EVERY STEP COUNTS: The importance of happiness

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So, let’s start with the homework from last week, shall we?

Do you feel more in tune with your thoughts and feelings?

How has managing your internal dialogue gone for you?

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How about the tactics we discussed last week?

Its all about action and if you remember correctly its all about GOYA…I do hope you remember what that means… It could be the 4 most important letters put together that you will read in this column all year.

G-O-Y-A!!!

Onto the topic of this week my friend and that is HAPPINESS.

To be honest, after being in this field for some time now and coaching hundreds of clients, a goal that all people have is to be happier. Happier lives should be a goal for all. I have never met anyone that has not wanted to be the happiest version of themselves. So, what is the actual definition of HAPPINESS then?

“The state of being happy”

“Someone who experiences frequent positive emotions, such as joy, interest, and pride, and infrequent (though not absent) negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety and anger.”

“The experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.”

I think you can see where I am going with this. Happiness to me means experiencing positive emotions much more than negative emotions. In my honest opinion, you shouldn’t have to tell someone that you are happy, other people should be able to see it in you. The way you act, the way you look, the way you talk, the energy that comes out of your being and out of your soul. I aim to make all my clients happier. Even if they say they couldn’t be happier; I will try my hardest to make it happen…what do you have to lose?

After reading several books and journal articles more heavily recently due to my psychology masters; I have unearthed some very interesting information that I wanted to share with you today. There are always happier and less happy people, we know that right. We also know that in general, people are happier in the summer compared with the winter and people also generally smile more in the summer months over winter months other than Christmas for obvious reasons.

What I have also unearthed in my studying is that there are also happier places with specific focus needed on Denmark, Singapore and California.

Before I give you some facts about what contributes to these countries’ happiness levels, let me share these three numbers with you… 50 / 10 / 40. So, what do these numbers mean then Chris? According to the experts in this field, HAPPINESS is 50% Genetics, 10% life circumstances and 40% the influence of how we think and act.

YES, YOU JUST READ THAT RIGHT!!!

This is why I wanted us to control our thoughts and inner dialogue last week. I want us to influence the 40% to make us HAPPIER! So, what can we learn from the countries listed above then? Check out the list of pointers and then try and relate whether you also implement any of their tactics and methods:

90% of Danes belong to a club or a social group
The Danes love to cycle.
The Danish population embrace something called “HYGGE” which translates to relaxing in a warm and cosy environment.
The Danish embrace being around people they trust. This comes down to your associations which I have spoken about before.
They strive for Authenticness…be who you are meant to be not who others want you to be.
The Danes enjoy caring for the old and the young. Families are important to them.
The Danish aim to have a job that they enjoy rather than just a job that gives them a 5-bedroom house and two Range Rovers outside.
Danish cities are optimised for activity and interaction…we’ll touch more on this next week.
The population of Singapore believe in working hard and being rewarded for that hard work.
Family is again vital to the people of Singapore. When did you last spend quality time with your family, immediate and extended?
Stability and Security are important to Singapore.
Community projects in California are a priority, its all about bringing people together.
There are many anti-smoking projects in and around the area with health very high on the agenda list.
California really supports the Arts and expression.
The pedestrian is favoured in California. I love this one. It reminds me of Holland where cycle routes are a focus and being outdoors expending energy is looked on as a great thing.

There are many more examples I could give you but for today just read the list and then see what you could implement in your own life? Some are hard but some of the above such as “Loving to cycle” could be implemented tomorrow. Just grab your bike and your off…easy!

I want to finish with one more fact:

INCREASED HAPPINESS = DECREASED SICKNESS

How about that for a fantastic benefit to being happy… less sickness… Amazing stuff.

Let’s leave it there for this week ok? Happy Thursday, be you, be amazing, be happy and take ownership of being happy and creating more happiness in your life.