THE TEN
HAPPIEST THINGS
YOU CAN DO
1) Love yourself
2) Seek the loving life
3) Turn on the laughter
4) Enjoy the power of touch
5) Live one day at a time
6) Take time to waste time
7) Move Your muscles
8) Search for meaning
9) Join the workaday world
10) Give to others
Most mental - health professionals know
there's not one formula for happiness.
People are just too different.
However, there is surprising agreement on
what factors contribute to happiness.
Here are the top ten things that happy people do to stay happy.
Love Yourself
According to Perry W. Buffington, an Atlanta psychologist you can begin to love yourself by waging war on negativity. "Most people's thoughts about themselves are negative," he says "And people tend to accept the negative notions uncritically and act as though they were true. I get them to monitor what they're thinking and ask themselves if it's really accurate."
Seek the loving life
While most people think of romantic love when they consider this emotion, almost any kind of loving relationship can contribute to happiness.
"When you focus attention on someone else, you feel better about yourself, " says Buffington. "When I get patients who have no caring relationships, I usually recommend they get involved in some small group that has a definate purpose."
Turn on the laughter
Laughing can soften the blows, as someone once said,
humor is a free ride to happiness.
Enjoy the power of touch
When you touch others you're completing a circuit that sends off sparks of well being. In touching others you confirm that you're a part of - not apart from - the human race. Says James Hardison, Ph.D, a San Diego psychologist and the author of Let's Touch. " It's through touching that we're able to fulfill a large share of our human needs and, in doing so, to attain happiness. By touching someone we can affirm our friendship or approval, communicate important messages, promote health, and bring about love."
The problem is , he says people put up a lot of barriers to effective touching. "For one thing, our society tends to equate touching with either sex or violence. Consequently, many people avoid the simple acts of touching - pats on the back, handshakes, hugs - that affirm goodwill."
Live one day at a time
Worrying about what was or fretting about whats to come is a sure way to ruin a perfectly good day - everyday. Stay in the here and now, and live it as fully as possible. You can do this by monitoring your thoughts. When you find yourself dwelling on the past or worrying about the future, put a brake on those thoughts. They're unproductive and even may be an unhealthy habit.
Take time to waste time
Use your leisure time for fun and relaxation. If you squander it on work, you'll complain of never having enough. If you must have a goal, make it having fun.
Move your muscles
Look over any of the dozens of studies on exercise ans what it does for us. You'll see that in one respect all those studies draw the same conclusion. Aside from it's physical benefits, exercise is a topic for the soul - it elevates self - confidence, dissipates anxiety, chases away the blues, and gives us a healthy high.
Search for meaning
Why does one person have a zest for living while another - who's in the same boat - just drags along? No mystery. The zestful one has things to believe in, which is what makes life worthwhile.
Join the world
Being productive is central to satisfaction. People often complain about their jobs, but most of us feel absolutely miserable when we have nothing to do for any length of time. Involve yourself in something and you'll be more involved with life.
Give to others
Altruism is wonderful medicine - it lets you forget your own troubles and makes you feel good about yourself. It allows you to reach out to other people. As a bonus, you'll get some of that sense of purpose so essential to happiness.
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