The Pursuit of Happierness

Spring-boarding off last’s week’s inaugural issue are the two skills that can enrich life the most. Being more present and resilient hold the potential to have the greatest positive impact on our daily lives and for us to sustain happiness overall.

Still, we all have limited time, energy and motivation for self-improvement. We can’t do it all. If we’re going to make the effort, we want something to show for it. That’s the secret sauce with presence and resilience. Not sweating the small stuff and tuning more into the moments that matter are incredibly satisfying and noticeable, which is to say you’ll want to keep honing these skills.

At the heart of combining presence, resilience and free will is a certain mindset called Happierness.

By definition, Happierness means to be intentionally present and have a reflex of positivity by choosing to embrace the bright side of every situation.

Happierness originated out of the need to express optimism in the present tense. I do my best to be precise with writing. Using optimism to describe living presently is like saying that hopefulness is about something happening right now.

LET’S GET PRACTICAL

Here are three everyday ways to improve your Happierness reflex:

1) Your Complaint-free Day

If there’s any a single antonym for Happierness, it’s complaint. There’s something special about complaining. First, we know there’s a scientific basis for how our "negativity bias" feeds our inner critic and Automatic Negative Thoughts (ANTs). Our biggest challenge with taming our inner monologue is that most ANTs occur subsurface somewhere between our subconscious and conscious mind. To me, complaints are opportunities to catch ourselves in the act. Try this for one day and experience the difference. With every ANT you say aloud, repel and counter it by seeing the bright side instead. Also consider what you say to yourself. Just because you think it, doesn't make it true. Find the silver linings.

2) The “Have-to-Get” Gratitude Converter

This is a simple habit-former. Whenever you can catch yourself saying that you “have” to do something, like an errand, substitute the word “get” and identify for what you can be grateful. Do you “have” to go to the pharmacy or the doctor or the food store? It’s a subtle complaint. Instead, acknowledge how you “get” the benefits of modern medicine and the convenience of milk, bread and deodorant being five minutes away. It’s a little mindset shift with big rewards.

3) Strive for Best-Case Scenarios

Do this the next time you experience a fear-based hesitation, such as with something outside your comfort zone. In addition to pushing yourself to do something, the point here is to act with intention. First, decide that the juice is worth the squeeze. With that best-case scenario as motivation, what’s a [realistic] worst-case and – in that event – what positives would still come of it? Value progress over perfection. Once whatever happens, happens, apply your 20/20 hindsight.

The concept of Happierness continues to evolve. It wasn’t even in the book. There’s now a framework that embodies “The 8 Facets of Happierness,” which we’ll continue to explore in greater depth along with other topics in future issues.

So I don’t leave you hanging, here are the 8 facets: self-kindness, Earned Confidence, amplified awareness, positivity reflex, mindfulness, energy management, inevitability and gratitude.

Happierness applies to the boundlessness of the human spirit - be that about achieving goals and dreams, positively affecting others and/or impacting the world at-large. Happierness spans personal development, life skills, well-being, relationships, career pursuits, wealth, and achieving your purpose.

So, what do you think of honing a Happierness mindset? Here in the early going, people seem to either love it or they’re less a fan. Here on the home front, my wife Erica expressed that she’s not into “made-up words,” which led me to point out that every word wasn’t a word before it was a word. That went well. And then there’s her 19y/o daughter, Greta, who thinks, “It sounds like some first grader overslept during nap time.” If only I was kidding. But from a Happierness perspective, Greta is always good for a healthy dose of humility.

So, I’ve got THAT going for me!

INSIGHTS TO LIVE BY - THE PODCAST (newly released)

EPISODE 108: Forging Genuine Connections with Rob Lawless

It’s ironic. Our world is more connected than ever and yet loneliness has reached epidemic proportions. So, what does take to forge genuine connections? Rob Lawless is on a mission to find out. He’s set an intention to spend 1 hour, 1-on-1 with 10,000 different people. As the founder of Robs10kFriends, he’s already met more than 6,000 people from all walks of life across nearly 90+ countries. Through it all, Rob believes that every human interaction holds the potential to change lives. Genuine connections are about treating interactions as an experience rather than a transaction and creating empathy through conversation. Among all else in this episode, we discuss how to create a more connected, empathetic, and successful workplace through the exponential power of human connection.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT:

EPISODE 107: On the Move at Work with Laura Putnam

We are more creatures of culture than we are of habit. This means a healthy workplace is less about self-care as it is team-care. Joining the show to delve into the nuances of what matters most is Laura Putnam. She’s the Founder and CEO of Motion Infusion and creator of a leadership training program, “Managers on the Move.” Laura works with hundreds of companies to infuse a culture of wellness and, by extension, a culture of motion. In addition to insights of value to any wellness-devoted employer, this conversation provides a wealth of guidance for individuals willing to do a little to gain a lot.

I hope you make some good memories this weekend!

Author of “Z-isms: Insights to Live By” (free eBook and Audiobook)

Host of “Insights to Live By – The Podcast”

MORE FREE RESOURCES

Depression Defeater tool and about Mood Health

Self-Care Report Card tool

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TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MY LEARN-BY-DOING EXPERIENTIAL COURSES: The Mindset Reset, WellBeing Reset, Life Upgrade modules (click here)

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To have me keynote your next event or support your people with workshops, retreats and other custom training programs: Book My Calendar for us to explore this together.

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TO CONTACT ME:

[email protected]

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p.s. Readers Note: the target length of these newsletter articles is 700-words, which equates to a 3-minute read. I'm experimenting and learning along the way and sincerely appreciate your feedback and welcome your engagement.

NEWSWORTHY

Closing out January, Matt was invited to present a ‘workshop-inar’ for the Global Institute of Organizational Development as well as the Association for Talent Development in Orange County, Calif. about “Uncommon Skill-Building Techniques that Instill Presence and Resilience.”

Special thanks to GIODN president, Dr. Nancy Zentis, for her kind words, “We are incredibly grateful for this insightful new approach we can take into our lives to uplift ourselves and others. You have encouraged vulnerability and authenticity across our community.”

ADDITIONAL TOPICS FOR WORKSHOPS, KEYNOTES AND TRAINING PROGRAMS

● Extinguishing Burnout: Personally and Organizationally

● Recouping Productivity by Taming Overthinking

● Managing Energy Personally, Interpersonally and Universally

● Defeating Depression for Good

● Foundational Skills for Emotional Intelligence

● Living Your Best Life with Happierness?