Posts Tagged ‘happy’

Is Happiness for Everyone?

Steve Jobs photoThe path to happiness is universal, open to everyone, everywhere.

But is making happiness our top priority right for everyone?

Should we all put happiness first in our personal, family and business lives or do other priorities weigh in as more important?  That’s for each of us to decide.

For some of us other things are more important than happiness… security, social significance, power, prominence, or perhaps creativity or making a lasting, important, indelible impact or contribution.

The world is a far richer, more delightful place because of Steve Jobs. His vision and determined dedicated leadership have changed the world.  One would not say he has taken the traditional route to happiness.

No doubt he has achieved great happiness but in different, unusual ways.

We all can’t be Steve Jobs and Steve Jobs needs the rest of us doing what we are doing for his business model to succeed.

There are many different paths to happiness, but the qualities and characteristics of a happy life remain constant.

Money, success and power take precedence over happiness for many people. Many people could easily have both if the knew how to balance the two.

Greatness in any field requires sacrifices, but it also definitely has its rewards.

We can be happy and great at what we do.  The truly great allow happiness to help propel their exuberant zeal to excel and do well.

Explore HappinessHabit.com for additional happiness resources.

Copyright © 1999-    , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 1 Comment »

Happiness and Greatness

Happiness and GreatnessA Drive to Do Well and Excel Are Keys to both Happiness and Greatness!

Habitually happy people want to do their best, feel their best, be their best all the time.

They also continually and creatively look for ways to make their best even better.

This is the same mindset described as the keys to Greatness by Fortune Magazine.

The article discusses recent studies of people who have excelled in their sport or profession, examining what it takes to be great.

The good news is… greatness in a skill, sport or profession does not come from natural talents or gifts. Greatness is open to any and all of us.

Greatness comes from rugged, rigorous hard work and a determined drive and desire to continually improve our skills.

The same principles hold true for happiness.  By continually and creatively finding ways to live more happily and successfully, we can grow our happiness and spiritual success.

For more insights and happiness resources see  HappinessHabit.com 

Copyright © 1999-    , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness News | 2 Comments »

Valentine Happiness

Valentine HeartValentine’s Day Is a Reminder to Love… Ourselves and Others, Every day.

If you’re in a relationship… it’s a special, exciting day!  Think of all the wonderful, kind, loving things you’ll do – choose one and decide to do it every day from now on.

Put a little Valentine’s Day in every day.

Maybe it’s beginning each day with a smile, a hug and an “I love you.” Or replacing one indifferent or distant habit with love and affection. Welcome them at the door or ask about their day and really listen.

One simple, small thing to add affection and care all year round.

Single, On Your Own?

Give yourself big hugs all day and enjoy the warmth of each loving, happy hug.  Feel love in your heart, make a special effort to radiate it to everyone around you.

Enjoy, appreciate and delight in who you are and what you do.  Resolve to do this at least once a day, every day from now on.

Enjoy and relish your own company, plan to take yourself out for a nice meal another, quieter day. Enjoy a solo adventure.

There’s a marvelous freedom and power in being happy on your own, in creating and carrying your own happiness within you where ever you go.

Reject myths saying we need a “relationship” to make us happy and complete, messages that make singles feel defective, needy and dependent. They say we should look to others for happiness when its true source lies within ourselves.

It’s the loving relationships and loving communities we create around us daily that bring expansive, enduring joy. They can easily be extensive, everywhere.

We can’t be happy in a “relationship” when we are not happy on our own. Resolve to love yourself and be happy on your own, right now.

For Everyone…

Make a special effort to radiate love and joy to everyone around you. Smile, seek out someone who is lonely and despondent, give them a special hug, remind them they are loved.

Copyright © 1999-      , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 3 Comments »

Happiness Without Hardness

The Best Way to Excel and Do Well At Anything
Is To Cultivate A Love For Ithappiness without hardness.

Love And Exuberant Zeal Propel
Happiness and Success.

People who are at the top of their profession or calling truly love what they do and devote their entire life, their soul, their being to it.

They are determined to be the best. Lasting, remarkable success doesn’t happen by accident or with sloppiness. 

Star performers have decided to be different in some way, to add a new artistry, invention, dimension, perspective or approach to their endeavors.

They are not just the same as everyone else and better. They are different, creative, distinctive.

Preeminence has its perils. A top coach complained success had made her hard because of the back biting, infighting and sabotage within her sport. Jealous, envious people can be very hateful.

Your colleagues are competitors.  You can’t count on affirmation, support or admiration from people you consistently beat. Hurt causes hardness, sometimes even hatred.

Protect yourself from pain and be happy with your success without becoming hard. Reposition your attitudes, view bad antics as sick, dysfunctional and pathetic. Feel sorry for them.

Envy and Jealousy Are Marks of Losers!

Embrace the love you feel for your sport, endeavor or profession. You are the best because you have worked harder and added more than the others.

