Jon D. Abboud’s Post

We each have an idea of happiness. For many people today, it means wealth, self-dependency, and success. It's often comparative. For Stephanie Harrison of the "New Happy" movement, this is an "Old Happy" mindset. The "New Happy" recognizes that hardship and muddling through are the default positions of being human. It recognizes the need for help and takes it without feeling bad for doing so. https://lnkd.in/gHuBV6Ei

When we pick up a newspaper or tune into the news, the whole world appears full of doom and gloom. As people frantically try to live their lives, they can’t even take a few minutes to reflect on whether they are happy. I’m not suggesting that it’s possible to be happy all the time, but many of us manage to live in an overall state of happiness. So, how do we achieve this? When life feels overwhelmingly negative, it’s easy to lose sight of how important happiness is. Most of the time, people aren’t even aware that they are the root of their own unhappiness. More importantly, they are entirely unaware that it is within their power to change. They don’t understand that happiness comes from within, but it’s a journey that must be taken one step at a time. Feeling happy has many benefits. When you are happy, you tend to attract happy people to you. Happy people tend to be emotionally and physically healthier, more compassionate, creative, and energetic. Generally, if you are happy, people tend to want to spend more time with you. When surrounded by positive, happy, creative, and energetic people, you will see that your quality of life improves. Your happiness is not just good for you; it helps those closest to you. Being positive can help others around you feel better about themselves. Your family, friends, and colleagues will be happier the more time they spend with you. When you look at the broader picture, what impact can happy people have on the world? Is a happy person more likely to help or hurt his fellow man? If you are content with your life, aren't you less likely to make another miserable? Happiness starts with the smallest step. Starting your day with a positive thought is a beneficial habit. Like most good habits, it is best to learn them early, but it’s never really too late. So, even if you're too busy to start today, make a fresh start tomorrow!

The Costs of Happiness : Happiness is not free “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” Everything has a cost, even if that cost is not always immediately apparent. To achieve anything, you must give up something else. In today’s happiness-obsessed culture, most pursue the opposite: we want to be happy with no costs, and all of the benefits. We want the rewards without the risks, the gain without the pain. The ‘how’ of being happy : Accept Imperfection and Flaws : But life will never conform to all of our desires. Ever. And we will always be wrong about something, in some way. Ironically, it’s the acceptance of this that allows us to be happy, allowing us to appreciate the flaws in ourselves and in others Take Responsibility for Problems : Sure, shit happens. Blaming others for the problems in your life may give you short-term relief, but ultimately it implies something entirely insidious: that you are incapable of controlling your own fate. And that’s the most depressing assumption of all to live with. Find a Deeper Purpose : A better way of saying this is you must choose what motivates you. Is it something superficial and external? Or is it something more meaningful? Be Willing to Fail : In any venture, failure is required to make progress. Relish the pain. Bathe in the scorn. One of the most important skills in life is not how to avoid getting knocked down, but rather learning how to stand back up. Haters gonna hate. Courtesy : Excerpts from article written by Mark Manson

I want to be open and honest with you, and let you know that happiness isn’t something just afforded to a special few. It can be yours, if you take the time to let it grow. It’s OK to be stressed, scared and sad, I certainly have been. I’ve confronted my biggest fears time and time again. I’ve cheated death on many adventures, seen loved ones pass away, failed in business, minced my words in front of tough audiences, and had my heart broken. I know I’m fortunate to live an extraordinary life, and that most people would assume my business success, and the wealth that comes with it, have brought me happiness. But they haven’t; in fact it’s the reverse. I am successful, wealthy and connected because I am happy. So many people get caught up in doing what they think will make them happy but, in my opinion, this is where they fail. Happiness is not about doing, it’s about being. In order to be happy, you need to think consciously about it. Don’t forget the to-do list, but remember to write a to-be list too. Kids are often asked: ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ The world expects grandiose aspirations: ‘I want to be a writer, a doctor, the prime minister.’ They’re told: go to school, go to college, get a job, get married, and then you’ll be happy. But that’s all about doing, not being – and while doing will bring you moments of joy, it won’t necessarily reward you with lasting happiness. Stop and breathe. Be healthy. Be around your friends and family. Be there for someone, and let someone be there for you. Be bold. Just be for a minute. If you allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment, happiness will follow. We’ve built a business empire, joined conversations about the future of our planet, attended many memorable parties and met many unforgettable people. And while these things have brought me great joy, it’s the moments that I stopped just to be, rather than do, that have given me true happiness. Why? Because allowing yourself just to be, puts things into perspective. Try it. Be still. Be present. There’s a reason we’re called human beings and not human doings. As human beings we have the ability to think, move and communicate in a heightened way. We can cooperate, understand, reconcile and love, that’s what sets us apart from most other species. Don’t waste your human talents by stressing about nominal things, or that which you cannot change. If you take the time simply to be and appreciate the fruits of life, your stresses will begin to dissolve, and you will be happier. But don’t just seek happiness when you’re down. Happiness shouldn’t be a goal, it should be a habit. Take the focus off doing, and start being every day. Be loving, be grateful, be helpful, and be a spectator to your own thoughts. Allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment. Take the focus off everything you think you need to do, and start being. Richard Branson

