In an uncertain economy, we may be forced to ask ourselves, "What do i truly need to be happy?" Research shows that long-terms satisfaction doesn't really come from material things- or even personal achievement- so how do we learn to be happy regardless of what is going on in our lives?
Incline your mind towards joy. Have you noticed that your mind tends to register the negative events in your life more than the positive? If you get ten compliments in a day and one criticism, what do you remember? For most people, it's the criticism. Scientists call this our negativity bias- our primitive survival wiring that causes us to pay more attention to the negative than the positive. To reverse this bias, get into the daily habitat of consciously registering the positive around you: the sun on your skin, the taste of a favorite food, a kind word from a co-worked. Take a moment to savor it deeply. Spend a full 20 seconds soaking up the happiness you feel.
Boost your Mood. The way that you eat, move, rest and even your facial expressions can shifts the balance of your body's feel good neuro -chemicals in your favor. To dispense some extra joy juice, smile. Smiling decreased stress hormones and boosts happiness chemicals, which increase
the body's t-cells, reduce pain, and enhance relaxation.
You may not feel like it, but smiling- even artificial at first- start the ball rolling and will turn into a real smile in short order.
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ReplyDeleteI just savored 20 seconds soaking up the happiness I feel about my life. :) It is sooo true about people remembering the criticisms and not the positive. Which is why it is so important to fill everyone's bucket on a regular basis with positive comments and feedback.
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