Truly successful people look at great performers, admire them, support them, emulate them and try to learn all they can from them. Losers discredit, devalue or subvert winner’s successes.

There’s a reason why winners rise to the top while losers stay stuck below them.  Backbiting, infighting and subversion become more important than love of excellence and the endeavor.

There’s a huge difference between striving to deliver an exceptional performance and wanting to beat someone. Winners love to embrace the very best, losers often try to hurt.  Expect people you beat to be unhappy.

Don’t look for affirmation or admiration from competitors. It will come from people who appreciate what you do, understand how hard you work and have hearts as strong and as good as yours.

Copyright © 1999-    , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness News | No Comments »

Happiness And Pride

Pride and Happiness graphicPride Is One of the Most Important and Misunderstood Aspects of Happiness

Pride in a job well done, pride in doing the right thing, in your accomplishments, your integrity or in the family you raised, are all very positive and healthy.

Pride Is An Important Part of Feeling Good About Ourselves, It Is a Healthy Part of Happiness.

Pride can also be a very bad, dangerous defect. What’s the difference? Here are some examples…

False Pride – Places too much emphasis on what other people may think or how they may react. Other people’s opinions of us run our lives. We become directed by fears and concerns about what other people think. False pride can prevent us from seeking and accepting the help we need to survive and thrive. False pride can cause us to try too hard to impress other people.

Superior Pride – Raises people up and places them above others, separating and isolating them with an inflated sense of self importance. We all know people with stuck up superior pride, they are attractive only to themselves. Their attitude says, “I am better than you and the rest of the world.”

Perfectionistic Pride – Demands that things be perfect in order to be acceptable and that we accept only the very best. Anything less is inferior and unworthy. Perfectionistic pride wastes time, resources and destroys happiness. It is exclusive and exclusionary. Perfectionistic pride limits our willingness to explore, try new things, to enjoy differences.

Each of These Negative Forms of Pride Defeat Our Desires to Be Happy and Spiritually Successful. Recognize and reject them and replace them with happy, successful responses.

How Do We Decide If Pride Is Positive or Perverse? Ask, is it helpful or hurtful? Does our pride expand and enhance our lives and opportunities or does it limit them? Is it a genuine expression of love, delight and affection? Or is it a twisted, limiting, false elevation and pseudo enhancement of self?

Trumpeting Triumphs is Not Bragging! Celebrating successes, trumpeting triumphs and delighting in good deeds all motivate us to do more and are important to happiness, enthusiasm and success. Bragging is very different. Bragging says, “I am better than you are…!”

Trumpet Triumphs, Celebrate Successes, Delight in Good Deeds, All Are Part of Healthy Pride and Are Keys to Happiness and Spiritual Success!!!!

For more see: Happiness Habit.com

Copyright © 1999 –         , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness News, Happiness Notes | 1 Comment »

Empathy Is Essential

Empathy EssentialEmpathy Is Essential To Happiness

Empathy means we can sympathize and identify with other people’s pain,
situations and feelings.

Empathy is the core of compassion.

Empathy means we care about others, that we have concern for  their welfare and well-being.

Habitually happy people characteristically exhibit abundant love and empathy. They genuinely care about people and the world around them. Love truly does propel happiness.

The More We Love, The Greater Our Happiness. Where there is no love, there is no happiness.

The empty, apathetic angst that characterizes the affluent and arrogant amplifies this truth.

People who place themselves above and apart from the rest of the world rarely experience the love, happiness or joy that flows so easily to people who eagerly embrace the entire world.

Evil people may love, but their love is limited and conditional.

The Best Way To Prosper Is To Help Others Prosper.

The Best Way To Be Loved Is To Love.

The Best Way To Be Happy Is To
Delight In Helping Others To Be Happy,
Especially Those Who Are Less Fortunate Than You!

For more Happiness Habits see HappinessHabit.com

Copyright © 1999-    , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Happiness News | 1 Comment »

Happiness Lessons From The Godfather

Godfather Micheal CorleoneHappiness Lessons From the Godfather

The Godfather movie trilogy illustrates many valuable Business and Leadership lessons.

It also illustrates some very important Happiness Habits, most importantly, the Dangers of Departing from Goodness.

In the beginning of Part I, young Michael Corleone is happy, idealistic and moral. He comes home from WWII as a hero. He wants to stay clean and clear of the family “business.”

He stayed happy and clean until his father’s life and  “business” were  threatened. He changed direction and killed two people.

As the trilogy continues, Michael is drawn deeper and deeper into violence, criminal dominance, alienation from goodness and separation from his family.

When the Godfather Part III ends, Michael is alone. He has it all financially, but nothing spiritually or emotionally. He has lost his family, his loved ones and himself.  He is empty and desolate.

He has supreme success in a life of crime. In time, a rival may kill him and end his misery. What does he have to live for?  To look forward to? To strive for?

