What Most People Learn Too Late about Happiness!

This article is authored by Kathy Donaldson, Career Consultant & Life Coach, Educator and Trainer, a Career Money Life Certified Supplier. You can view the original article on Kathy’s website.

When we think of happiness and success, we tend to believe that is waiting for a time or condition when we can be happier or more successful. Our belief is that we strive for happiness and success. However, every day we can be happy and successful in small ways. Why wait? Bernard Marr offered the following advice on how to live a satisfying, successful and happy life. Below are some tips for happiness and success based on his suggestions.

Life is short. Don’t waste your time in a job that you hate or a relationship that you know is not working. Make choices that will lead to satisfaction and happiness and spread that happiness with others. Indulging in being miserable or allowing yourself to play the victim doesn’t improve your life. Choose to be happy and make others around you happy.

Social networks matter. Develop and nurture social relationships. Social networks provide energy and in times of difficulty – support and encouragement. Get involved in activities you like and enjoy and you will find others to connect with who similar interests.

Sacrificing your health for success or wealth isn’t worth it. Work/life balance is one of the most crucial aspects of our lives that we need to take seriously. It is more advantageous to stay healthy than to recover from the effects of stress and burnout. Is the wealth and success you accrue the cost for your good health?

None of the best moments of your life will take place looking at a screen. Whether we want to believe it or acknowledge it or not, many of us are addicted to the screen. While we are doing this excessively we are missing out on so many other things…healthy and amazing relationships, the beauty of nature and the vibe and energy we can perceive outside our little world.

Never stop learning. Every time we try something new or learn something new, we are building neural pathways. Be open to new ideas and new strategies that will improve your life and provide the experience and excitement of knowing something new or being creative or innovative.

Diversify. What else can I do? Often when we are young, we have dreams and plans that never get explored for one reason or another. Find ways to revive those plans and act to follow them – you will never know where they will lead.

You can go fast alone, but you can go farther together. Bernard Marr suggests – Teamwork makes the dream work. Building effective teams drawing on the knowledge and experience of the team members can create more success than working alone.

Worrying doesn’t achieve anything. Stepping out of your comfort zone will dispel the fear and allay the worry. If we don’t move forward, we are stationery or worse going backward. Tony Robbins reminds us that if we are not green and growing, we are ripe and rotting!!

Failure is not an end. Failure is the key to success. How many people have become successful after many failures and bankruptcies? Failure is motivation and an opportunity for learning not giving up! 

Happiness is a journey, not a destination. Every day has opportunities for experiencing happiness and success. Sometimes we are just not aware that the challenge we overcame today, was a success. When we chose to be happy instead of letting something someone said affect us for the rest of the day…that is a success! We don’t have to wait for happiness or success…we can allow ourselves to live it every day!