Howtoencourage

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

Encouragement to Be Happy

Are you a happy person?
Are you seeking contentment, inner satisfaction and a purposeful life?

Research shows that you can develop and strengthen your happiness muscles even if you tend toward the negative. Having a happy outlook is right at your fingertips.

Dr. Dan Baker from Arizona Canyon Ranch says, "our ability to experience happiness is 50 percent influenced by genetics, 10 percent by events, and 40 percent by intention."

Since most of the time you can't do anything to change your genetics or the events that happen to you, your focus should be on how you can change your attitude. If you purpose in your heart to notice and accentuate the good in your life you have a headstart towards happiness.

The great motivational speaker, Zig Ziglar points people to the positive approach. "Positive thinking won't let you do anything, but it will let you do everything better than negative thinking will."

What does that mean for your everyday lifestyle?

Maybe it's as simple as noticing what's right in your life instead of what's wrong and writing it down in a personal gratitude/satisfaction journal. People who were tested and then instructed to record every instance in which they were thankful reported higher levels of enthusiasm, optimism and energy.

The lesson?
Don't wait for something big to be happy. Make yourself happy by noticing the small blessings that are already in place.

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