Feel Good Tip for Today ~ Are You Happy?

I read an article this morning that proposed that 3 simple habits can make us much happier. I consider myself a happy guy. I do have an occasional down moment, but they never last. I wanted to see how my behavior matched up against the three habits suggested in the article. The following are the three habits. One, train your brain to focus on the good things life has to offer. The authors say that our brains evolved using protective mechanism to keep us safe from predators. That’s a good thing, but when focusing on fears and possible negative outcomes rule our lives we miss out on life’s joys. Two, practice gratitude. If we consciously practice gratitude we can turn down times into happier moments. Three, think about the definition of happiness. The author suggests happiness is multifaceted comprising three parts: pleasure, meaning, and “feelings of commitment and participation in life.

How did I do? I am really good at practicing gratitude. Yesterday, I felt myself slipping down a negative slope and consciously made myself speak aloud ten things for which I was grateful for that happened to me during the day. By the time I hit number 8 my mood changed, I was back to being my happy self. As far as the first point I try (not always successful) to do a lot of self talk. When a negative thought hits, I’ll ask myself if it’s real or am I making up stuff that hasn’t happened. This kind of questioning works for me. I’ve never really thought about a definition of happiness, so that is one habit I don’t have. I hope you have a happy day today with many more to follow.