Happiness

Happiness is something we all want and from Our Approach you know that we think that having enough energy to enjoy life to the full, together with you being OK with you, are keys to unlock it. If you don’t have energy, then everything looks uphill… If you ‘shoot’ at yourself, then people around you get hit too (collateral damage in relationships). Happiness is much more than merely the absence of conflict, and yes, getting rid of internal conflict is a prerequisite to happiness, but you’ll be surprised how much a little discipline of mapping can help lots. Surprisingly enough, you can train happiness by creating happy habits that literally re-wire your brain (you building different neuronal pathways) and what a smart move if you fuel happiness by feeding your brain healthier nutrients. It’s a choice, it takes effort, it takes self-discipline but oh my, trying is so worth it!   Try these for a quick boost:

Listen to and delight in what is beautiful to your EAR

That can be Pharrell Williams’ song (the perfect tune to play whilst you are reading this Post, we hope you’ll agree), the Benedictus in Mozart’s Requiem, glorious birdsong during their dawn chorus, whatever lifts your spirit. Bookmark those moments, so your memory can find the tunes when life turns quiet.

Look at and delight in what is beautiful to your EYES

The colour universally considered to be uplifting is green and outdoors there’s more of it. Also outdoors has more oxygen than indoors (unless windows are wide open) and oxygen is good for you. Beyond green there are beautiful shapes and lovely lines to look at. And we know, what if you only can see the glass as half empty? It’s amazing how often people see their glass differently when they don’t feel knackered, so try.

DO things TOGETHER

Talk to someone you like (love in all but a word), don’t Whatsapp, don’t Instagram, don’t Email… talk for real. Face to face, so you can give someone a hug or a handshake. And do stuff together, your happiness increases many times when you help others, this can be as simple as riding a pushbike around Pitsford Reservoir with a friend. Sing, make music with others. Walk the unspoilt National Trust coastlines and parks. Give some of your time to charitable works, usually the gratitude you receive is far greater than the effort you put in. Bookmark those shared moments, so your memory can find the views when you have nobody around for company.

Of course unhappiness can hit like a meteorite -bereavement or very serious accident- but more often than not, people slowly slide into it. If you are slithering downhill or you know someone who is going that way, then please let them know about our approach. It may just help turn an amber traffic light to green, rather than it going red.

Here’s a suggestion to boost your happiness RIGHT NOW:   get out of chair, turn up volume, refresh this page and dance like nobody’s watching for the entire length of Pharrell Williams’ song…