Over the past couple of blog posts, I’ve been sharing with you things that happy people all seem to have in common (who doesn’t want to know that?!?). If you’ve been following this email series, congratulations on building the foundation of your happy place! (We did that in last week’s email, so go check it out if you haven’t yet!)
Now, I want to help you start thinking like an architect so you can begin building the right rooms upon that foundation.
Taking the time to implement things one step, or room, at a time will help you get the most desirable result. Like any good architect, you study other architects; you learn what good ones do well, and what those who build compromised structures miss.
Through my research, I’ve discovered that happy people all have five things in common; five principles that they consistently practice to create habits that result in happiness.
I don’t want you to overthink this, so I simply call these the 5 Core Principles of People Who Are Happier.
The first principle is Gratitude. Happy people practice gratitude every day. They look for things to be grateful for - and find them! You can find things to appreciate all around you. Happy people not only look for and notice these things, but they write about them, take pictures of them, and think about them long after they are gone. Whether it is in a journal, via a camera lens, or just in their minds, happy people choose to carry positive thoughts and images with them, and recall them regularly to remind themselves how grateful they are.
The second principle is practicing Acts of Kindness. Sometimes referred to as “paying it forward,” happy people do things for others without any expectations of receiving anything in return. These random acts can be simple, such as opening a door for someone or picking up a dropped set of keys for a person. They find these opportunities often because happy people choose to be aware; they keep their focus outward, which allows them to see and hear other people, not just focus on the chatter in their own heads.
Principle number three is Goal Setting. Setting goals is about living intentionally instead of randomly. When you live intentionally, you have something you look forward to accomplishing, something you can get excited about. You give yourself the opportunity to see yourself grow. Statistically, only about 10% of people set goals! Happy people set goals for themselves and work towards them with a sense of purpose.
The fourth principle is Community. This principle stems directly from one of the Three Anchors, Relationships. Happy people are part of groups who look out for one another. Close communities include family, friends, partners, while larger communities include hobbies, church/temple, sports teams and associations. These support groups lessen stress, anxiety, and worry. There is comfort in the sense that they have your back, and you have theirs.
Principle number five is Giving. It is common for people to talk about how they are going to give back “when they retire.” Happy people don’t wait to do this. They give of themselves all the time. Whether it be money, time, purposeful work, contribution of ideas, growing a garden and sharing produce with neighbors, or donating clothes or household items, happy people give of themselves to benefit others regularly. When you don’t delay giving, the outcome brings happiness.
Happiness is contagious. Happy people share their joy often, and also seek out opportunities to find more of it for themselves. These Five Principles will help you to feel good about your daily choices. It’s not about going out of your way to do things for other people; it’s paying attention to the opportunities that surround you everyday, because they’re there.
Stay tuned! Over the next few weeks, I’ll break down each of these principles (or rooms) so you can begin building your happy place on top of your solid foundation.
Next week, we’ll start by building your Gratitude room. See you then!