Monday, September 28, 2015

Skip the Impulse Purchases for Lasting Happiness

Skip the Impulse Purchases for Lasting Happiness

Buying stuff can leave us feeling high. In fact, 75 percent of
Americans
 surveyed admitted to making impulse purchases
according to research by CreditCards.com. However, stuff alone cannot account for unadulterated happiness. Sure, getting that new French press, pair of heels or tie can be exhilarating in the moment, but impulse purchases rarely leave us with a sustainable feeling of well-being. Typically, whatever we purchased ends up collecting dust in a closet or cupboard somewhere, leaving us with only the memory of how it felt to find the deal. That being said, we can find ways to sustain our happiness that are not centered around things, but experiences.
Stuff in and of itself is not the enemy. It is when we fixate on things instead of the experiences we might be able to have with our things that leads to unsustainable forms of happiness. Science proves again and again that it is our connectivity to other human beings, and the environment in which we live that can have a larger impact than the material wealth we may have. According to the World Happiness report, the common threads around what makes people happiest are social and center around our experiences. So how can we generate these experiences?

Take a Vacation Already

As the Atlantic reports, Americans on average accrue 18 vacation days per year and only use 16, whereas our French counterparts use up to twice as much. Based on these statistics,Europeans seem to understand the value of taking a break and how productive it can be more than Americans. So, instead of sitting on a mountain of vacation time, use it. Take a trip somewhere you've always wanted to visit and enjoy the experience of disconnecting from the hustle and bustle of your daily life. Enough cannot be said about how effective a break can be in helping you reconnect with your family and loved ones and come back to work refreshed and rejuvenated.

Share Yourself

While stuff is not the answer to happiness, some stuff can help you better connect to the community around you. For example, your iPhone lets you connect to social media apps like Facebook,Twitter and Instagram to share your life with your friends and family. By sharing the things that matter to you and allowing others to experience them with you, you are able to enjoy things you might miss if you were depending on physically being present. Remember, technology can be a friend by helping you be a part of the lives of those you love who are far away or even close. 

Follow Your Passion

Have you always been interested in something but think you will do it when you have more time? Now is that time. When you make a purchase, spend for something you are passionate about helps you create lasting happiness. When we value genuine wealth, like that of engaging in the things we love, we create an environment for lasting happiness. Try charting what gives you a natural high, so you become more aware of the wealth you already possess and can make it happen more often. By allowing yourself the freedom and space to spend in the areas that matter most to you, you can generate the experiences that make you happiest.
Choose wisely where you spend your money and you are sure to see many returns.
Guest post. 

Friday, September 18, 2015

Service and HAPPINESS

 
Service; participate actively to generate circles of HAPPINESS
A Totally Genuine Lovely creation
Post by  Alejandra Torpey is a professional in the learning and development industry, committed to serve for the integral development of people to empower them to perform at their best.

What is service? In a short and simple manner to explain it; is a wonderful thing, is something you do because you want to satisfy the needs of another being. I believe that you can serve to a dog when you feed him, you can serve a plant when you water it, but of course when you serve a person the feeling is amazing. By fulfilling the needs of a person, that person feels happy, and seeing and feeling such happiness that you gave them, makes you happy too. Is a two way road; a very gratifying road, I would say. Then, a circle of HAPPINESS is created.

In the past, the word “service” was underestimated and maybe even considered to be a meaningless activity. Nowadays, things have changed; a good service is what everybody wants everywhere they go then, you are a part of that too; don’t forget to provide a good service to those around you every time you can.

The power, nobility, honesty and meaning of service is very much valued and appreciated; as a  person. I haven’t seen a HAPPY person who is not willing to serve others and who can reserve for their own their good emotions and vibes instead of spreading them all over and radiating positivity.   

consequence, the person who provides the service is also appreciate it and valued. Then, it is in order to say that a person who is attentive and helpful to sever others, is a HAPPY

Imagine a Chef; they love cooking, is their passion! They feel HAPPY satisfying the taste of people  feeling, which is going to give their families satisfaction and joy to know their loved ones are doing awesome! Once more, a happy circle is being created based on the service.
with their creations; is more than filling empty stomachs, is providing a whole experience by means of what they do. When they receive the compliments of the guests, is a boost of energy to the Chef, a very rewarding emotion and a good Chef will share such compliments with everybody in the team because everyone in that kitchen (of course the waiters and waitresses too) served the guests; they made the guests HAPPY and that brought happiness and satisfaction to the working team who even if it was a crazy, rushing, long and tiring day, they are going to get home and share with their families: “today we were congratulated for our meals, or our service, or… whatever”. They are sharing a HAPPY
There are many types of services like: doing a favour to someone, is a service, and sometimes even if we not precisely told: “can you do me a favour”; when things are done, you know you contributed to something, someone and for a bigger benefit and purpose.

How many times at work we are told: “can you help me find this file, please”, “can you please remind me about this matter”… and the chain of service starts, because what you know or have, or do, is going to serve for something else and for somebody else. That’s what happens inside organizations, it doesn’t have to be an external person to call him/her a client; everybody around you is your client, because at any given moment you are going to need something from them and they are going to need something from you too.

Service is honest, service does not know envy or rivalry, it flows freely and does not feel like an obligation, things are being done on purpose for a purpose. When things are not done like this, harmony is broken.

In an organization every person is a member of the same team. If you serve your team members, you serve to yourself too and in the bigger picture you serve to the organization you represent by means of what you do and how you behave; and organizations serve the society. Again is a service cycle.

