Creating Happiness Through Action
Does thinking positive thoughts make us happy? Not exactly. It turns out that doing positive things is the real key to feeling happy. You don't just find happiness lying around; you build it yourself. This is the most crucial advice from research on happiness.
Happiness isn't something you own or something you are born being. Luckily it's more like a "skill" which means you can learn it, practice it, and get better at it. No matter who you are, you can actually create more happiness in your life.
Beyond Positive Thinking
Just trying to "think positive" isn't enough for most of us. Especially when dealing with harmful stress, or burnout, we rather need to focus on "acting positive." Studies show that while controlling our thoughts can be hard, controlling our actions—what we actually do—is much easier.
Why Happiness Can Be Hard
Our brains are not naturally wired for happiness as a default state. They're fine-tuned to detect danger, threats, and risks; to problem-solve, to keep us safe and secure our survival. This survival mechanism means our focus naturally gravitates towards the negative, with challenges and adverse events occupying more mental space than positive ones. This means we often focus on the negative, our problems, more than the positive aspects of our lives. The brain is all about survival, not making sure we're enjoying life.
Training for Happiness
Just like physical exercise is good for our bodies, we need to exercise our minds to help us be happier. As you know, creating helpful habits takes some work. Good habits for health and happiness also take effort, time, and discipline. Don't just think about being happier—do things that actually make you feel happier.
Look out for the next part, where I'll share specific actions that can help bring joy and satisfaction into your life, even when facing the challenges of stress and burnout.
Let's Talk
If stress or burnout is making it hard for you to find happiness, reach out to me. I know applying this knowledge to actions by yourself can be challenging. Together, we will find how to tailor these strategies to suit your needs, finding activities and habits that bring you joy and well-being.