Don’t Depart From Goodness
Make Goodness Your  Guiding Goal

Always Try To Do Your Best, Be Your Best, Follow The Best Path You Know

No matter how things turn out, you know you did your best and you could do no more. You are blameless and your conscience will be clear. A clear conscience is central to all happiness and spiritual success.

Copyright © 1999-    , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness News, Happiness Notes | 1 Comment »

Forgiveness and Happiness

slinky.jpg

Forgiveness Means Not Letting
Past Pain Determine Present
Or Future Actions

Forgiveness Offers Freedom –
Freedom From Pain
Freedom of Thought And Action

Forgiveness Does NOT Mean Forget,
Stuffing Our Feelings Or
Letting Others Hurt Us Again

Forgiveness Does NOT Mean Failing To Fight For What Is Right And Good

Holding On To Resentments And Grievances IS A Decision To Suffer And Make Others Suffer

Resentments and revenge  ruin and run present and future moments. Resentment allows past pain to control us, our feelings and actions. That’s not the way to happiness and spiritual success.

Happy people don’t hold on to misery. They resolve to learn from bad experiences, gain from their pain and move forward. Unnecessary suffering is masochistic, inflicting pain on others sadistic.

Forgiveness does not mean “Door Mat.” People who don’t fight for their rights and freedom loose them!

None of the great religious or spiritual leaders in history were wimps. They all took strong stands and fought for their beliefs. Habitually Happy people are NOT Wimps. They do refuse to be controlled by past pain. They resolve to let pain go quickly.

They make good decisions based on accurate assessments of reality, worthwhile goals and positive intentions.

Forgiveness Means Not Letting Past Pain Control Present And Future Actions.  It Offers Freedom From Pain And Angry Decisions.  Forgiveness Does NOT Mean Forget. It Does NOT Mean Failing To Fight For What Is Right!

See Happiness Habit for more happiness insights and wisdom.

Copyright © 1999-    , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness News | 2 Comments »

Evil People

Happiness and Evil CandlesSome people enjoy being mean. Evil people enjoy causing hurt and harm, it gives them a sense of power, control and superiority.

They may hide your keys, snicker while you search for them and blame you for not being better organized. Benign? It costs you time and emotional well-being.

Empowered, evil tyrants like Hitler, Stalin and Pol Pot kill millions of people without regret.

They have no consciences, no guilt, no remorse or empathy, no care about right or wrong. They do whatever they please, their only concern is getting caught or being stopped.

Law enforcement and medical professionals call them psychopaths, sociopaths, antisocial. They are at least 4% of our population.

They are often very articulate, charming, attractive and likable. This makes them very dangerous. They look and act normal but they have no morals, no concern for anyone but themselves.

They are adept at hiding their true feelings and evil intentions. They are criminals, con artists, psychopathic ceos, corporate bullys, petty tyrants.

Good people don’t believe people can be so evil and do such evil things and still seem so normal.

This is how and why happy, healthy people are repeatedly taken in and victimized by their psychopathic manipulations and deceptions.

Evil people look like fine, upstanding citizens. Church involvement can provide convenient covers for their criminal activities.

Happy, Healthy, Successful People Beware:

Psychopaths often target the best and the brightest and try to humiliate and subjugate people who are better than they are. They love to dominate, control and destroy people who outshine or out perform them. Why People Are Targeted

Their haughty delusions of grandeur are driven by deep seated and well earned fears of inferiority.

Protection from Evil Psychopaths:

1) Recognize there are very sick, evil people who appear normal, kind, caring and considerate. They have no empathy or concern for anyone but themselves. Sociopaths are sadistic. They get pleasure from causing pain, especially to good people.

2) Power, Control and Superiority are their needs. They want to hurt you and they don’t want to be exposed. They blame you for the evil they’re doing and they want you to take responsibility for it and blame yourself as well.

3) Humiliation and Subjugation are their goals. If they can make you mad, look crazy or bad, you’ve played right into their hands.

4) Emotional Independence – Choose your mood, attitude and actions based on what’s best for you. Don’t give them control of your thoughts, actions or feelings. Don’t give them the control and dominance they crave.

5) Protect Yourself Physically and Mentally – don’t let them depress, distress or endanger you. Don’t let their evil dominate your life.

6) Shine Brightly – Strength, Genuine Goodness and Spiritual Success Are Your Best Defenses!

For more Happiness Habits see HappinessHabit.com

Copyright © 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness News | 1 Comment »

Happiness in Relationships

Happiness in RelationshipsWhat makes for happy, successful lives and relationships?

Friendship, Trust and Teamwork

There is no greater gift than to help a person achieve their goals.

Good happy relationships help people achieve their goals and their dreams!

“But we’re so different!” is a frequent concern.  People who work, live or spend time together happily and successfully grow together over time.  We are enriched by differences and learn from them.

Key questions to ask…

  • Are our goals the same?  Do we want to achieve the same things?  Do we want to travel to the same destinations in five, ten and twenty years?
  • Is my life truly better with them or without them?
  • Are our values the same?
  • Are we compatible, do we enjoy spending time together?
  • Do I have FUN with this person?  Do they make me laugh?

