By Lisa Cypers Kamen.
We’re surrounded by tons of personality types every day, and each person’s company inspires a different emotion in us. One minute, we’re working at a desk next to a coworker whose worrying makes the whole office tense; hours later, we’re home with a family that lends security and joy. An erratic driver on our way to yoga class that same afternoon could make us forget all about the kindness of the friend we just grabbed lunch with.
Amid these ever-changing circumstances that we call life, we can’t run the risk of relying on others to deliver happiness for us. The key to creating enduring happiness falls squarely on our own shoulders. It’s not our coworkers’ job to make us feel happy at the office, or our spouse’s responsibility to shape a happy home. It all boils down to us— after all, we’re the only people who know what truly makes us happy, right? (If you’re not in touch with what makes you happy, start trying to discover the answer! It’s a fun journey.)
Leading a life where you view happiness as a birthright — not an entitlement bestowed by others —will help you control your own happiness and bounce back from the negativity of others. Take a minute each morning to ask yourself what decisions will make your day a happy one, and make those factors a priority. If exercising on your way home from work lifts your spirits, do it! If a hot bath would put a positive spin on your dreary Monday, make sure to indulge in one. The people closest to you will understand — and maybe even amp up their own efforts to live a happy life.
Happiness is an inside job.®
Happiness Strategy:
Make it a habit to start your morning by answering this simple question: What will I do today that will make me happy?
Once you answer that question, make your best effort to ensure you complete the acts of happiness you’ve listed. If you have to, pencil in an hour each day to focus solely on fitting in your happiness goals. Once you make a point of completing one or more acts of happiness each day, you will find it easier to maintain this healthy happiness cycle and, in turn, will find that you have something happy to look forward to every day.
Lisa Cypers Kamen is a filmmaker, positive psychology coach, author, host of Harvesting Happiness Talk Radio, professor and lecturer specializing in the field of sustainable happiness. She is widely recognized as an expert on the subject. Lisa’s acclaimed documentary film co-produced with her now fifteen year-old daughter, Kayla, “H-Factor…Where is your heart?” explores how people in varied circumstances find, generate and share happiness. In addition to her film on happiness, Lisa has also published a number of articles and books entitled, Got Happiness Now?, Are We Happy Yet?, Leadership: Helping Others to Succeed and Reintegration Strategies, about combat trauma and using positive psychology principles to create wellness in a post-war new normal. Lisa’s written work is featured on blogs for the Huffington Post, PositivelyPositive.com and InspireMeToday.com and she is a TEDx community event speaker. In addition, she is the Happiness Expert for the Florida Department of Citrus/ Florida Orange Juice in its Take on the Day campaign.
Harvesting Happiness for Heroes™ is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that delivers stigma-free integrated combat trauma recovery services to warriors and their loved ones. Modalities include scientifically proven strengths based Positive Psychology coaching and interdisciplinary tools such as film, yoga, meditation, art and creative writing designed to mindfully empower the client to achieve increased self-mastery, self-esteem and reclaim her/his life. HH4Heroes focuses on the balance of mind, body and emotion resulting in greater overall wellbeing and the transformation of Post-Traumatic Stress (PTS) into Post-Traumatic Growth (PTG). HH4Heroes offers retreat workshops, one-on-one coaching, Battle Buddy programs, as well as our new R.E.B.O.O.T Online virtual community coaching classrooms designed to reach underserved areas. In addition, HH4Heroes deploys Return to Duty™ civilian and corporate training to help welcome a warrior home and into the community and workplace.
Lisa is committed to teaching Happiness is an inside job™ and helping others end their needless suffering through intentionally cultivating greater joy.
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