Relationships are important to happiness, so nurturing your social skills would seem a pretty wise happiness strategy. Now, is that something you can get from a book? Well, yes and no – it depends on the book. It may surprise you that research shows people panache is more polished in readers of Pride and Prejudice… Continue reading Happiness Life Strategy: Enjoy your stories, make friends & influence people
Category: Relationships
Valentine’s Day Happiness Strategies – #3. For everyone
When ‘they’ won’t change – what should you do? You can’t change someone else. And pressuring them to change tends to make them dig their heels in further. We all have a bit of that rebellious child still in us. But there’s one person you can change – you. And because relationships are mini systems,… Continue reading Valentine’s Day Happiness Strategies – #3. For everyone
Valentine’s Day Happiness Strategies – #2. For couples
When you’ve forgotten what you ever saw in them – what should you do? The things we find attractive or endearing at first – Cuthbert’s slight arrogance, Mavis’s raucous laugh – can come to annoy the bejesus out of us over time. They haven’t necessarily changed, we’ve zeroed in on minor irritations – sometimes at… Continue reading Valentine’s Day Happiness Strategies – #2. For couples
Valentine’s Day Happiness Strategies – #1. For singles
As Thursday is Valentine’s Day, this week we turn to some relationship-themed happiness strategies. Today – a happiness strategy for singles looking for love: When you’re waiting for Prince/Princess Charming to come along and make you happy – what should you do? Tomorrow - a happiness strategy for couples: When you’ve forgotten what… Continue reading Valentine’s Day Happiness Strategies – #1. For singles
7 Steps to Becoming a Happier Person
Web MD has an article called Strategies for Happiness: 7 Steps to Becoming a Happier Person By Tom Valeo. Reviewed by Cynthia Dennison Haines, MD. Here’s a quick summary of the 7 strategies from the article: Happiness Strategy # 1: Don’t Worry, Choose Happy First, make a decision to be happy. Then you can select… Continue reading 7 Steps to Becoming a Happier Person
If you want to be happy, think outside the self
In this 12-minute TED talk, Buddhist scholar Bob Thurman shares simple yet profound insights about happiness. If you don’t want to watch the video (don’t worry – you won’t miss any how-to-be-happy demonstrations), then here’s a summary: Self-obsession is boring Thinking of ourselves as alone in the world puts us into a delusion. The more… Continue reading If you want to be happy, think outside the self
Expressiveness versus effectiveness – or: How to prevent morning-after email remorse
During the break at a recent Web 2.0 talk I overhead people saying the talk was pitched too high and they weren’t following. They invested a lot of energy into their grumble, but it was wasted – they weren’t telling anyone who could do anything about it. This got me thinking that venting can be… Continue reading Expressiveness versus effectiveness – or: How to prevent morning-after email remorse
People are so nice!
In one of those ‘gifts with purchase’ from Estee Lauder* I received a lipstick in a shade I loved. Alas, on only the second use it broke. I took it back to the department store counter but, since it was a promotional item, all I was offered in replacement was a tester. A used one.… Continue reading People are so nice!
Someone’s watching you
I was cycling at the gym the other day when the guy on the next bike started chatting. (The etiquette of working out is a whole other topic on which I’d love to rant but, at least for now, won’t.) I removed an earbud, and he asked what I was listening to. ‘An audiobook’, I puffed. ‘You and… Continue reading Someone’s watching you
Compliment karma
I’m rather loose when it comes to compliments. I sprinkle those babies like chocolate on my triple-shot cappuccino. It’s almost embarrassing how often I catch myself telling a complete stranger she looks hot in her boots or mentioning to a service person that his knowledge is a huge help. I love how a sincere compliment… Continue reading Compliment karma