Do Your Homework Before Becoming Involved 

Spend time building friendship, trust and teamwork.  If you can’t do it early in a relationship, you probably won’t be able to do it later once your emotions are hooked.

There’s a big problem with allowing sexuality to drive relationships.  A person who is inappropriate but sexually attractive draws us into situations that are not good for us.  The relationship supplies sexual highs but none of the key components of a good, healthy, successful relationship.

Friendship, trust and teamwork carry relationships over long distances and through difficult times towards happiness, success and achieving our dreams.

Focus on Friendship, Trust and Teamwork for happy, spiritually successful relationships!

See Happiness Habit for more happiness resources.

Copyright © 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | No Comments »

Happiness, Goodness & Giving

Happiness Target - Goodness and GivingHabitually Happy people are amazingly altruistic. They rarely pass up a chance to be kind when it costs them little or risks them little.

Practicing Continual Kindness Is A Way To Be Happy.

They are also very adept at protecting themselves, pursuing and achieving their goals. They are not “people pleasers,” they do good because it makes them feel good.

It’s an example of the First Law of Happy Thought:
Our Focus Determines Our Feelings.

When We Focus Our Time, Attention and Energy On Doing Good We Feel Good. More importantly…

We can’t expect others to treat us well if we don’t extend the same care, concern and compassion we want from them to them.

I recently heard a noted economist speak on the subject of giving at a church stewardship dinner. He relayed recent studies linking charitable giving to happiness, but missed a few key points:

Altruism Is Attractive – We tend to like and trust altruistic people because we believe they place goodness, right action and the welfare of others on an equal plane with their own concerns.

It’s hard to like or trust selfish people who don’t show integrity.

Make Goodness A Guiding Goal – Doing good makes us feel good. Giving appropriately makes us feel good because we know we are contributing to worthwhile causes. And the flip side is…

When we don’t feel good about our actions, we can’t truly enjoy the rewards those actions bring. Try the Gold Fish Test – if the world knew the details of your actions, how would you and they feel? Worry isn’t worth it, secrets cause stress.

Love Not Logic Prompts Giving – People need clear, compelling visions of the benefits their gifts provide and a love for the cause in order to support them enthusiastically.

It’s a twist on the old sales adage, “Logic makes people think, emotions make them act.” Build benefits and love before asking for expanded contributions.

There’s an important difference between really wanting to do something and feeling we must, ought or have to do it.

Love Propels Happiness And Giving – Demonstrate how to feel good, proud and joyful about giving. Drive giving with desire.

Acquire The Qualities You Admire In Others – Seek good role models and visions of excellence which help to define the steps to achieve them.

Truly happy, successful people are usually very kind, caring, honest, charitable and compassionate.

Look Like and Live Like the Leaders You Admire. You’ll find they usually give very generously.

Action, Activity and Achievement Are Keys To Happiness. Doing Good Makes Us Feel Good.

Explore HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights.

Copyright © 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may NOT be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 3 Comments »

Happiness and “Work”

gears3largeWork Is A Series of Steps To
Success, Achievement
And Satisfaction

The word “work” conveys wonderful feelings and images…

A “work of art” describing special beauty, or…

“life’s work,” the pride and satisfaction we gain from personal and professional achievements.

Work is wonderful.

For other people, “work” means misery, difficulty and pain.

Anything associated with “work” must be avoided at all cost.
“Work” is by nature unattractive, burdensome and distasteful.
“Work” deprives us of fun and enjoyment.

Habitually Happy people enjoy very different perspectives. They view “Work” as steps to success and achievement.  They love to achieve and succeed so they always try to enjoy their work.

Habitually happy people decide what they are going to do and then they decide to find ways to enjoy it.  The best way to excel and do well at anything is to cultivate a love for what you do.

They know viewing something they have to do as dreary, difficult or distasteful allows bad attitudes to work against them. They align their attitudes to support their goals, ambitions and decisions.

Even dull,  repetitive work feeds families and allows people to pursue hobbies and higher goals.  Take pride in doing simple things extraordinarily well.

View Work As Steps To Success And Achieving Your Goals. Relish and enjoy each step and you will never toil again.

For more Happiness Habits At Work  and Happiness Habits see HappinessHabit.com

Copyright © 1999-      , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. This material may Not be published, broadcast, distributed or rewritten without permission from the authors.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 2 Comments »

What is Spiritual Freedom?

utahlandscape21.jpg“The highest and greatest of the human freedoms is to choose your attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.”

~ Viktor Frankl, “Man’s Search for Meaning”

The concept of Spiritual Freedom grew from Viktor Frankl’s incredible accounts of how some men triumphed emotionally and spiritually over the most horrific circumstances, Auschwitz.

“Man can preserve a vestige of spiritual freedom, of independence of mind, even in such terrible conditions of psychic and physical distress.”

