(T4T) Tips for Tuesday - 7+ ways to be Happy before you die.

Since it's "Happiness Happens" month I thought what a better way to help happiness happen than to ask some experts for tips on "how to be happy". 

What a diversity of responses I got along with some great input as usual.


1) 

Sharon Stobbia

Life & Business Coach 

"Take action. Don't wallow in your own unhappiness. Reflect on what is making you unhappy and decide what to do about it. You have to consciously decide that you want to be happy and work towards that goal. It doesn't just happen and is not just a case of temperament. Also be pro-active and do more of the things that make you happy. Make a list of 10 things that really make your heart sing and commit to doing at least one thing on the list every day." 

To learn more about Ms. Stobbia - Please check out her site.

2) 

Bridget Hieronymus

Certified Life Coach

" I have my own quote that I like to use and it's this: 'Change your thoughts; change your life.' And it's really that simple. Life is about cause and effect. Every thought we have is the cause, and what we see in our lives are the effects. I really try to teach my clients how to be more positive, how to stop focusing on the negative things in their lives and SEE THE GOOD. As humans, we are almost trained since birth that life is hard, things are tough, no pain no gain and all of these senseless things that get engrained in our subconscious so that out of the 60,000 or so thoughts we think a day, at least 80% of them are negative! And that's so bizarre to me ... that we'd rather concentrate on negative things ... "I can't pay the bills, what if I lose my job?, my marriage is falling apart, etc. etc." than we would on good things! Changing your thoughts and becoming aware and mindful of them is KEY to becoming happier. The trick is to recognize negative thoughts, not give them any attention and instead think of the good stuff. See the good always, and your life will change. Make it a daily habit to monitor your thoughts and make conscious efforts to change them. This is the secret to a great life! What are you thinking about today?" 
  
To learn more about Ms. Hieronymus - please check out her site.

3) 

Dr. Joyce M. Knudsen 

Phd, Author, & Mentor

" Happiness depends on you; your attitude toward life; your self-esteem; you belief in yourself. No other person can make you happy. That is your job.
Having said that, there is a tip I've used over the years that has made me happy and that, no matter what, to love yourself. Begin by getting to know you. We all have other people in our life, but we must put ourselves first. Begin by starting a new exercise program and eating right. Write a journal and put in there....every day...how special you are. What did you accomplish this day? What is something you can to to change a life this day...next day? What do you want to do tomorrow and then do. It'll make a large difference in your life. " 

To learn more about Dr. Knudsen- Please visit her site

4) 

Rebecca Thomas, 

CPC, CLC 

"To be happier, stop comparing yourself to everyone else. It's so easy to look at the accomplishments, achievements, and successes of others around you and start to wonder "What am I doing wrong?" There is no right formula to these things as everyone has their own definition of success. Figure out what your values are and take a look at your goals. lf they don't match up, change what needs to be changed. Also, stop looking at others to be your source of happiness. It's easy to take on the fairytale mentality of "they complete me", but it is important to realize you should be a complete person on your own. When you stop relying on others as your source of happiness, you will be much happier. Ultimately, there is only one you so why not be happy with that person because only you can do it well." 

To earn more about Ms Thomas - Please check out her site.

5)

Akshay Nanavati 
 Life Coach

"To find happiness, take more risks and push yourself outside your comfort zone. 

In the bestselling book, Flow: The psychology of optimal experience, ..., Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi found that, “The best moments in our lives are not the passive, receptive, relaxing times. The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile.”  

Real happiness is not an end result that must be sought after, it is something that must be fully experienced in the moment. Often times, in these moments when the mind and body is being pushed to its limits, the experience is not one of joy, it is one of struggle. But through struggle and adversity, we ultimately find the most joy....

Every risk you take, every inch will bring you greater and greater levels of joy. Happiness then lies just one inch beyond your perceived limits. Are you willing to take that inch?"

To learn more about Mr. Nanavati - Please check out his site. .

 


6) 

Fikile Hlungwani

Founder & MD
Rivoningo Life Coaching

"Life these days is full of stress. Uncertainty ,Deadlines & Worry. It’s easy to get caught up in the rat race of life, somehow thinking that happiness comes with having it all. 

