6 Things that Can Bring You Down Every Time
By Sandy Schroeder
As most of us know, absolute joy and genuine happiness can be as elusive as a butterfly. One minute the breeze is blowing and the sun is smiling down on us, the next minute the sun ramps up the temps and we hide out in the nearest air conditioned spot.
So how do we hang onto bliss?
Dr. Travis Bradberry, co-founder of TalentSmart, an agency that services 75 percent of the Fortune 500 companies, does his usual perceptive analysis as he helps us understand what happiness is and what to do to avoid traps that sabotage it.
Bradberry points to University of California studies that say life circumstances only impact a limited portion of happiness. It has been shown that the super rich are only marginally more happy than others. Yes, I question that finding, too. I do believe the fellow sailing along in his Ferrari may be quite a bit happier than the fellow in the next lane chugging forward in his aging Chevy. But what happens when the fellow in the Ferrari acquires another and another? Does the joy just keep building? According to the researchers, it does not.
The University of California researchers say much of happiness is really under our control. If our lifestyle habits are good, happiness can become a habit, but it’s important to monitor daily habits that can become pitfalls.
Here are some habits to avoid.
Chilling out with technology - Too many websites, texts, or endless videos can become a numbing escapism.
Shopping and more shopping - We all need some things to be comfortable, but after that an endless stream of acquisitions may not make you much happier.
Postponing for the future - It’s great to plan for the future, but we all need to live in the present before it becomes the past.
Suppressing feelings - At some point all of those feelings that have been bottled up will show up in one form or another. Express your feelings and reach out to others to share your thoughts.
Letting life happen - Get a grip and reach out to take charge of your life.
Waking up with a frown - If you have just forgotten how to smile, and always expect a new disaster, you need to shake things up a bit. Get away for a week or a month, whatever you can manage. You may return smiling, already planning your next trip.
If these habits ring a bell, you may want to chuck them and start fresh, shooting for happiness in everything you do. A dear friend of mine always says, “You only go around once. Make it good.”
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