Each inmate ultimately chose whether to succumb to prison camp mentality and become a mere product of their environment and experience or to try to triumph spiritually and be something more, better and different.

“Fundamentally, therefore, any man can, even under such circumstances, decide what shall become of him – mentally and spiritually. He may retain his human dignity even in a concentration camp.”

Frankl describes how some men went about comforting and aiding their fellow prisoners while others succumbed to the most selfish, basest motivations and desires.

Frankl illustrates a key aspect of the Happiness Habit :

“If we don’t consciously decide what sort of person we want to be and  then work to become that person, our environment and our experience determine both our identity and our destiny for us.”

Beyond the barbed wires in life, there is always a wide expanse of opportunity, spiritual freedom and emotional independence that frees us from being dominated and controlled by our circumstances.

We can decide what sort of person we want to be and work to become that person.  We can decide to practice being our best selves all of the time and and continually try to do our best, feel our best and be our best all of the time. Our best will continue to get even better.

A key to happiness and spiritual success is to always look past the barbed wire!

See HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights. Copyright 2007, Michele Moore.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprints.  Michele Moore is author of How To Live A Happy Life – 101 Ways To Be Happier.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes, Happiness Quotes | 2 Comments »

Clergy Are Happiest…

The Clergy celticcross96.jpgare the happiest and most satisfied with their jobs according to the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. Physical therapists and firefighters ranked second and third in overall job satisfaction. Interestingly, these jobs are generally lower paying professions.

Doctors and lawyers who are significantly more affluent report much lower levels of job satisfaction. The least satisfied professions were roofers and waiters, people who work primarily for money because their jobs are seen as having fewer intrinsic rewards.

These survey results reaffirm Happiness Habit’s First Law of Happy Thought: Our Focus Determines Our Feelings

When we devote our time and energy to doing things we find meaningful and rewarding, we feel good. Devoting our lives to altruism and helping others is often the best, most reliable route to true happiness.

Clergy face many difficult stresses daily, dealing with death, demanding church members and dysfunctional subcultures. Their lives are certainly not easy or stress free. The noble calling of their profession, their dedication to goodness and helping others triumphs dramatically over all these disadvantages.

Roofers and waiters who report low job satisfaction can reposition their perspectives to emphasize the value and beauty in what they do.

Everyone can take pride in executing even simple, repetitive jobs extraordinarily well. Linking job satisfaction to the benefits your work provides, keeping a home dry or creating a beautiful dining experience can send your spirits soaring. You no longer work just for money but for the good you do for others.

Doctors and lawyers who adopt similar perspectives achieve far greater satisfaction from their work. When they just focus on their stresses and their problems, they are miserable. Redirecting their attention to the good they provide patients, clients and society changes the complexion of their work dramatically.

Professions characterized by chronically combative, competitive cultures value winning, power and superiority above all else. Even people who are highly successful in these cultures are rarely as happy or long lived as those who choose to devote their talents to altruism and helping others.

Goodness truly does bring its own wonderful rewards!

See HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights.

Copyright 1999-     , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.  Michele Moore is author of How To Live A Happy Life – 101 Ways To Be Happier.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Happiness News | No Comments »

Is Happiness Different in Britain?

britbiscuitbasket3.jpgThe Happiness Institute in Australia reminded us how very culturally dependent measures of happiness can be.

Today they cite a study in the United Kingdom that reports hairdressers are the happiest profession.

We don’t know where hair dressing ranks in University of Chicago’s study, nor do we know where the clergy rank in happiness and job satisfaction in Great Britain.

It’s important to appreciate how very subjective and culturally dependent happiness and job satisfaction studies can be.

Are similar questions being asked in the same way to similar groups of people? Do the questions and answers mean the same things?

The United States and Great Britain are very similar in many ways, we would expect surveys of happiness and job satisfaction to be alike too.

Just as we were surprised to see tomatoes regularly served for breakfast on our first trip to Great Britain, we should expect surprises in happiness and job satisfaction rankings between countries and cultures as well.

See HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights.

Copyright 1999-     , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.  Michele Moore is author of How To Live A Happy Life – 101 Ways To Be Happier.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Happiness News | No Comments »

Happiness Studies Are Depressing!

blubrainhead1.jpgHere’s a typical abstract of recent happiness studies from Scientific American:

We tend to adapt, quickly returning to our usual level of happiness. The classic example of such “hedonic adaptation” comes from a 1970s study of lottery winners, who a year after their windfall ended up no happier than non winners. Hedonic adaptation helps to explain why even changes in major life circumstances – such as income, marriage, physical health and where we live – do so little to boost our overall happiness.

Not only that, but studies of twins and adoptees have shown that a determined from birth. This “genetic set point” alone makes the happiness glass look half empty, because any upward swing in happiness seems doomed to fall back to near your baseline.

How Depressing! Academic research proves even unexpected abundant wealth does not bring lasting happiness and our happiness is a prisoner function of our genes!