Did you know that the fastest way to feel really happy is to make other people happy? Finding true happiness can sometimes feel like chasing a mirage—always out of reach. But what if the secret lies not in seeking it for ourselves but in giving it to others? Embracing selflessness can be the fastest route to genuine, lasting joy. Here's how: 1. Shift Your Focus: Instead of constantly worrying about your own happiness, start paying attention to the needs and well-being of others. Acts of kindness, whether small or large, can create a ripple effect of positivity and fulfillment. 2. Practice Gratitude: When you help others, you often become more aware of your own blessings. This newfound gratitude can shift your perspective, making you appreciate what you have rather than what you lack. 3. Build Stronger Connections: Selfless actions foster deeper and more meaningful relationships. When people feel valued and supported by you, they are more likely to reciprocate, creating a network of love and support that enriches your life. 4. Find Purpose: Engaging in selfless acts can give your life a sense of purpose and direction. Whether it’s volunteering, mentoring, or simply being there for a friend, these actions can make you feel needed and valued. 5. Boost Your Mood: Helping others releases endorphins, the body's natural painkillers and mood elevators. This "helper's high" can lead to improved mental health and overall well-being. 6. Create a Legacy: Selflessness leaves a lasting impact. The positive changes you bring into the lives of others can continue to inspire and influence long after you're gone, giving your life meaning beyond your own existence. In a world often driven by self-interest, choosing to be selfless can seem counterintuitive. However, it's this very choice that can unlock the door to true happiness. By focusing on the joy and well-being of others, we inadvertently find our own. So, take the leap—embrace selflessness, and discover the quickest path to happiness. If you found this valuable, share it with your network and let's connect! Follow me, Nayzel Sushil for more insights on personal growth, meaningful connections & Building systems. Join over 5,000 others who receive my weekly insights:

When you’re having a hard time getting yourself to smile, make someone else smile. It’s so easy to get wrapped up in our own circumstances, and get stuck on our evaluation of how our lives are going in comparison to how we think they should be going. When we get stuck too long in this self-centered place, self-centeredness turns to self-pity, and we start to feel like things are worse and more hopeless than they actually are. Take the focus off yourself sometimes. This can change your perspective, and it can provide you happiness by way of the satisfaction of helping someone else find happiness. --- To read the full article on 18 life changing habits of happy people, go to my website:  https://lnkd.in/e7jYafA5 #lifechanging #happiness #happypeople #habits #personaldevelopment

What if happiness isn’t about what’s happening around you—but how you respond to it? We all crave happiness circumstances But for many of us, it feels like an elusive concept—something far away that will only become apparent when external circumstances change. - “If I lose weight, I’ll be happy.” - “If I win a million dollars, my stress will disappear.” - “If I could get that promotion, life would be better.” Sound familiar? The truth is that when you're caught in a cycle of stress, overwhelm, and anxiety, happiness feels almost impossible to reach. That’s because your mind is in survival mode—focused on just getting by, not thriving. You may even be stuck in a scarcity mindset, believing that happiness is something outside you only after you change your circumstances. But what if I told you that the key to happiness isn’t tied to those external factors? What if the secret lies in how you manage your stress and anxiety right now—how you respond to triggers, situations, and people in your environment? It’s about learning how to interact with your thoughts, understanding what your stress is trying to tell you, and building safety within yourself so you can create happiness from the inside out. If this resonates with you and you’re ready to go beyond just surviving, join me for my Happiness Formula Masterclass: Thriving Beyond Stress and Anxiety. In this free session, I’ll guide you through practical steps to create happiness in your everyday life—no matter what’s happening around you. Comment the word Happiness below, and I’ll send you the link to join! Wednesday 9th at 9:00 am AEST. Replay available. Link in the comments

