The Two Techniques You Can Learn From Naturally Happy People
turally happy people unconsciously engage in: Social comparison (or the lack thereof) Retrospective judgment Via Happiness: Unlocking the Mysteries of Psychological Wealth: Sonja Lyubomirsky identified ways in which dispositionally happy people think in ways that bolster their moods: social comparison and retrospective judgment. Even if you're not a naturally happy person you can use these techniques to increase positive feelings. So what the heck do those fancy words mean and how can we leverage them? 1) "Social comparison" means don't…
2 minutes
Psychotherapists Say This Is The Key To Happiness
e story you tell yourself about your life. When your vision of your life story is inadequate, depression can result. Psychotherapists actually help "rewrite" that story and this process is as, if not more, effective than medication. Via The Storytelling Animal: How Stories Make Us Human: According to the psychologist Michele Crossley, depression frequently stems from an “incoherent story,” an “inadequate narrative account of oneself,” or “a life story gone awry.” Psychotherapy helps unhappy people set their life stories straight;…
4 minutes
Here’s Why Stupid People Don’t Realize They’re Stupid
know how skilled you are at something, you need to watch yourself, watch others and compare. If you don't have the experience (or the mental firepower) to do this effectively, your judgements won't be accurate. To oversimplify it a tad -- stupid people may be too stupid to realize they're stupid: Successful negotiation of everyday life would seem to require people to possess insight about deficiencies in their intellectual and social skills. However, people tend to be blissfully unaware of their…
3 minutes
Is a happy day a creative day?
verall, the more positive a person’s mood on a given day, the more creative thinking he did that day." There was even a carryover effect for the next two days after. Want to be more creative? Get happy. Via The Progress Principle: Using Small Wins to Ignite Joy, Engagement, and Creativity at Work: Our diary study revealed a definitive connection between positive emotion and creativity. We looked at specific emotions as well as overall mood (the aggregate of a person’s…
2 minutes
How Your iPhone Can Increase Your Happiness
ted happiness researcher and author of The How of Happiness, Sonja Lyubomirsky, has created an iPhone app to help you widen that smile. It leverages iPhone features to assist users in engaging a number of happiness-boosting principles I've posted about in the past. I'll describe the app's five functions and link to more information on the techniques employed: "Thank": This encourages users to keep a gratitude journal and to email others to express gratitude. "Optimism": Here users have a place…
1 min read
The Simple Thing That Can Dramatically Improve Your Life
end more time outdoors. Nature has a myriad of incredible positive effects that have demonstrated by research: Being out in nature reduces stress. Nature walks or even looking at pictures of nature improves memory. Flowers increase romantic feelings. Nature can even make you a better person. Can't be bothered to step outside? Even a potted plant has been shown to improve attention span and increase creativity in an office environment. You might be inclined to discount this. I know that…
1 min read
These Are The Two Most Common Tricks Advertisers Are Using To Manipulate You
bsp; 1) Your "feared self." Via Brandwashed: Tricks Companies Use to Manipulate Our Minds and Persuade Us to Buy: In a surprising 2008 study, researchers at the University of Bath, UK, found that the fear of failure drives consumers far more than the promise of success; the latter oddly tends to paralyze us, while the former spurs us on (and pries open our wallets). In fact, as the study found, the most powerful persuader of all was giving consumers a…
2 minutes
10 Keys To Job Satisfaction, Backed By Research
ght now most people are unhappy with their jobs. A boring job can give you a heart attack. And those with no job are happier than those with a lousy one. Most people want to leave their jobs because they don't trust their employer. Know what the happiest and unhappiest jobs are and what motivates you. "...the strongest determinants of job satisfaction are relations with colleagues and supervisors, task diversity and job security." Job satisfaction isn't just about your job.…
2 minutes
