Seth Simonds of Lifehack.org writes some incredible Posts on life changing. I share them here with you mixed with some of my own advice.
1. Listen to your inner child
I wonder sometimes what would happen if we all pursued the art of being a goofball. If both sides of a debate dropped their pickets and traded knock-knock jokes instead, what would change? Would we see each other differently? As opportunities, rather than problems? Chris Voss Advice: Learn to laugh at human nature and life. Enjoy life like you did when you where a child. See the wonderment again. If you cant laugh at life your arteries are hardening for cancer. Laughter frees the soul and has been shown to improve your health. Hard times in life usually end up as something you can look back and smile upon as they made you grow.
2. Be grateful for something every day
One benefit of being grateful and expressing your appreciation to others is the reciprocal nature of such things. The natural response to somebody saying, “thank you” or “wow, I really appreciate you” is the discovery of reasons to respond in-kind. If you’re constantly finding things to be grateful for and sharing your discoveries with others, be assured that they’ll begin to notice things you do and express their gratefulness to you before long! Chris Voss Advice: Remember to be good to good people and pay it forward. Thanking people and being positive is like “Chaos Theory,” its spreads goodwill around the world. If your having a bad day, dont share the ugliness by being mean to other people, find a reason to laugh and reverse the negative cycle. The good Karma can only help to improve the rest of your day.
3. Let some plans go
Giving up goals works in any area of your life. Take health and fitness: I used to have specific fitness goals, from losing weight or body fat to running a marathon to increasing my squat. Not anymore: now I just do it because I love it, and I have no idea where that will take me. It works brilliantly, because I always enjoy myself. Chris Voss Advice: This is something that I found really works for me, I’ve seen some people drive themselves mad in the vain pursuit of goals. Sometimes they become destructive to themselves just to attain them. You have to like it, love it or leave it. I’ve set goals and then pursued what I loved and what gets me motivated about them, in the end looking back I attained the goals without thinking about them.
4. Reduce your exposure to negative media
If information isn’t helping you make decisions and only makes you feel miserable, why are you consuming it? Surrounding yourself with celebrity magazines and television shows featuring spoiled rich kids can fuel that urge to compare. Chris Voss Advice: Learned this from Anthony Robbins – turn off the news, its all negative and depressing. Most news is build around fear motivation and “if it bleeds, it leads.” Subconsciously it affects you and most it is about stuff you cant control so its a waste of your time. Focus that time on positive productive stuff you control, remember there are only so many hours in a day.
5. Learn to say “NO!”
At the end of the day, it’s about how you say “no”, rather than the fact you’re saying no, that affects the outcome. After all, you have your own priorities and needs, just like everyone has his/her own needs. Saying no is about respecting and valuing your time and space. Say no is your prerogative. Chris Voss Advice: Some of the best people I know are “givers,” moms and caretakers. There are points where you can burnout with giving because you dont say “No, now is Me time.” It’s ok to take time out for yourself and reward yourself including letting people give to you. Then we can recharge ourselves for sharing with others.
6. Nurture happiness where you find it
Be grateful for your joy, every day. Be in the moment with that activity, instead of having your mind drift elsewhere. Refresh your joy often, by starting over or approaching things from a new angle or doing something a bit differently. Find new people to share this joy with, people who love it as much as you.
7. Get and stay organized
The National Association of Professional Organizers estimates that a huge percentage of work days are lost to people looking for things they have misplaced. Disorganization is the enemy of productivity, and it may even fuel procrastination. A few minutes spent every night organizing papers, assignments, long-term deadlines and goals can pay off handsomely in higher well-being and accomplishments.
What have you found makes you happier? I’d love to know!
Source: 7 Simple Ways To Be Happier
Chris this is really good sharing – these are time tested principles- they work, and it’s good to be reminded of them, thank you. Chris I’m having a bit of a withdrawl thing going on, because I really got used to having a daily video and haven’t seen any? It’s not that you were pretty, or sexy, or even, right; most of the time, it’s just that they were entertaining, even when you were pulling a Dana and ranting…;-) SO- what’s the deal wheel? Where’s the multi-media stuff? With your phone # BTW 😉
Thanks! This has been really informative, practical and useful and I have shared this with others!
very positive vibes
Hi Chris,
Nice post. Over the years I was learning what you posted here and I can absolutely 2nd your thoughts. It works.
The other things I do to be happy:
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Speak up when I think it’s important and let everything else flow out to sea. In other words, I pick my battles very judiciously.
Hold to my values even when the popular tide is trying to carry them out to sea. 🙂
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Here’s my latest post with tips on staying happy even with “difficult” relatives. I welcome your comments there as well.
http://katenasser.com/dealing-with-difficult-relatives-humor-or-zen/
Kate
Excellent advice, Chris! I especially value the idea of letting go of goals when the time is right. Sometimes, the way I’ve chosen to pursue a goal is what’s getting in the way of me achieving it! When I stop chasing the goal, almost miraculously, a new way to achieve it shows up. That only works, of course, when I’m chasing the right goal to begin with.
Great advice Chris and very organized! Saying NO is the biggie for me as a super achiever. What eles makes me happy? Travel of course.
Really great advise Chris and organized! Saying “NO” is the hardest for me as a super acheiver. A few more things make me happy, like spending time with my close friends and of course, travel!
Great advice Chris and very organized! Saying “No” is the tough one for me but always working on it since I realized I could. I also find happiness spending time with my close friends with no agenda and of course, travel.
Dear Chris, we are in the same wave length today…look at my blog posting! Did you give yours a hug and a ballon?
http://creativeconflicts.com/2011/02/a-valentine-for-your-inner-child-why-not/
My family my blogging but yet i’m still not happy as i use to be I feel an emptiness inside of me maybe its b/c of a very bad relationship now after 5yrs has to be over b/c i know its no good for me very hard to do but knowing its what I must do
Learning new things makes me extremely happy! I need to reduce my goals though, when I fail to meet even one it brings me down.
Dear Chris,What have you found makes you happier? I’d love to know!
The pursuit of happiness I find happiness in silly/small things 1) Popping bubble wrap makes me happy 2) Receiving a msg from a hard hearted friend – roof top jump 3) Solving Sudoku 4) Feeding my family 5) Drinking beer in the, hot sun…
My Friends:
1) the passion of a serious lover 2) the happiness and success of my family 3) the craft of a custom made pipe 4) the beauty of an expensive pen/fountain pen 5) being off in the countryside–next to nature 6) taking a great picture (photography) 7) listening to music that I love (not most hip-hop) the pursuit of literary excellence 8) unusual walking canes… as he went for a dictionary he had to move some canes out of the way– and he remembered….
9) Solving Sudoko!! I love doing it :)10)Feeding my family
Here are a few things I find happiness in: 1. Watching my 9lb dog get all ferocious and wild! 2. When this same dog lays on me. 3. Making music 4. Contributing 5. Making someone smile 6. Accomplishing a tough task 7. Getting in a great workout
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Simple…discovering something inside of me, becoming aware, this is what gives me an Aha! This list could go on for days..lol!.
Regards,
Papitha Cader
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/CourageCrapLife/222574174471808