"Dear Stranger, You don’t know me but I hear you are going through a tough time, and I would like to help you. I want to be open and honest with you, and let you know that happiness isn’t something just afforded to a special few. It can be yours, if you take the time to let it grow. It’s OK to be stressed, scared and sad, I certainly have been throughout my 66 years. I’ve confronted my biggest fears time and time again. I’ve cheated death on many adventures, seen loved ones pass away, failed in business, minced my words in front of tough audiences, and had my heart broken. I know I’m fortunate to live an extraordinary life, and that most people would assume my business success, and the wealth that comes with it, have brought me happiness. But they haven’t; in fact it’s the reverse. I am successful, wealthy and connected because I am happy. So many people get caught up in doing what they think will make them happy but, in my opinion, this is where they fail. Happiness is not about doing, it’s about being. In order to be happy, you need to think consciously about it. Don’t forget the to-do list, but remember to write a to-be list too. Stop and breathe. Be healthy. Be around your friends and family. Be there for someone, and let someone be there for you. Be bold. Just be for a minute. If you allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment, happiness will follow. I speak from experience. We’ve built a business empire, joined conversations about the future of our planet, attended many memorable parties and met many unforgettable people. And while these things have brought me great joy, it’s the moments that I stopped just to be, rather than do, that have given me true happiness. Why? Because allowing yourself just to be, puts things into perspective. Try it. Be still. Be present. For me, it’s watching the flamingos fly across Necker Island at dusk. It’s holding my new grandchild's tiny hands. It’s looking up at the stars and dreaming of seeing them up close one day. It’s listening to my family’s dinner-time debates. It’s the smile on a stranger’s face, the smell of rain, the ripple of a wave, the wind across the sand. It’s the first snow fall of winter, and the last storm of summer. It’s sunrise and sunset. There’s a reason we’re called human beings and not human doings. As human beings we have the ability to think, move and communicate in a heightened way. We can cooperate, understand, reconcile and love, that’s what sets us apart from most other species. But don’t just seek happiness when you’re down. Happiness shouldn’t be a goal, it should be a habit. Take the focus off doing, and start being every day. Be loving, be grateful, be helpful, and be a spectator to your own thoughts. Allow yourself to be in the moment, and appreciate the moment. Take the focus off everything you think you need to do, and start being – I promise you, happiness will follow. Happy regards, Richard Branson

Chasing Happiness, Part 9. Calling our beliefs “decisions” and completely owning our thoughts is a little daunting at times. Especially because some of these beliefs have become habits and they creep back into our thoughts when we are weak or are not paying attention. Some of us dwell in our beliefs that this situation caused this problem or this person wronged me. Circumstances and people are both situations-something outside of us that we come in contact with and can’t really control. Being frustrated at getting a flat tire is one thing—raging at the tire that had a puncture might get you committed to a mental hospital. Living among other people is where we have the most trouble. We have great expectations about how other people will behave. And because they, too, are human, we believe that they have more control over over their behavior than a tire has over a nail in the road. Most of us don’t and those who do will almost always default to pursuing their own interests over ours. This is not a problem—this is human nature. It is only a problem when we decide to make it a problem in our minds. And we wonder why we are unhappy. Often, though, this does not feel like a choice that we made. If the feelings are too strong to see the decision that we’re making to feel that way, an easier way to address it is to ask ourselves why we are giving away our joy to this other person? It can be like playing with matches in a forest because jealousy and other feelings about the person may rush in. We may be even less objective but it also might be enough to propel us out of the thought pattern. Pride is dangerous but it can also be strong motivator. If we can’t figure out how to be happy, it may be easier to see when we’re actively giving away our happiness to someone else. Stop the hemorrhaging of happiness, get some space, and regroup. With space and time, the decisions that we were making will become obvious. PS. The dog is doing fine.

Looking to boost your happiness? Consider a review of the Happiness Equation. According to Arthur Brooks, Happiness = Enjoyment + Satisfaction + Meaning * Enjoyment = more than just pleasure. It includes fulfillment through learning. * Satisfaction = what you have/what you want. To increase satisfaction, don’t just try to increase what you have, but simplify/reduce what you want. * Meaning is having purpose and significance. This will inevitably include challenges and some unhappiness as you overcome adversity to achieve your purpose. Review where you stand on each item and consider making small changes to increase your level of happiness. #happiness #purpose #goals