The Art an Science of Happiness

As it turns out scientific research has uncovered some interesting facts about happiness, that align beautifully with my transformation program. I encourage you to watch Happiness 101 on you tube to discover more about what science says about how to be happier, but more importantly I invite you to discover the art of how to be happier in your own life by applying the common sense information provided in my toolkits. There are certain characteristics that we can cultivate and choices that we can make along with habits we can establish in our thoughts and our emotions, that contribute to our experience of happiness and well – being.

Firstly, it is of primary importance to discover what your natural talents and gifts are and discover how to share them with the world, in way that contributes value to you and offers value and service to others. This provides meaning and great satisfaction that contributes to your happiness quotient.

Science supports the idea that having permission to be human, to make mistakes and still be embraced and accepted by those that we love allows us to be more ourselves and experiencing this acceptance contributes to our sense happiness and well- being. Giving ourselves permission to feel the full spectrum of emotions from the lower negative vibrations of anger, fear and anxiety actually supports our ability to have and experience the higher more positive emotional states of peace, joy and excitement. Fully experiencing all our emotions is natural and necessary to ensure a positive, happy experience of life. The truth is that it is not wise to attempt to suppress a natural emotional phenomena with medication, or any other means because when we try to suppress we actually intensify that emotion and it become the lens the lens that we see and experience life through.

When we learn and cultivate optimism we support ourselves in increasing our levels of happiness. Optimism is the number one principle that leads to living an extraordinary life, and increases our happiness quotient.

Optimism appears to be related to the understanding that you have an influence over your life. Research has demonstrated that those who know that they have an influence over their thoughts and assert that influence by choosing their thoughts ate happier. Martin Seligman explains in his book learned optimism that optimists explain adverse events in specific temporary and impersonal ways conversely pessimists explain them as pervasive, personal and permanent and vice versa for positive events. Learning the habit of seeing challenges as specific to a certain situation which is temporary, and thus able to be changed, and not related to personal deficiency, you are more likely to be positively energized and change the problem situation to your advantage. If you perceive the challenge as a pervasive life problem, as permanent, and unchanging, and even a personal failure you are more likely to feel depressed and resign yourself to failure.

The good news, of course, is that all this is within your influence. You can elevate your mood, transform your thinking patterns and train your mind to expand into a perspective of purposefulness, and find the opportunity at the root of your challenges so that you can support yourself in escaping the trap of self loathing and self – blame. It isimportant to stay present enough with yourself to not fall into the trap of a negative spiral of thinking. Optimism, and gratitude are a few of the little treasures of happiness that increase our sense of well being and increase our happiness quotient.

Simplifying our lives and going on a technology diet helps. The bottom line is happiness pays, positive emotions lead to more creativity, more productivity, more loyalty, and more motivation. Love is more important than money when comes to the happiness scale, once our basic financial needs are met, money makes little difference to our levels of happiness, love on the other hand makes a major difference.

Relationships and love are important factors, when they are oriented towards growth and deepening connection, we are supporting ourselves in creating increased levels of happiness. Little things make a big difference and the moments we spend in positive, growth oriented relationship with the one’s that we love are the most important factor in what makes us happier. Having gratitude and appreciation for the good things in our lives and the people that we love enhances our health, creativity and satisfaction in life.

Research also supports the truth that exercise makes us happier Understanding the mind body connection allows us gain the benefits of getting moving physically, not exercising is like taking depressant

“ In a way exercise can be thought of a psychiatrists dream treatment. It works on

anxiety, panic disorder and on stress in general, which has a lot to do with depression,

and it generates the release neurotransmitters- norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine-

that are very similar to our most important psychiatric medicines. Having a bout of

exercise is like having a little bit of Prozac and a little bit of Ritalin right where it is

supposed to go.”

John Ratney

We can also improve our cognitive functioning by choosing to exercise. Studies have shown that meditators increase the activity on the left side of the brain, which results in a more positive outlook and a happier person. Deep breathing reduces the negative emotional states and increases the positive. Real change only comes when you actually incorporate these changes in your life and that is why I created my lifeguides transformation program. The real art of happiness resides in this practical application in your own life. The transformation toolkits that I have assembled brings all these benefits together in a simple, understandable, easy to follow program that supports you to transform your life and increase your happiness. To find out more please visit my

website www.lifeguidestp.com