I watched this eye-opening TED talk about positive psychology and happiness the other day. I highly recommend it, especially since it’s only 12 minutes long.
In the talk, Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, explains “the happy secret to better work.” While it’s a simple answer, the process takes work. The answer: positivity. Achor explains that our world is focused on this process: if we work harder, we’ll be more successful, and if we’re more successful, we’ll be happier. In actuality, when we succeed, our next step is finding something else to succeed, and long-term happiness is never reached that way. By changing the way your brain processes the world, you have the ability to create long-term happiness, and success will come as a consequence of positivity. You do that by raising your positivity in the present. Training your brain to be positive in the present not only makes you happier, but it also enlightens your mind to learning.
This finding is why many companies, including ours, focuses on wellness. Wellness brings positivity, and in turn, helps employees work more productively and effectively. Employees are more likely to be energized and focused, which ultimately affects the company’s bottom line. It’s a win-win for everyone.
Now, how do you become more positive? For me, I’ve found journaling, Bikram yoga and making gratitude lists to be the most effective. Achor lists focusing on gratitude, journaling, exercising, meditating, and performing random acts of kindness as tactics for positivity. No matter what you do to increase your positivity, remember that it takes time (Anchor says 21 committed days) and effort on your part. It doesn’t happen overnight, but with a conscious effort, it could change the way you live and work.
Need more pointers on positivity and long-term happiness? Check out The Happiness Advantage, The Positivity Blog or The Happiness Project.