There are a lot of self-help and positive psychology books out there, and most of them are garbage. But not The How of Happiness. This one has value because it is based on real research.
Here is an excerpt from the book that we need to pay attention to:
…50 percent of individual differences in happiness are governed by genes, 10 percent by life circumstances, and the remaining 40 percent by what we do and how we think – that is our intentional activities and strategies. The secret of course lies in that 40 percent. If we observe genuinely happy people, we shall find that they do not just sit around being contented. They make things happen. They pursue new understandings, seek new achievements, and control their thoughts and feelings. In sum, our intentional, effortful activities have a powerful effect on how happy we are, over and above the effects of our set points and the circumstances in which we find ourselves. If an unhappy person wants to experience interest, enthusiasm, contentment, peace, and joy, he or she can make it happen by learning the habits of a happy person. (p. 64).
Happiness is a daily choice.
Do you work with any people that you consider consistently happy, day in and day out? Think not only of those that seem to be just over-the-top happy, but those that are simply content and at peace with themselves and those around them.
What are they doing different than anyone else? Can you find an explanation for their happiness? Consider simply asking them “what is your secret, why do you always appear to be so happy?”
In the coming days and weeks I’ll share with you some of the intentional activities from The How of Happiness that we can all practice to improve our 40 percent of the happiness pie.
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[...] intentional activity from The How of Happiness is learning to forgive. Recall from my earlier blog that it’s these intentional activities and habits that can account for as much as 40% of our [...]
[...] activity from The How of Happiness is increasing flow experiences. Recall from my earlier blog that it’s these intentional activities and habits that can account for as much as 40% of our [...]