Is it worth trying to be happy? The long-awaited answers are here!

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Apologies for keeping people hanging on this one. I have been enjoying life away from the computer with a trip around the USA and Canada. My last post was one that I wanted to get out there so much that I did it all via my mobile phone. Apologies for any typos that popped up in the process.
I often define the happy and fulfilling life to my clients as a balance of connection to people, connection to nature and connection to a purpose. The latter may include hobbies, projects, and family roles. For many, connection to a greater purpose or a greater good is also valued (be it community / country / a god etc). I find that travelling helps me really connect to new environments that are beautiful, new and therefore stimulating. I find that connecting to people from other cultures helps strengthen my sense of identity about where I fit in the world, and I love connecting to and learning from people from other parts of the world and realising our shared values. More importantly, I just love to “shoot the sh**” and have a good time. That’s a great thing to have in common.

Is it worth trying to be happy? The long awaited answers are here!

by with No Comment ComedyCounselling

Apologies for keeping people hanging on this one. I have been enjoying life away from the computer with a trip around the USA and Canada. My last post was one that I wanted to get out there so much that I did it all via my mobile phone. Apologies for any typos that popped up in the process.
I often define the happy and fulfilling life to my clients as a balance of connection to people, connection to nature and connection to a purpose. The latter may include hobbies, projects, and family roles. For many, connection to a greater purpose or a greater good is also valued (be it community / country / a god etc). I find that travelling helps me really connect to new environments that are beautiful, new and therefore stimulating. I find that connecting to people from other cultures helps strengthen my sense of identity about where I fit in the world, and I love connecting to and learning from people from other parts of the world and realising our shared values. More importantly, I just love to “shoot the sh**” and have a good time. That’s a great thing to have in common.

Is it worth trying to be happy? Part 2: The results

by with No Comment ComedyCounselling

Firstly,

Apologies for this having taken so long. I have been overseas working on my knowledge, connection to people and connection to nature.

A couple of weeks ago I posted the following Quiz:

Which of the following were scientifically proven to correlate with happiness*?

-wealth
-physical health
-education
-socio-political climate (ie your system of government)
-age
-gender
-religion
-race
climate (weather)
-number of friends
-marriage

I asked you to take a guess about what the findings may have been be from large randomized controlled surveys conducted across thousands of people (mainly in the Americas ) from a mix of different backgrounds on what happy people have in common.

So here are the trends suggested by recent research:

Wealth
A cross-national survey involving thousands of adults indicated that once gross national product exceeds $8,000 per person, added wealth brings no further life satisfaction. in summary, being poor seems to have a negative effect on happiness, and being rich does not have a significant effect on happiness overall. In very poor nations, where poverty threatens life itself, being rich does predict greater well-being. In wealthier nations, where basic needs are generally met, even the fabulously rich are not substantially happier.

-physical health
-education
-sociopolitical climate (ie your system of government)
-age
-gender
-religion
-race
climate (weather)
-number of friends
-marriage

Is it worth trying to be happy?

by with One Comment ComedyCounselling

Is it worth trying to be happy? The science has been tested and the stats are in!

Actually, valid and reliable scientific findings about what makes us happy have been coming in for the last 10 years or so.

QUIZ
Which of the following were scientifically proven to correlate with happiness*?

-wealth
-physical health
-education
-sociopolitical climate (ie your system of government)
-age
-gender
-religion
-race
climate (weather)
-number of friends
-marriage

Before I give you the “answers” to the questions above – why not to try for yourself and post your queations or thoughts on the psycoaching website, Linkedin, Google+ or Facebook page. Or contact me privately through the Psycoaching website contact page.

Positive Psychology: a (very) brief introduction & history

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Positive psychology is a recent branch of scientific psychology that studies the strengths and virtues that enable individuals and communities, who are not experiencing significant levels of distress, to thrive. The advantage of positive psychology is that it unites scattered and disparate lines of theory and research about what makes life worth living and provides a theoretical backbone for coaching psychology.

According to Martin Seligman, President of the American Psychological society and arguably the strongest proponent of Positive Psychology, positive psychology can be delineated into three overlapping areas of research referred to as “the Pleasant Life,”related to enjoyment, “the Good Life,” related to engagement and “the Meaningful Life,” related to affiliation. Seligman contends that for life coaching psychologists, practicing exactly these three endeavors may bring some order into chaos by limiting coaching’s  scope of practice and providing the solid research base with a strong theoretical backbone that coaching psychology desperately needs.

Demystifying Life Coaching – a (very) brief overview

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Demystifying Life Coaching – A Brief Overview.

My life is exactly where I want it to be. I have overcome all of my faults, and found redemption. I am no longer afraid of death. I can handle any situation without stress or anxiety. And I am filthy rich. My family and friends are also perfect.  On top of that, I am, of course, really, really, really, ridiculously good looking.

Still reading?

I almost forgot to mention – I have a sense of humor.  And  if you hadn’t guessed it already – that last statement is the only true statement so far.   The above list merely represents my brief attempt to come up with some silly stereotypes about life coaching Program.  Of course, none of these things are true of me (though the power of life coaching has got me much closer).  They are impossible.

What is Happiness?

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Happiness is often associated with unrealistic materialistic achievements – for example – the iconic Hollywood impressions of life. Unrealistic and materialistic desires can motivate us toward action but can also set us up for feelings of inadequacy or even jealousy.

The pathway to happiness through the attainment of positive emotions is often temporary, and the more we achieve, the more we feel we need in order to be fulfilled. It is no surprise that we often do not reach a feeling of fulfilment.

According to positive psychology, there are two complementary pathways to authentic happiness. The first of these is the “engaged life,” which involves being fully involved in your daily life activities, relationships and work. In order to become happier through engagement, coaching can help to find out what is intrinsically rewarding for you.

I have so much great stuff to share with you. We are just getting started.

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Check back regularly for exciting tips and strategies to maximise your psychological wellbeing. Watch this space next week for some top tips from my upcoming group therapy programs. Don’t forget to register your interest to be the first to receive an exclusive offer to the first session of this exciting new program, to be held soon in the Gold Coast. Register your interest on this site. Let me know what areas of your life you would like to work on.