The Happy Blog.

Pharrell Williams sung about the topic in his happy song. Here is the chorus –

Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do.

It’s one of those cool songs where even if you are not that hot on lyrics, you should get at least one of the words right from time to time.

We wish our loved ones happiness at least twice a year. The one wish is captured in the most sung song of all time, “Happy Birthday to you,” and the other occasion is on the 31^st of December.

So the question must be asked, are there some keys that we can use to make us happier?

1. Try complain less.
   What you focus on becomes your reality. If you have ever looked at buying a car, you will know that as soon as you have decided on which car you want to get, you suddenly see the same car at every robot. The vehicle that you thought would be so unique turns out to be a car used by everyone! The reality is that you have activated a system called the Reticular Activation System, which simply means that your eyes and brain become attuned to what you focus on. The same goes for happiness, focus on the negative and you will become negative, focus on the positive and ….
   Forgive your past if you need to and embrace a happier future.
2. Quit comparing yourself to others.
   There will always be someone with more money, more friends, less fat, a faster car than you. However, no one has everything. So, go about your business, and become more aware of what you have going for you.
3. Shift happens and can happen to you.
   The best thing you can do is shift your identity to what you want to become. At the top of our Runner’s Leg Assessment form I have fields open to write down pertinent information. The one field goes as follows – Athletes name_________.
   A few people have commented that they are not athletes. My question to them is this, “Why are you doing the assessment?” Their answer often includes the words, to run better, or, to get over an injury that is prohibiting my running. My next statement goes as follows, “Well, that makes you an athlete”. It’s time to shift focus. By all means call yourself an athlete. By all means call yourself happy. Shift your focus and a new reality will follow.
4. Greet others with a smile.
   Smiling reduces stress hormones such as cortisol, adrenaline and dopamine. It increases chemicals such as endorphins. Endorphins are little happy molecules that your brain releases from time to time. Athletes regularly get a burst of them, which is why many of them come back time and again for the next swim/bike/run/fix. Take your pick.
   Greeting others with a smile makes others smile more too, and so you can get to start up a chain reaction.
5. Go for a Swim/Bike/Run.
   Your body was made to move, it was designed for exercise.
   – Getting outdoors and in the sun ups your vitamin D levels. Vitamin D is vital for happiness.
   – Getting out gives you a sense of accomplishment.
   – Getting out there and exercising gives you a burst of endorphins. Endorphins are similar to morphine and will make you happy. So, a bit of exercise will enable you to get a legal shot of an amazing chemical.
6. Watch a bit less news.
   I am a news junkie, but I am trying to watch a bit less these days. I am not suggesting that you go for an ostrich like existence, but that you realize that the news will always slant toward the negative. I gave up watching Carte Blanche a while ago. The signature tune alone gets me stressed and has the ability to half destroy my Sunday night.
7. Enjoy Monday.
   
   Monday’s facebook feed will probably have a number of posts decrying the fact that it’s Monday. Don’t buy in to them. Hate Mondays and you will destroy 1/7^th of your life.

Regards,

Mike Roscoe.