Tip 96: Habits of Happy People
According to Martin Seligman, father of positive psychology, “Sixty-percent of happiness is determined by our genetics and environment, while the remaining forty-percent is up to us.”
What accounts for happiness? Happy people tend to be in constant pursuit of their life’s meaning and engagement. They have incorporated behaviors, better known in this instance as habits, that motivate them along the way and add to their pursuit of bliss.
Happy people:
Surround themselves with happy people. Joy is contagious.
Smile when they mean it. They choose kindness.
Cultivate resilience. They practice forgiveness and exercise patience. Try to be happy. They are naturally curious, connecting better with purpose and people.
Notice and celebrate the things that go right. They express gratitude and appreciate their large and small achievements.
Devote time to giving and volunteering. Generosity, expressed in many ways, is important to them.
Click on this week’s Leadership Tip video, “How to be Happy: The Secret to Authentic Happiness.”
To explore this week’s Leadership Tip further, reflect on the Communicating Change planner.
