Can you recognize what makes you happy?
| November 5, 2010 | Posted by Jodi Lee under Becoming Happier |
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.
Jodi, Thanks for the reminder to allow all of my senses to be involved when I remember what has made me happy in the past or visualize what will make me happy in the future.
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Hey Jodie!
That was a wonderful post that got me thinking.
People are working themselves to death! Literally.
It sad but true.
All of the joy is gone for many. We are the few who have hope.
Andrew Gallagher´s last blog ..3 Key To Building A Highly Targeted List For Your Home Based Network Marketing Biz
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Jodi,
Gratitude is certainly what keeps our mindset in the right zone. Keeping the proper perspective and practicing some of the techniques you have shared here have certainly been beneficial for me personally. I think remembering specifics and feeling the “happy” emotions associated with those feelings have definite benefits.
Krista
Krista Abbott´s last blog ..GoDaddy: WordPress Incompatibility with Windows Platform
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Jodi, Thanks for the reminder to allow all of my senses to be involved when I remember what has made me happy in the past or visualize what will make me happy in the future.
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[...] Let’s consider your happiness list from the last post. If you haven’t done that yet, click here for directions. [...]
Jodi, Thanks for the reminder to allow all of my senses to be involved when I remember what has made me happy in the past or visualize what will make me happy in the future.
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Jodie…great stuff! If we can’t nail down the specifics of what makes us more happy…how do we ever expect to get back to those things. I do believe we can certainly be content and filled with joy in life through the journey on a day to day basis. But there are certainly things that bring a fuller enrichment and happiness to us that really spice up our lives. If we truly want to experience more of those times but have never taken the time to specifically think about what those are…how do we ever expect to get there?
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Great Exercise. I have been practicing being specific. This exercise helped me a lot. Thanks for the post.
Jaden Daniels´s last blog ..Handling Negative Situations
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Hi Jodi, A vague idea in our mind of what makes us happy isn’t specific enough. The act of writing it down very detailed is so important to the process of making it become reality. It really does make a difference…how can you get somewhere if you don’t know where you’re going? Fantastic exercise thanks for sharing!
Kara Grabenhorst´s last blog ..Don’t like it? Change it NOW
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I love how you challenge us to get specific on what really makes us happy!
Thanks for this great post!
Take care,
Becca
Becca´s last blog ..Weeding Out Your Mind
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Great idea in this post Jodi! Our minds need to be centered on the specifics of happiness. “Fear Not. Solutions Abound”…I love it!
Michelle
Michelle Shutter´s last blog ..Building A Network Marketing Team
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Mahalo (thank you) for the great exercise Jodi! I love when there are specific instructions for us to apply the lesson.
So, a question for you…how do you hunt for Easter eggs in the snow?…LOL (just couldn’t resist)
Love ya,
Kellie
Kellie Hosaka´s last blog ..Are You Happy & Fulfilled In Your Life?
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Jodi Lee Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 9:58 pm
It’t the professor in me..!! As for the easter eggs, if there is snow on the ground, the eggs are in the house! Crazy, eh??
back at ya! – Jodi
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Kellie Hosaka Reply:
April 7th, 2010 at 10:16 pm
Great! Keep that professor coming. It really assists myself and others.
As for the eggs, I hope you don’t forget to find one in the house…LOL
)))))
heehee
Kellie Hosaka´s last blog ..Are You Happy & Fulfilled In Your Life?
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Thank you so much for this important reminder. We all need to maintain our focus on keeping an “attitude of gratitude” and to keep saying what we want, not what we don’t want!
You have said it so succinctly and clearly. I’m looking forward to the next part.
Sandy
Sandy Abrams´s last blog ..WOMEN’S NUTRITION – SCIENCE – NOT “SECRETS”
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Ho Jodi,
I love your question! I wish we all find the true answer to it. Thank you for nudging us in the prosperous direction,
´s last blog ..The Law of Laws (part 4) 
Venus
Venus
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Great tips Jodi! I love how you say that you can’t be happier unless you know how happy you are now. I can’t imagine being much happier than I am right now. I have so many things in my life that make me happy. Like that little Giggle guy on Skype. Thanks for being one of the great things in my life that make me happy!
Melissa Wright´s last blog ..Google Reader Can Save Your Life … Or At Least A Few Hours!
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Jodi Lee Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 9:59 pm
Aw, thanks melissa! I love you too – we’re having so much fun together aren’t we!
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Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by valwilcox: Can you recognize what makes you happy? – http://www.meetjodilee.com/recognize-happy/ (via @jodilee2010)…
Great exercise Jodie! I once decided to keep a happiness / thankful journal and it made a huge difference in my emotional well being. I had forgotten about it, but you have reminded me! I am going back to journaling what made me happy or thankful for the day and be more appreciative of the blessings (many) I have.
Julianna Brower´s last blog ..The Empowered Tribe- Social Proof
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Jodi Lee Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 4:53 pm
Thanks Julianna.
I have a whole series of posts on the science of gratitude coming soon.
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Hi Jodi,
I liked what you had to say here. It’s really hard to be happy if we don’t know what makes us happy.
In addition, we work too much of our lives to be stuck in a job that sucks the life out of us.
Thanks for your thoughts.
Debbie Stevens´s last undefined ..If you register your site for free at
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Jodi Lee Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 4:54 pm
Thanks Debbie – glad you stopped by.
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ahh.. a breath of fresh air in this digital world!
Thank you, Jodi!
I know for myself, another thing that I’ve done to get specific about what I want/don’t want and thereby willing to take action… is getting emotionally associated with the real messy parts of my life.
Imagining myself in the nice clothing is good – but I would hate to ever tell my kids “Sorry.. daddy can’t go skiing with you – I’m too sick/weak/out of shape, etc”
Knowing that some things must never happen can get me on the right track (especially if we get distracted with all the hubbub that goes on)
Paul Klaszus´s last blog ..Less is More, More or Less
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Jodi Lee Reply:
April 6th, 2010 at 4:56 pm
great motivation Paul. Got to stay on track.
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Jodie,
I love that exercise. We really do need to count our blessings, they will multiply when we do!
Great reminder today to focus on positive areas instead of the other.
Val
Val Wilcox´s last blog ..Everyone Has A Dream
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