You have work to do and success to achieve, don’t you. There’ll be plenty of time later for being happy, right? Maybe. But some leading researchers in the field of positive psychology are turning that equation—success = happiness—on its head. They’re making some compelling arguments that we will have an easier (and faster) time achieving our goals if we start from a place of “happy.”
Repeated research suggests that extrinsic happiness—the feeling that accompanies a promotion, a new car, a first house, whatever—is fleeting (for more on this, see Dan Gilbert’s Stumbling on Happiness). People who feel intrinsically happy enjoy a more lasting sense of wellbeing than those of us who rely on a specific achievement to feel happy.
What does it mean to be intrinsically happy? It means viewing the world from a place of positive emotion, of expecting the best rather than the worst. It means finding wellbeing in the many small experiences we have every day, rather than “things” we can acquire. It means adopting a positive, accepting view of life and its ups and downs. It means not being mired in negativity when something unpleasant happens.
Intrinsic happiness has many benefits for both mind and body, including more creative thinking, more resiliance, and a stronger ability to persevere—all of which will help you achieve your goals more easily and quickly. As a bonus, it’ll help you fight the common cold.
For more on how to shift your spirit toward intrinsic happiness, check out my latest magazine column at https://mollyrosecoaching.com/articles. Or visit mollyrosecoaching.com and click on “My articles.”
C’mon, give me a call…we’ll talk about how easy it can be to develop your happiness skills. I can’t cure the common cold (yet, anyway), but I sure can help you fight it off. 608 770 7076
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