Monthly Archives: November 2010

When asked if they would like to be more happy than they are, the majority of people shout out a resounding yes.

Well, of course, who wouldn’t want to be happier…

But wait. You can only be happier if you know how happy or unhappy you are right now. Most of us are oblivious to our state of well being until we are faced with unwell-being.

So today take some time and ask yourself if you would recognize what makes you happy in the first place, before you consider what you might want instead.

Here are some ideas to help your brain get chewing on this.

Does your job feel like a lead weight? Are you spending your free time on something you love? (do you have free time to spend?) When are you the most content? What parts of your day do you wish would just magical disappear? What brings you joy?

If these questions have stumped you, you’re not alone. Participants at my workshops are often unable to find the answer because the joy has been displaced by work, family and day-to-day demands.

Fear not. Solutions abound.

Try this…set aside a half hour to write out at least three things that have brought you happiness, fun, or joy, and be specific. Saying my kids make me happy isn’t good enough. Saying building sand castles with my kids on a hot summer day at the cottage is specific. Saying losing weight isn’t specific. Saying fitting into my favourite dress comfortably after shedding those last stubborn pounds is specific. Do you feel the difference in these examples? Can you feel the pleasure in the specific ones rather than the standard this should make me happy answers?

Keep at this activities until you can feel it. Allow yourself to remember the full 5 sense experience that brought that happiness into your life.

Take A Day…

 That’s right, take a break, have a little fun. A whole day’s worth.

 WHAT? You cry~ I can’t, no time, lists, overwhelmed, work, responsibility, blah, blah blah…

 If you find it difficult to consider even one day a week to leisure or play, consider the practice of Saturday penny. There are 52 Saturdays in a year and an average of 75 years in a lifespan. Each of us allotted 3900 Saturdays…

 Take your own age and multiply by 52, and subtract that number from 3900. That’s how many Saturdays you have spent. How do you feel about how you spent those days of your life?

 Put a penny in a clear jar for the number of Saturdays you have left until you reach 75 years of age. Every Saturday, take a penny out.

 As you spend your penny stash, ask yourself: have you spent your day in a way that brings you satisfaction? happiness? joy?

 By the way, when you reach 75 years of age, put a penny in the jar for every extra Saturday you been given and each week, ask yourself what you’ve done with that gift…