The Cart Blog

MMM: Keep on the sunny side

I’m a big fan of Penelope Trunk’s blog, and I particularly enjoyed this article.  She argues that while our internal set-point for happiness may be genetically predispositioned,

… you can make a 40% impact on your optimism level by changing your daily routine in relatively small ways - like doing a bunch of random acts of kindness in one day, on a weekly basis.

I love this idea.  And I have long believed that many actions, which may be peripheral either to your goals or your definition of happiness, could well be critical to attaining either.   For instance,

1. Taking time to count your blessings
2. Getting some exercise every day
3. Spending quiet time in prayer, meditation, contemplation or reflection (according to your bent)
4. Being careful about the kinds of stimulus you allow into your life
5. Eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables
6. (as Penelope suggested) performing a kindness to someone who is less fortunate than you.  Jewish people call this a mitzvah.

See what you can do today to improve your outlook and maximize your optimism.