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,
- Taking time to count your blessings
- Getting some exercise every day
- Spending quiet time in prayer, meditation, contemplation or reflection (according to your bent)
- Being careful about the kinds of stimulus you allow into your life
- Eating a healthy, balanced diet with lots of fruits and vegetables
- (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.
