stop |
| regardless of one's circumstances. | | | | pouring precious energy into disempowering thoughts. |
| Basically he is now training Positive Psychologists, | | | | Choose to manage your aspirations and ambitions and |
| whose practice will make the world a happier place, in | | | | keep perspective. |
| the way that parallels clinical psychologists having | | | | 4) Surround yourself with |
| made the world a less unhappy place. This may sound | | | | LIKE-MINDED PEOPLE; become infused with the |
| great; scientific proof that happiness can be created | | | | energy and inspiration of common goals and values. |
| and strengthened but what does this actually mean? | | | | Ensure you have a circle of friends to share the good |
| Seligman introduces the 'The Happiness Formula': | | | | times and the bad. |
| H = S + C + V | | | | 5) Ensure a healthy level of |
| H= enduring level of Happiness (overall happiness not | | | | COMPASSION towards yourself before you share it |
| momentary eg eating chocolate) | | | | with others. Are you your best friend? Happiness is |
| S= your set range (genetic inheritance) | | | | your right and your responsibility. Own it, breathe it, live |
| C= circumstances in your life (relationship, money, | | | | it. It is your choice. |
| health, religion etc) | | | | However you wish to increase the level of happiness |
| V= factors under your voluntary control (attitudes | | | | in your life, the opportunity is here today and it is up to |
| towards your past, present and future) | | | | you seize the moment and SMILE! |