642-Tips to Increase Happiness Summary

For the past few episodes, we have been covering methods to increase our happiness. In this episode, we wrap up the mini-series with a few final thoughts and challenges to you!

 

Transcript:

 

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and over the past few episodes, we’ve been diving into the scientific concepts to really give our happiness a boost, and my reflections from an online happiness course from Yale professor, Dr. Laurie Santos.

 

So, let’s review, experiences are better than material stuff, even the best, most awesome stuff. So this is our invitation to really think about experiences.  This is true because we create memories, happy memories, when we have experiences.  

 

Next was all about savoring.  Both in terms of savoring the good stuff, the taste of a cookie or time with a beloved relative.  And also, keying us into how we, as humans, might be sabotaging our own savoring of experiences by being in a hurry and thinking about the future, among other things. 

 

Next, we dove into negative visualization and this idea that if we think about what might not be, we can get ourselves to look at things differently and appreciate it more.  This would be thinking about what if I didn’t get into the college I went to, and how different my life would be, the friends I would not have made, the experiences I would not have had, etc.  It helps you appreciate this experience more.  

 

 After the negative visualization, we went down a similar path by thinking about what if this was our last day.  Now, not in the sense that we would die tomorrow, that’s morbid, but more about this idea of thinking about what if this great thing would end. For example, college.  We talked about that above.  The study was showing how when you think about something ending, quickly, you appreciate it more verus thinking you have a whole final year of college.  

 

I was thinking about this concept during the global pandemic when everything suddenly ended. People seem to appreciate visiting a coffee shop and relationships a bit more.  Maybe even appreciate small talk more - go figure. 

 

Finally, we know, and Dr. Santos also highlights that gratitude is critical in boosting our happiness.  I hope this mini-series gave you as much food for thought as it did me.  

 

 Until next time. 

 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

 

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/