Happiness Genie
What you will get: Reflections on happiness.
“The Happiness Genie…”
…appears out of his magic lantern in front of you and offers you some options.
Each option he gives you involves a pair of choices. And the rules are simple. In each pair, you can only take 1 or the other. Not both.
Are you ready?
OK, so here’s your first choice?
Do you take wealth or happiness?
And no, even though many wealthy people are happy, wealth does not guarantee you happiness!
OK, here’s your second choice…
Do you take status or happiness?
(Do you live in a country where too much emphasis is put on status?)
Ready for choice number 3?
Do you take success or happiness?
(Of course it depends on how you define success, but again many forms of success do not guarantee happiness)
How about choice number 4…
Do you take attractiveness of happiness?
(Is it not true we are living in a world where more people are spending more money than ever on anti-ageing, beauty treatments and their external looks?)
And your final choice…
Do you take fame or happiness?
(We live in the X-Factor generation right – where there are promises of instant overnight fame and celebrity status)
So, which did you choose in each pair?
You see…
I think our friend the Genie is trying to remind us of a very important point…
Wealth, status, success, attractiveness and fame are NOT the same as happiness. You can have all of those things and still not be happy.
And what’s more…
You don’t need any of those things to be happy.
So what do the media focus on?
What messages are we all given each day about what will apparently make us happy?
And how far will you go to chase that illusion of happiness?
Now of course…
The million dollar question is, what does make you happy?
Well, that’s a tricky question.
But according to extensive research carried out in numerous studies, at least 60% of your happiness levels can be influenced by the way you live your life.
And there are 2 things that are consistently linked with higher levels of happiness…
The first is having a genuinely high sense of self worth.
And here’s my definition of what that actually means…
“True self worth is not about thinking you are perfect or better than others. It is about having a sense of comfort with who you are. It is about being humble.
It is recognising with pride your strengths and being realistic about and at ease with your weaknesses.
At a deeper subconscious level true self worth is an integrated belief and feeling of ‘I am ok because I am me.’ ”
And the second thing?
Genuine acts of kindness and giving.
Each time you share an act of kindness with another human being, you feel happier inside yourself.
Kind of simple if you think about it.
And you don’t need the latest iPhone, a new Ferrari, designer Italian shoes or a Rolex watch for either of them!
I’m off to feel comfortable with who I am and give a genuine compliment to someone.
How about you?
To your success
Steve Neale
“Europe’s Leading Expert on Personal and Professional Growth”
Psychologist, Executive Coach, EI Practitioner, Award Winning Trainer, International Author, Psychodynamic Therapist, Hypnotherapist, Mindfulness Instructor, International Speaker, Creator of the LPS, Creator of the Accredited Masters in High-Performance Leadership
