The Happiness Advantage
The Happiness Advantage
The Happiness Advantage
I’ve been reading a fantastic book, The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor. It provides great insight into what makes us happy and how to be happier. For the next few weeks, I’ll share with you some of Achor’s strategies, but I’ll start off by setting the foundation.
Apparently, we have it all backwards. We have become accustomed to thinking that if we work hard, we will become successful, and if we become successful, we will be happy. Unfortunately, this thought process is flawed and completely backwards.
More than a decade of research has proven that happiness actually fuels performance and causes us to be more productive, efficient, resilient, and creative. Happiness also leads to success in nearly every area of our life, including work, health, friendship, sociability, creativity, and energy. In short, when we are happy, we are smarter, more motivated, and more successful.
Unfortunately, we are less happy than we’ve ever been. A Harvard study in 2010 found that only 45% of workers surveyed were happy at their jobs, the lowest in 22 years of polling. Depression rates today are ten times higher than they were in 1960.
We used to think happiness was a set point that you are born with, leaving you little room to determine your happiness fate. We now know based on extensive research, that that is simply not the case. Our brains are absolutely amazing, and can actually be changed, a process called self-directed neuro-plasticity. By improving our mood and implementing happiness strategies, we can improve our happiness and experience the happiness advantage.
Happiness also leads to success in nearly every area of our life, including work, health, friendship, sociability, creativity, and energy.
Positive emotions cause our brain to create dopamine and serotonin, chemicals that not only make us feel good, but dial up the learning centers of our brains to higher levels.
What does this mean for us? People who put their head down and work hard, waiting for their success to drive their happiness are at a huge disadvantage, while people who capitalize on positivity are more successful and yes, happier.
Happiness is not a magical concept, and it does not need to occur in huge events. Something as small as a funny video clip or conversation with a friend can have an immediate boost in cognitive power and job performance.In fact, psychologists have found that positive emotions can “undo” physical stress and anxiety, a phenomenon they call the “undoing effect”.
Next week I’ll start exploring Achor’s strategies for improving your level of happiness!
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Anne breaks down the daily habits and skills needed to grow and cultivate RESILIENCE.
I had an incredible time chatting with @dr.cindyspeaks on Positively Altered about one of my favorite topics >> resilience!
💪 We covered everything from how stress affects the brain to actionable strategies for resetting your resilience and reclaiming balance. Plus… we even talked donkeys!
🎧 Listen here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/episode-23-the-resilience-reset-transforming-stress/id1773804535?i=1000699134975
In this episode, we dive into:
🧠 How to train your brain for resilience
😩 The power of sitting in the “suck”
💡 Simple strategies to reset stress and find balance
If you’re ready to transform stress into strength, this one’s for you!
What is on your to-do list for the week? ✅
I’m sure it includes meetings, tasks, personal chores, and follow-ups, but does it include things that bring you joy?
Instead of waiting for happiness, create it.. You can even focus on enjoyable things while doing the have-to do things.
Slogging through paperwork? Light a candle and listen to your favorite tunes.
Going for a drive? Listen to a stand-up comic or a great book.
Don’t neglect what brings you joy and happiness—make it a ritual and part of your resilience-building routine.
You know that heart-stopping moment when you try to change lanes, only to realize that someone is in your blind spot?
Blind spots aren’t just for driving. In life and leadership, we all have blind spots—things others see clearly that we don’t.
The tricky part? Blind spots aren’t always glaring flaws. Often, they’re our good intentions getting lost in translation. So, how do you uncover them?
Here’s a simple twist that will make a big difference: Ask for advice instead of feedback. 🗣
This slight shift makes people more likely to offer constructive, actionable insights—without triggering defensiveness. Plus, it builds trust and strengthens relationships.
Rather than trying to make drastic changes, pick one behavior and integrate it into your day.
Want to start a gratitude practice? Do it while you brush your teeth. Want to take deep breaths? Practice while you make coffee. Adding a new habit to an existing one makes it easier to stick with it.
#mindfulmonday #habitstacking #atomichabits #jamesclear
Humor changes your biochemistry, emotions, thoughts, and behavior. 😆
A positive mood boosts your immune system! Whether you find your laughter through being around friends, going to a comedy show, watching funny movies, or just being goofy, don’t underestimate the power of a belly laugh and a sense of humor.
When something stressful happens, there are really 2 different things taking place.
There’s the thing that is happening, and then there is the story that you tell yourself about the thing that’s happening.
The story is where criticism, judgment, self-doubt, and shame come in.
Whatever you have going on in your life right now, take a step back and try to view it from a third-person perspective. See if you can separate the facts from the story you tell yourself about it.
If we can start to separate the situation from the story, the story becomes much less scary because we realize it is one we’re telling.
This makes it easier to accept where you are without judgment, self-doubt, and shame. What we practice grows stronger. 📕
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Anne Grady is a Speaker, Author, and #TruthBomb Dropper.
Anne shares practical strategies that can be applied both personally and professionally to improve relationships, navigate change, and triumph over adversity. And she’ll make you laugh while she does it. Anne is a two time TEDx speaker, and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets, including Harvard Business Review, Entrepreneur, Forbes, Fast Company and Inc. magazines, CNN, ESPN, and FOX Business. She is the best selling author of 3 books. Her newest, Mind Over Moment: Harness the Power of Resilience, is available on Amazon now.
Easier said than done! Can’t we have both–success & happiness?
Definitely easier said than done. And yes, according to the research, happiness begets success. Stay tuned for next week’s post with some strategies to get there! 🙂 Hope you are doing well. miss you!
Great article. Makes sense. Let’s be happy! 🙂 Have a great week Anne!
Thanks Juanita! You too!
The video was great. I look forward to the next installment from the book.
Thanks Eddie!