If I remember, :-) I'll start each post with 5 things I'm thankful for, because the book I'm reviewing says people who express gratitude for at least 10 weeks experience significantly more happiness. I've been doing it for years, but here we go.
1. Air conditioning!
2. Paved roads.
3. Philosopher's Notes.
4. Craigslist.
5. Unwrecked cars.
photo by Andrea Zampatti
OK, so I am not really going to review a book. I'm going to refer you to one through a program I LOVE with all that I am. It's called Philosopher's Notes. 100s of books at your fingertips summarized in six pages, with all the highlights of the Big Ideas. Love, love, love. So, I have them in pdf and mp3s and cds. It's a long story how Brian, graced me with a lot of it. But I'm grateful he did.
So, I was listening to the note for The How of Happiness, by SONJA LYUBOMIRSKY. Sounds like a great book from the note. But I'm not going to summarize all of the big ideas from the book; just one. Well 12 I guess. It's been scientifically proven that certain activities increase our happiness. Side note: Only 10% of our happiness comes from life circumstances, so if you spend most of your time and energy trying to increase your wealth, attractiveness and other nonsense, it only has a negligible and a temporary impact on your well-being.
But here are 12 things you can do, that over time will significantly contribute to happiness. And don't forget writing 5 things you are grateful for every day.
1. Expressing Gratitude
2. Cultivating Optimism
3. Avoiding Overthinking and Social Comparison
4. Practicing Acts of Kindness
5. Nurturing Social Relationships
6. Developing Strategies for Coping
7. Learning to Forgive
8. Increasing Flow Experiences
9. Savoring Life’s Joys
10. Committing to Your Goals
11. Practicing Religion and Spirituality
12. Taking Care of Your Body: Meditation + Physical Activity + Acting Like a Happy Person
Some of those are just plain easy, so get started today. If you want the details, then I suggest you subscribe to Philosopher's Notes, or get the book, The How of Happiness. Try a few of the 12 steps and see if you are happier.
