Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/354830
38 BRAVA MAGAZINE | AUGUST 2014 BRAV 38 It seems everywhere you turn there's an article sharing the importance of hap- piness, perhaps to the point that people ˬRETUNINGITOUT#UTTHESUBJECTCOULDNmT BEMOREIMPORTˬNT*TmSTHEDIFFERENCE between living or surviving; honoring your potential or settling for mediocrity; waking up with enthusiasm or thoughts heavy with 'what do I need to get done TODˬY m A mindset of happiness is a choice. Most situations are not inherently good ORBˬD*TmSPERSPECTIVE8HˬTISˬSUCCESS ORˬFˬILURE 4OMEPEOPLESIMPLYWILLNOT let themselves have victories, while oth- ers see everything as an event meant to move them forward. Studies have shown happy and unhappy people have a similar NUMBEROFSETBˬCKSINLIFEŀ EYSIMPLY look at those setbacks differently. Live consciously. Take time to no- tice, feel and understand what's going on in your mind and body. Be willing to recognize what's causing you dis- CONTENTˬNDTˬKEˬCTIONTOCHˬNGEIT8E get so wrapped up in the busyness of life that we forgo the happinessOFLIFE8EmRE WORKINGHˬRDERTHˬNEVERˬTǠLLINGOUR days and bank accounts, but forgetting TOǠLLOURBUCKETS1ERSONˬLINCOMEHˬS more than doubled in the past 50 years INTHE64YETHˬPPINESSLEVELSHˬVERE MˬINEDTHESˬME8HILETHISMIGHTBE surprising, recent research has shown that only 10 percent of our happiness is due to our external environment; a full 90 percent is based on our inner environment. You are what you think about most of the time. If your inner voice is saying that you're not enough, so will be your life. Finding meaning in your choices is the key to unlocking happiness. It inspires you to stay committed to small daily decisions because they're part of some- THING BIGGER ŀ E SˬTISFˬCTION YOU GET from these little things, when linked to a GRˬNDERPURPOSEHˬSBEENSCIENTIǠCˬLLY proven to make you happier. Recently, I asked the woman delivering my room SERVICEWHˬTMˬKESHERHˬPPYINHERJOB "I need the money to feed my children, but what makes me happy are the little things I do to make my guests comfort- able. Even if I have to do them for free. I feel good when they feel good. If it were JUSTFORˬPˬYCHECKITWOULDBEHˬRDTO come back day after day. I think I create happiness." Money is great, but purpose is better. Committing to your personal happi- NESSISNOTˬSELǠSHPURSUIT)ˬPPINESSIS often times seen as frivolous, shallow or naïve. Not so. Happy people have better relationships, make more money, achieve their goals more often, have higher self- ESTEEM ˬND EXPERIENCE MORE JOY ˬND satisfaction in life. It's your obligation to make your happiness personal, and your- SELFˬPRIORITY.ˬE8ESTSˬIDn*NEVER loved another person the way I loved my- self." Yay, Mae. You have been given a life, and with that you have been given an opportunity to DEǠNEIT:OURLIFEmSHˬPPINESSPˬTHWILL be mapped out by your choices. Fill your bucket daily. Few outcomes are more important than staying alive, and happi- ness is linked to longevity. So slap a smile on to tack on a few more years. As long as you're going to be living, why not live HˬPPY Andringa will speak at an upcoming BRAVA THRIVE Connections luncheon—details coming soon! For more wise words on happiness from Andringa, check out her video, "The Happiness Talk," available at candringaproductions.com. SEEKJOY ƭŷŧőƣƭƕűŞƕƐƧŞźƕƱƧƉźƼźƐŲ BY CHRISTI ANDRINGA