What are we meant to do if we want to be happier and live happy, spiritually successful lives? Take drugs? See a psychotherapist? The psychologists at these major research institutions leave us hanging without solutions, suggestions or resolutions.

They don’t want you to know there are simple, enduring, universal truths that lead to happiness and a happy life!

Another synopsis from the “father of Flow” Mihály Csíkszentmihályi one of the world’s leading researchers in positive psychology suggests we: 1) Be attuned to what gives us satisfaction; 2) Study ourselves; and 3) Take control. It’s hardly a complete recipe for happiness!

Most happiness research is conducted by psychology departments at major universities who have huge investments in treating problems and disease. The emergence of simple, teachable Happiness Truths would undermine these psychologists professed preeminence, prestige, power and economic well-being. Expect academic research to biased towards Daniel Gilbert’s “Stumbling on Happiness” thesis that most people don’t know what makes them happy.

Pharmaceutical firms are major advertisers. Over eleven million prescriptions for psycho active mood elevators are written annually in the United States alone. Is the media willing to cover options that could jeopardize this revenue?

There are universal, enduring, eternal truths that lead to happy, spiritually successful lives. We call these happiness habits…

“Be Guided By Goodness • Fuel Your Life With Fun • Passion Is Empty Without Compassion • Profit From Your Mistakes • Beating Yourself Up Reinforces Errors You Want To Avoid • Drive Discipline With Desire • Make Decisions Not Judgments • Schedule Your Time Not Your Tasks • Be Driven By Desire NOT Duress • See Obstacles NOT Problems • Focus On How You Want To Feel • Touch Each Person You Meet With A Positive Spirit • Love Propels Happiness ”

Don’t expect them to be covered by television, magazine or major media enterprises that rely on advertising for their revenue.

See HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights.

Copyright 2007, Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.  Michele Moore is author of How To Live A Happy Life – 101 Ways To Be Happier.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness News | No Comments »

Why Gardening Brings Happiness

dirtyhands2.jpgIt’s official, recent scientific research shows bacteria commonly found in dirt, bacterium Mycobacterium vaccae, can lift levels of serotonin in the brain, brightening our moods and contributing to our happiness.

At last, scientific proof of what gardeners have known since the beginning of time, digging in the dirt is enjoyable, satisfying and good for our happiness!

See HappinessHabit.com for more happiness insights.

Copyright 1999-     , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.  Michele Moore is author of How To Live A Happy Life – 101 Ways To Be Happier.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Happiness News | 1 Comment »

Happiness is Not Lotus Land

happylily.jpgHabitually happy people consciously choose their moods and their attitudes, because they like to enjoy all life has to offer.

They don’t want to waste time in bad, unhappy, non productive moods or mental states.

They decide what they are going to do and they consciously decide to enjoy it. They manage their actions and their attitudes very effectively.

They don’t continually look outside of themselves for happiness. They create their own joy though their actions, appreciation and their achievements.

This is a very different perspective from people who continually seek happiness outside of themselves. When they can’t find it, they are often disappointed and dejected. Some retreat into a mythical sort of lotus land to find some semblance of happiness and bliss.

Enduring Happiness is not a retreat from reality but a different perspective on reality.

  • It’s knowing we are truly at our best when we are up and happy, so we try to be that way all of the time.
  • It’s knowing life is far richer and beautiful when we are appreciating all that’s around us, not judging.
  • Happiness definitely requires an independent, rebellious spirit that refuses to let difficulties take control of our hearts and minds. Refusal to let difficulties define our identity, feelings or our actions is a key to happiness.

Is it easier to be happy when everything around us is beautiful and life is going well? Absolutely, especially if you already embrace and practice these happiness habits.

If you don’t, no measure of good things coming into your life will ever bring you enduring happiness.

We can use difficult times to strengthen our happiness skills and our determination to triumph over distress and despair.

You decide what you want to do.

See HappinessHabit.com for more insights on how to live a happy life.

Copyright 1999-     , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | No Comments »

Happiness = Niceness

happyfocus1.jpgWe are always amazed and delighted by how truly and consistently nice genuinely happy people are. This was one of the biggest surprises from our interviews and studies of habitually happy people. Happiness and niceness invariably are linked together.

By nice, we don’t mean door mat, subservient, submissive or excessively concerned about other people’s opinions. Habitually happy people were anything but that! They all tended to be very independent, somewhat outspoken and in many ways, adventurous.

By niceness we mean genuinely caring and being concerned about other people and the people around you. Passion propels happiness. Passion without caring and consideration for others is empty and self serving. Caring for others helps create compassion.

Many thanks to the Happiness Institute for today’s posting from Eastern Progress that reminds us how niceness contributes to happiness. Helpful messages often come when we need them the most! 😉

We know people who are nice but who are not especially happy, niceness by itself does not ensure happiness. We never encountered anyone who was genuinely and consistently happy who was not nice. Sociopaths may fall into this category, their happiness is delusional.

