Don’t let this notoriously bad month get you down! Make it a happy February!
February may be the shortest month but it can seem like the longest, most dreary month of the year. The days are cold, it can seem like the sun will never come out again and we’ve all had just about enough snow (or hearing about other people’s snow.) This year I’ve decided to face February with a more positive attitude and encourage you to do the same. Hey what have we got to lose?
I’m declaring February as Happiness Month!
All month-long I will be blogging, posting and tweeting about Happiness and Happy Things. And to get things started here is a little secret — the secret to a happy life is within each and every one of you!
The Secret to a Happy Life ~ Native American parable
One day the Creator gathered all the animals and said:
‘I want to hide the secret to a happy life from humans until they are ready for it.’
‘Give it to me. I’ll fly it to the moon,’ said the Eagle.
‘No, one day soon they will go there and find it.’
‘How about the bottom of the ocean?’ asked the Salmon.
‘No, they will find it there too.’
‘I will bury it in the great plains,’ said the Buffalo.
‘They will soon dig and find it there.’
‘Put it inside them,’ said the wise grandmother Mole.
‘Yes,’ said the Creator, ‘it is the last place they will look.’
If you check out the self-help section of Amazon or any book store, you’ll find hundreds if not thousands of titles aimed at increasing our personal happiness by losing weight, getting a better job, finding the ideal mate, taking the perfect vacation, eating the latest trendy food, or making more money. Check out the Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin!
The latest research on happiness suggests there are as many definitions or experiences of happiness as there are people. Finding our own brand of personal happiness is a bit like appreciating art – it’s subjective, but we know it when we see it.
Though happiness is unique to each of us, one commonality from this research is that people have control over their own happiness (or unhappiness). We can measure it, control it, and learn to cultivate it. In other words, we can proactively train ourselves to feel happy.
Although happiness can be a tricky concept, it is becoming increasingly possible to crack the code, both in the bigger picture, and in hands-on ways that make a difference in your daily life.
Up next…The Meta of Happiness.
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