The small fellow is Piglet. When my boys were young we read them Winnie the Pooh and friends books. Pooh was carefree and happy. Another character, Eeyore was a jackass-literally and figuratively. Reading those stories was redundant but a bit educational-even for the parents involved.
(I realize this is a little elementary and metro, but play along and see where this is going.)
The other day I noticed how an associate of mine concludes many of her stories with .."and that really made me mad" Needless to say, most of the events are inconsequential and not worth getting mad or being unhappy about, like the line at the coffee shop, long red lights and grocery store checkers who make incorrect change.
In the past I've had clients who show up for workout and bitch about the workout,time of day, the noose I'm preparing for them...you get the picture. They have attempted to counter my recommendations for the day with 101 reasons why it's unreasonable for them to participate or god forbid dangerous! Eeyore personified.
Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar has a book entitled Happier and offers these six tips on being more happy.
1. Give yourself permission to be human. When we accept emotions — such as fear, sadness, or anxiety — as natural, we are more likely to overcome them. Rejecting our emotions, positive or negative, leads to frustration and unhappiness.
2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning. Whether at work or at home, the goal is to engage in activities that are both personally significant and enjoyable. When this is not feasible, make sure you have happiness boosters, moments throughout the week that provide you with both pleasure and meaning.
3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account. Barring extreme circumstances, our level of well being is determined by what we choose to focus on (the full or the empty part of the glass) and by our interpretation of external events. For example, do we view failure as catastrophic, or do we see it as a learning opportunity?
4. Simplify! We are, generally, too busy, trying to squeeze in more and more activities into less and less time. Quantity influences quality, and we compromise on our happiness by trying to do too much.
5. Remember the mind-body connection. What we do — or don't do — with our bodies influences our mind. Regular exercise, adequate sleep, and healthy eating habits lead to both physical and mental health.
6. Express gratitude, whenever possible. We too often take our lives for granted. Learn to appreciate and savor the wonderful things in life, from people to food, from nature to a smile.
Dr. Ben also suggest taking 10 minutes to practice enlightenment. For 10 minutes write down all the things that make you happy.
Take your pick. You're going to be Eeyore or Winnie the Pooh. Here's my coaching advice. Pick Pooh. Life is much healthier that way.
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