Focusing our time and attention on doing good things well helps ensures happiness. Niceness, care and concern for others as well as ourselves is part of living well.

On a very different tone, ever wonder Why Having More No Longer Makes Us Happy? See an excellent article on the over emphasis of continued economic growth in AlterNet but be warned, it’s serious stuff! That’s why they call economics the dismal science.

See HappinessHabit.com for more insights on happy living.

Copyright 1999-      , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.

Tags:, , , , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 1 Comment »

The Pope’s Happiness & Fat?!!!

happyangel12.jpgAre God and Jesus Christ are the only true sources of happiness?

“Sometimes, the person who has everything he could desire is still not happy; meanwhile someone deprived of everything, even freedom or health, can be joyful and peaceful, if God is within his heart. ”
~ Pope Benedict XVI

We both agree and disagree!

Certainly many church teachings are central and crucial to living a happy, spiritually successful life. Compassion, goodness, honesty, virtue and truth are the basis of a happy life.

We also know many very religious people who are not especially happy. Some of the most horrendous crimes in history were committed with a false sense of religious righteousness.

Some of the happiness people in the world are Buddhists who do not have a concept of God that is central to our Judaeo Christian creed. Buddhists do have compelling teachings about compassion, care and concern for others that are central to their beliefs.

It is these values, we believe, that bring Buddhists happiness. The ancient Greeks agreed, “A man who is not virtuous will never be happy.” ~ Epicurus

Herb Benham jokes about a recent study in the Archives of Internal Medicine reporting that fat men are less likely to commit suicide than thin men!? One wonders if worry is keeping people thin and unhappy.

Taking pride in feeling good and looking good is important source of happiness! We don’t believe habitually over eating is a healthy, enduring source of joy.

What do you think? Post your comments below!

See HappinessHabit.com for more resources.

Copyright 1999-     , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved.  Reprints.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Quotes, NoTweet | 1 Comment »

Happiness Without Pursuit

happystpetersburg1.jpgShould Happiness Be Pursued? Or does happiness flow best and naturally just from a life well lived?

See Happiness Without Pursuit
Mark Teeter 3/17/07 St. Petersburg Times

One of my grandfathers pursued happiness and the other did not. The first tried a dozen disparate jobs but found only modest success and fleeting satisfaction.

The non-pursuer — a rare combination of journalist, historian and Methodist minister — did all three for their own sake and that of others, and did them very well. When he died, Time magazine titled his obituary “A Happy Man.”

It’s a wonderful article and analysis of happiness in Russia!

See HappinessHabit.com for more insights about how to live a happy life.

Copyright 1999-     , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 1 Comment »

Happiness from all Corners of the World

India is studying happiness in an effort to bring happiness studies into schools. Certainly being absorbed in productive, creative activities can be very rewarding.Happy Taj India

A wonderful article from Thailand Times linking flow states to happiness disappeared from their site.   Creative flow states as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi are often linked to happiness.We don’t disagree that creative flow states can be a source of happiness. It is easy to get lost in the flow> and loose site of  what you have to do and what you really want to achieve.

We found habitually happy people were generally very time conscious, they tended to schedule their time not their tasks. Time was generally their limiting resource.

Being concerned about time protected them from getting lost in the flow and loosing site of what they really want to achieve.

The Mercury News reports Clairmont College in California is initiating a doctoral program in Happiness. They will research “What makes people happy?”

We wonder, why not ask, “How can people make themselves happy?” Isn’t our goal to be happy and find ways to live a happier, more spiritually successful life?

We agree with Will Wilkinson’s Happiness & Public Policy Blog about happiness research. Today’s posting is, as always, very sophisticated and complete. He refers to research on aging and happiness, which was also recently reported in Slate.

Science Blogs reported research on the decline in happiness during the 20th Century. Reading it did not make me happy!

See HappinessHabit.com for more information.

Copyright 1999-     , Michele Moore.  All Rights Reserved.  Reprints.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Happiness News | No Comments »

Live According To Your Aspirations Not Your Inclinations

turtletracks2.jpgLive According To Your Aspirations Not Your Inclinations

There is always tension between what our past history and old habits incline us to do and how the person we aspire to be acts. That’s why it is so important to Live According To Your Aspirations Not Your Inclinations.

Our Aspirations include everything we want to achieve in life, the happy, spiritually successful person we Aspire to be, the happy life we want to live, what we want to give to others. People who don’t have Aspirations or desires to develop themselves and achieve something of value tend to stay stuck as they are.

Focusing on what we want to achieve and the happy, spiritually successful person we want to be allows us to change and direct our lives in new, more successful ways.

Once we See It in our mind’s eye, Desire It and make it an objective, Believe It and build our confidence, then we can Achieve It. Dwelling on what is wrong and what we don’t want wastes time and is very counterproductive.

