8th Grader Helps Stressed and Miserable Students by Romano Orlando

Romano Orlando

When I first started this project, I had more downers than believers. Most people don’t like to see something new, and happiness has never been chosen in the 45 years that this project has been run. My 8th grade class was assigned the task to find a problem in our community and take a step to solve it. We had to write an essay, come up with an action plan to help solve this problem, and give a final presentation at the end. I couldn’t find the right topic for me, but then I took a look around … [Read more...]

Happiness by Romano Orlando – Student

Romano Orlando

“The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself.” -Benjamin Franklin In order to understand happiness, one must understand what happiness actually is. The definition of happiness is, “feeling pleasure and enjoyment.” However, what is pleasure? What is enjoyment? Thomas Jefferson, an original Son of Liberty, once said, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their creator with … [Read more...]

Stop Bullying by Teaching Happiness

Upset Teenage Girl With Friends Gossiping In Background

Guest Post from Jenn Eichner There is much debate over the effectiveness of anti-bullying campaigns currently active in many high schools. I have read research and opinion pieces which suggest that the campaigns may actually be counter-productive. There appears to be little discussion, however, on alternative measures and even less dialogue with students about their take on the subject. I recently received a firsthand opinion from a 10th grade student concerning her school district’s … [Read more...]

Take Time to Exercise and You Will Be Happier

yoga-pose

New research by Russell Clayton and colleagues, which is due out in the next issue of Human Resource Management, concludes there is a positive relationship between exercise and work life balance. Based on Clayton’s research, people who take the time to exercise feel more self-efficacy. In other words they are confident they can get things done. Completing a regular exercise routine, gives them proof that they are capable of handling bigger challenges, including getting major projects at work … [Read more...]

Happiness in the News

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The good news; happiness is starting to consistently make headlines.  The bad news; not everyone is happy.  More good news; there are a lot actions you can take to become happier.   Happiness at Work From a recent New York Daily News article: Workplace morale heads down: 70% of Americans negative about their jobs, Gallup study shows 'Bosses from hell' are giving U.S. workers the Monday blues. Gallup's 2013 State of the American Workplace report had grim findings, including that … [Read more...]

Cultivating positive emotions

Please welcome Suzanne Hazelton as one of our guest bloggers. She is also the author of Great Days at Work. Happiness. We can cultivate long term happiness by sowing regular seeds of positive emotions. But first let me digress into goal setting. When coaching clients it can be useful to understand “why” a particular goal is important. When the underlying reasons for having a goal become more explicit, it often forges a link to an inner drive and motivational force – thus increasing … [Read more...]

The July 8th 2013 Cover of Time Magazine features The Pursuit of Happiness.

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  It is a great article that covers reasons for Americas obsession with The Pursuit of Happiness and how it might actually be related to evolution and inherited genes.  It also covers the impact of money on our happiness and explains the benefit of buying experiences instead of things with our money.  It also gives some bad news: “Since 1972, only about one-third of Americans have described themselves as "very happy," according to surveys funded by the National Science Foundation. … [Read more...]

Making Happiness Soup

bowl of soup

I have heard a lot of questions and discussions about the one thing that leads to happiness. Everyone wants to know, “What is the one secret?”  Even happiness research focuses on one skill or activity at a time, because researchers need to isolate a variable in order to find clear answers about causality. Is it possible we are complicating the problem by attempting to over-simplify.  A single happiness secret seems like it would be easier, but it may result in us missing the wonderfully … [Read more...]

Don’t Worry, Be Happy

Everyone worries; some people worry excessively. But, what do we typically worry about? Author and motivational speaker, Earl Nightingale, estimates that: 40% of the things you worry about will never happen. 30% of the things you worry about couldn’t be changed by all the worrying in the world. 12% of your worries are needless worries about your health. 10% of your worries are about petty, miscellaneous things. 8% of your worries are about real and legitimate … [Read more...]

Finding Happiness – 4 Concepts connected to Leadership and Success

Over the years I have had the opportunity to study leadership and success.   I am struck by the connections between each area and how those connections are similar for happiness as well. Your first test on happiness: Do you want to: Receive happiness like winning the lottery or receiving a gift? Experience happiness as a state of mind? If you choose A, then you may be waiting for a while, possibly forever.  However, if you choose B, then we, the team at … [Read more...]