Come On Get Happy!

What makes you happy? Whether it’s closing a huge business deal, drinks with girlfriends or just taking a few minutes of me-time, we all know what brings us joy. But some women feel they need to achieve perfection to be happy, and that mindset isn’t healthy.

“The opposite of happiness isn’t depression, it’s anxiety,” says Ariel Gore, author of Bluebird: Women and the New Psychology of Happiness. “We are trying to bust out our careers and have friendships and relationships, and if we add perfectionism to that, we end up selling ourselves short.” Gore tells PINK that women sometimes fall into the role of the worrier, when the better solution is usually to try “relaxing into the chaos.”

Here’s how to put a smile on:

Gore got the idea for her book from an NPR report on how Psychology 1504, or “Positive Psychology,” was the most popular course at Harvard University, measuring what makes people and communities thrive.

Gore was also inspired to keep a log about the best moment of each day by Marion Milner and her book, A Life of One’s Own, and found that this increased her overall happiness.

From being more motivated and getting sick less often to working better with others, happiness boosts productivity, says Powersharing.com.

Minute Mentor: Jennifer Levison, owner of Souper Jenny, shares the importance of taking care of yourself – and how she does it.

By Caroline Cox

“Happiness is an attitude. We either make ourselves miserable or happy.
The amount of work is the same.” Francesca Reigler