The key to building happiness is to continually focus on what you want to achieve until it becomes habit. Practice happiness skills until they become your own new powerful happiness habits. Practice being your best self all of the time and Live According To Your Aspirations, Not Your Inclinations.

Copyright 1999-    , Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved.  Reprints.    More Happiness Habits

Tags:, , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 1 Comment »

“ESE” Your Way To Happiness

ESE Your Way To Happiness

Eat, Sleep and Exercise to feel happy, healthy and energized.

Eat Foods that help make you feel happy, alert and healthy. Some meals make us feel especially good for several hours, eat those foods! Body systems differ, food that gives some people a burst of energy makes others tired and sluggish. Eat what’s good for you. Avoid foods that taste good for a few minutes and leave you feeling guilty or low and slow for a long time.

Sleep is refreshment. Peak performance requires adequate rest. A small, additional investment of time in sleep can enhance efficiency and productivity for the entire day. Your best investment of time often lies in adequate rest.

Exercise – Activity increases blood flow to the brain, raises our adrenalin levels and sharpens our mental acuity. Exercising daily keeps the mind and body alert. Invest twenty minutes daily in a brisk walk for your body and private time for your mind. It’s time you spend building you happiness, health and emotional well-being.

You can’t think, act and feel your best or be at your best when you are tired, hungry, mis-fed or sluggish.

Happiness Habit: Skills & Strategies of Habitually Happy People
Copyright 1999 – Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved.  Reprints.
Link to HappinessBlog.com

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 3 Comments »

Be Your Best Self

Practice Being Your Best Self

We all experience those magical days when we are thinking, acting and feeling our very best. Our minds are alert, sharp, focused, we are able to concentrate well. An easy, relaxed powerful energy flows through our bodies. Our spirits seem to soar with joy.

Remember those days, recall those thoughts and feelings. Feel the rhythm and beat of that marvelous, positive energy flowing through your body. Connect with those and feelings and take them on for yourself. Project them and they will be yours.

You can’t step into that magic zone by concentrating on how badly you feel!

For more happiness habits and insights explore HappinessHabit.com

Happiness Habit: Skills & Strategies of Habitually Happy People
Copyright 1999 – Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | No Comments »

Money Is No Measure of Happiness

Money Is Not Happiness

Here’s further proof that “Money Does NOT Buy Happiness” from a new study in Australia. ABC-Australia Higher income people showed less satisfaction with their lives than people in lower income brackets.

Money buys beautiful things that bring Situational Happiness. It shows superficial status and financial success. Money buys interesting, enlightening experiences, education and travel. Money buys freedom from some worries, it provides food, shelter and health insurance. It buys delightful distractions and diversions.

These are external experiences that temporarily elevate our feelings.

Habitually Happy People focus on Spiritual Success which brings Sustained Happiness. It’s fairly independent of their external environment or circumstances.

It’s easy to confuse things that make us happy temporarily with the true source of happiness, which ultimately lies within ourselves. Unhappy people will be unhappy irrespective of their wealth and resources. Habitually Happy People have decided to be happy no matter what happens around them.

Happiness Habit: Skills & Strategies of Habitually Happy People
Copyright 1999 – Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.

Tags:, , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | No Comments »

Chaos, Calm & Creativity

Chaos, Calm & Creativity

It’s a myth that Happiness comes with calm, complacent serenity.

Happiness flows from action, achievement, accomplishment and activity.

Our happiest moments often come at our most exuberant, creative times. Most people feel extraordinarily happy when they are in their most creative state. Creativity comes with energy, enthusiasm and excitement.

“In Italy for thirty years under the Borgias they had warfare, terror, murder, bloodshed – but they produced Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and the Renaissance. In Switzerland they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and what did that produce – the cuckoo clock!”
~ Orson Wells, The Third Man, 1949.

Happiness springs from creativity, energy and excitement.

Happiness Habit: Skills & Strategies of Habitually Happy People
Copyright 1999 –Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.

Tags:, , , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | 2 Comments »

Happy People Define Themselves

Habitually Happy People Define Themselves

Habitually Happy People are happy because they decided to define themselves to be happy people. At some critical point in their lives, they resolved to cast off all unnecessary unhappiness, misery and negativity. They consciously decided to develop themselves to be happy people. They gradually acquired the thoughts, feelings and actions of happy people.

Many of the habitually happy people we interviewed and studied said they came from dismal, unhappy, dysfunctional family situations or backgrounds. They didn’t want to be or become just a product of their environment and experience, they wanted far more for their lives.

So they cast off past pain and misery and developed themselves into happy, successful people. It was a goal that became a sort of role for them. Gradually, over time, they adopted the positive, successful perspectives and habits that lead to a happy, successful life. They developed themselves into happy people. They decided to define who they would be and become.

The same skills and perspectives are available to all of us!

Happiness Habit – Skills & Strategies of Habitually Happy People
Copyright 1999 – Michele Moore. All Rights Reserved. Reprints.

Tags:, , , , ,
Posted in Happiness Notes | No Comments »