When people feel good at work, they are happy and a happy person is going to have a good attitude toward work, toward challenges, toward being asked to do something extra and very likely, will be willing to give that extra without even being asked for it. A happy person without doubt will add up to generate a good organizational climate and will be open to serve others.


Something to consider and to reflect about, what kind of people do
you want to have in your team? HAPPY people are more productive people. How can you contribute to serve HAPPILY to those around you? By putting a reliable smile on your face you already contribute a lot, and even help yourself too! Are you aware if the people in your team are HAPPY and honestly attentive and helpful in an honestly manner? Take the chance and the time to ask around; informal talks can serve better than strict organizational climate questionnaires. Use that information as a base to take action and to HAPPILY serve your people, serve your team; participate actively to generate circles of HAPPINESS!  

Monday, September 7, 2015

Please, make sure you are happy!

Please, make sure you are happy!
From A Totally Genuine Lovely creation  <3

Happiness… the single word feels amazing when you say it because of what it means, like if instantly it brings to your mind and spirit the idea of hope, peace, that everything is achievable, that everything is ok and is going to be ok… perhaps, the simple word can even make you smile.

Simple word, yes, happiness as it is a simple word, it is also simple to be, to feel, to breath, to live, to achieve!

What is happiness? I think there are different ways to define HAPPINESS some of them even scientifically speaking but is like when you are looking for any definition and you only get words that sound pretty interesting but do not give any practicality and, what is the point in knowing something that cannot be applicable! 

Happiness is a topic that although it has been gaining a lot of terrain lately in the personal as well as in the organizational level, it has always been present through history and is present in your life and in everyone’s life, is just something that we do not stop to think about. Like if the word and state of being of HAPPINESS is forbidden, but it is a right and a wonderful and necessary state of being! Is not a taboo to say the word HAPPINESS nonetheless, how many times do you listen to this word coming out from people’s mouths? That should be an interesting measure to do worldwide. Think about how many times have you said the word HAPPINESS, how many times have you experienced it? 

Maybe you haven’t been aware of it because we tend to misunderstand HAPPINESS with an extra amount of joy or even euphoria but like I said before, is much simpler than that. 
Happiness can come from a lot of sources and can have a lot of meanings, and the
important thing is always YOU. What brings YOU HAPPINESS? You do not need to compare to others, in fact is something the worlds needs to stop doing, comparing to others because that does not make any sense nor it helps because every creature is unique and therefore different and that essence is to be honored, you have to honor it by respecting it and respecting YOU.

Think about a time when you feel very well, perhaps because you found the book you have always to read, maybe because you received a message or a phone call from someone special to you; how did you feel? You felt HAPPY so this is what I mean when I say HAPPINESS comes from a lot of sources and has a lot of meanings. Those things that happened that made YOU feel HAPPY meant something for YOU, not for the person next to you or anybody else; maybe a friend of yours or your mom shared such HAPPINESS with you, but that is just a lovely complement of HAPPINESS to be able to share it, to spread it and be contagious about it with the people who surround you and the world!

But those were just moments of HAPPINESS then what to do to make it stay? Again is simple. Do you remember when you helped the neighbor because the bags of trash broke and everything spread all over the street? Or when you saw an elder person get on the bus and you offer your seat? That felt good right? And you did it because YOU felt it, nobody told you to do it, and you did it knowing that a “Thank You” might be all that you could get in return. But no, the reward is bigger than a “Thank You”, is like a touch to the soul and spirit knowing that you did something good for others that needed it. That is HAPPINESS, and although it seems that YOU are no longer the center of attention because you are giving to others, the reward functions in both ways. And then again, YOU did it, because YOU felt it, and YOU are rewarded so as the person that you just helped.

So you see, YOU are the most important piece for your HAPPINESS and HAPPINESS is a simple thing to feel, breath and live!

And don’t forget to Please, Make Sure YOU are HAPPY













Author  Alejandra Torpey is a professional in the learning and development industry, committed to serve for the integral development of people to empower them to perform at their best.

Friday, September 4, 2015

Seeking Happiness Blogger

Be the Happiness Blogger for this site.  
The Happiness Alliance is a deeply grassroots organization that is having large scale impact on the happiness movement. We are looking for someone with strong research capacity who loves to write and connect via social media and wants to contribute to the happiness movement. This is a great opportunity to build your reputation is a growing movement, spread knowledge and help make the world a better place for all.


What we are looking for:

  • Posts on the topics of positive psychology and the happiness movement. 
  • Issues ranging from social change, grassroots activism, community, the environment, government, policies and programs that contribute to the well-being of all people and the planet as well as tips and findings from researchers in the positive psychology movement.
  • Someone who is knowledgeable about the happiness movement, beyond GPD issues and positive psychology or who is eager to learn about the field. 
  • Someone who has a big-picture view who can also see and explain how the details fit or do not fit into the big-picture.
  • Three to four posts a month at the minimum.
  • Posts about 100-500 word.
  • Build traffic through use of social media.
What we offer:
  • Management of the Happiness Alliance blog.
  • Access to our social media sites, including a 8K on twitter feeds, 1K on facebook, storfiy and other s.m. 
  • Exposure to in our newsletter of over 7K.
  • Membership in our team.
  • Access to data, information and networking opportunities. 


This is a volunteer position. Email laura@happycounts.org and send a sample of your writing.