Those of you who follow this blog may have noticed that the focus of my ramblings has shifted slightly over the past couple of months. There’s a reason for that. I have become absolutely passionate about the role of ‘happiness’ in my life. If you check the previous post, you will find a brief overview of the journey I am on that brought me to this conclusion. Feel free to read that one for some context.
THE JOURNEY CONTINUES
Perhaps the shift has occurred as a result of the aging process (although I still feel like a teenager) or maybe as a result of some significant health challenges that reared their ugly heads a couple of years ago. I like to think my focus has come back to core values and been bolstered by some incredible coaching that I have been blessed with recently. Whatever the case, my research, passion for the subject and perhaps a greater understanding of what most of society feels about happiness (66% of North Americans say they are unhappy) is where my thoughts are these days.
HAPPY IS THE NEW HEALTHY
Although there are many reasons people identify when talking about their unhappiness, they all seem to be an offshoot of what I believe is the core problem. Health, fatigue and aches/pains seem to be the centre of the issue. For example, some people indicate that their employment situation is the cause of their unhappiness. Could that be because they are arriving at work sleep-deprived, irritable due to aches and pains or from stress? See where I’m going with this?
It’s harder to concentrate on your work, relationships, finances or almost anything else important when you’re just not feeling well. That doesn’t necessarily mean sick or injured. In my case, I am blessed to wake up every morning happy. Life is so much more wonderful when you get up that way.
LENGTHENING LIVES
In an article titled “Six Ways Happiness is Good For Your Health“, Kira M. Newman writes that happiness protects your heart, strengthens your immune system and combats stress, diseases and disability. She notes that, “Recently, a critical mass of research has provided what might be the most basic and irrefutable argument in favor of happiness: Happiness and good health go hand-in-hand.”
Over the past six months I have tested that hypothesis and can tell you without reservation that better health creates happiness and joy. It is so much easier to face the work at hand when you feel terrific. Relationships blossom when you get up each morning feeling happy and joyous. No challenge is insurmountable when you have a smile on your face.
TAKE SIMPLE STEPS
Try it. It’s that simple. If the happier you are is directly proportional to how healthy you are, why not get healthy? I’m not suggesting you rush out and buy up all the ‘happy’ programs on the market, or the ‘healthy’ programs either. But a few simple steps that cost almost nothing may be in order:
- Find someone that has the happiness factor you respect and ask them how they got there. I, for one, would be absolutely honoured to share with you the strategies I use for free. Helping people find happiness makes me feel happy so why not?
Pretty short list. Great place to start.
As I always end with something to think about, here we go. “To keep the body in good health is a duty. Otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.” (Buddha)
Saul Jacobson 