Be here now -Don’t project your happiness into the future. Think about the blessings in your
life right now, and focus on being truly appreciative. Learn to experience life as it is happening, and train yourself to cultivate appreciation."

To find out more about Ms. Hlungwani- Please check out her site  

7) 

Kristen Long

Coach. Toastmaster. Prison-worker. 

Wife. Mother. Friend.

Coach. Toastmaster. Prison-worker. Wife. Mother. Friend. - See more at: http://coach4life.co.za/blog/2013/07/dont-say-no-to-yourself-before-they-do-2/#sthash.EHhOZGfe.dpuf

 

"Think about a person you love and know well.

It is possible to list ten things about this person you don't like, isn’t it?

Imagine if, every day, you focused on the things you didn't like about this person, the things that irritated you and the things you wished were different. Every time you think of this person, you envisage all those things you don't like, You criticise them heavily in your mind. 

 …

 Now, it is also possible to list ten things that you like and admire about this person.

Imagine if, every day you focused on the things you love about this person, the things you admire and enjoy. Every time you think about this person, it's with loving thoughts and with appreciation. When you talk about them to others you talk about the things that are working in your relationship.

 …. 

The person has not changed. However – your emotions are totally different from the one scenario to the other.

If you want to be happier, focus on what right and working in your life and relationships.

Every now and again, reflect on what is not working in your life, and take action to change some thing. (or if it is without your control, accept) this way you feel empowered ... Which also leads to happier feelings."

To learn more about Ms. Long -  Please check out her site.

8)

Dr Barbara Johnson

The People Developer

In becoming The People Developer I have studied people from around the world in all sorts of life circumstances. I have formal and informal studies that span some 40 years. Dr Viktor Frankl realised humanity’s need to satisfy the endless search to find meaning in life. Freud brought us the Principle of Pleasure and Adler the Principle of Power. Frankl brought us the Principle of Meaning. What life Principle will you live by – Happiness?

  Frankl triumphantly survived WWII. He saw that some people came out of the horrific experience of holocaust and Nazi concentration camps “better people”. “Better people, not in spite of but because of the very circumstances that they found themselves in”. What these people had found was a way (unique to each person) to attach some sort of meaning to their experience.

  Finding Meaning is the essence of happiness. It is finding what is uniquely meaningful to you as a unique human being in whatever your unique life circumstance is. Meaning brings about specific purpose and measurable fulfilment. Imagine being able to use the trauma for transformation and self-transcendence. This is the recipe for happiness.

To learn more about Dr. Johnson -  Please check out her site.

9) 

Ted Behr

        AKA Coach Ted, 

ADD/ADHD Coaching and Midlife Career Change

“…with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are…the pursuit of Happiness.”  I am sure that you recognize these words from the Declaration of Independence.  But what does it mean to pursue happiness?  The definition of pursue is “To follow in an effort to overtake or capture; chase.”   So, to pursue happiness means to chase it in order to capture it.  The implication is that it’s out there somewhere.  We have to find it.  We have to catch up to it and capture it.

With that perspective, happiness is mostly in the future.  And that’s how most of us think about how we can feel happier.  We say “I will be happy when _____”  Fill in the blank: “When I have a new job.”  “When I have more money.”  “When I have a relationship.”  “When I lose 30 lbs.”    But that’s a trap.  Studies have shown that happiness that comes from achieving a goal or acquiring something is short-lived.  So then it becomes the next goal or the next acquisition that's going to make you happy.  And it's a never ending quest.

But you can do things to be happier NOW.  Nataly Kogan, founder of Happier.com, has written, “ Focusing on small happy moments in everyday life that often go unnoticed: appreciating people you care about; connecting with friends and family who make you feel good; doing nice things for others, and spending time engaging in activities you love most  — these are the behaviors that multiple studies have shown actually do make people happier, more positive, and optimistic."

To learn more about Mr. Behr - please check out his site

How about you? Do you have any tips? If so leave them below.



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