Happiness Is An Action Word So Take Action Now

Don’t expect to be passively happy. It’s not possible

Did you smile when you saw these balloons? I did.

There is not a happiness gene. Yes, some people instinctively seem to be more positive and others more negative, but it always comes down to choice.

Taking action is a choice.

Three simple choices will make all the difference in how much happiness you experience in your life.

Simple Action #1 -Smile

Would you be surprised to know that salespeople are taught to smile before getting on the phone with a customer?

They are on the phone. The client/ customer can’t see them. How could this make a difference?

This principle was taught to salespeople long before zoom calls or video conferencing calls came into existence.

In study after study, the results were consistent.

Salespeople who smiled more sold more.

When there were challenging conversations to be had, smiling made them go more smoothly.

How could this be?

Think about going to the grocery store. The checker is tired. She has been trained to smile and offer a courteous greeting. Most people ignore her and treat her like a robot or make a rude comment.

You arrive at the front of the checkout line. You smile and make a pleasant response to her canned greeting. Suddenly her smile becomes authentic. You can see her relax and you do as well.

A simple smile, seen or unseen, creates positive energy and a happier dynamic.

Simple Action #2 -Look Happy Even If You Have to Pretend to Be Happy

You are looking for help. You encounter identical twins. One has a grumpy expression, and the other has a happy, welcoming expression on their face.

Which would you direct your question to? Would you ask it in the same way?

Most people will ask the twin with a happy, welcoming expression. They might get the same answer from either twin, but the expectation is that there will be a better outcome with the twin with a more positive expression.

This also impacts how we ask our questions.

If forced to interact with the grumpy twin we will generally cop an attitude because we expect them to have one.

Their expression sets up an expectation on our part. That triggers our behavior. The twin with the welcoming expression may not have felt ready to welcome us. It could have been the end of their shift. They were tired. Their feet hurt. The grumpy expression on their twin’s face was an accurate reflection of how they both felt at that point.

Yet when one twin appeared happy and welcoming, they created a more comfortable and productive environment in which you could comfortably ask a question. You did not feel defensive or uncomfortable.

This created a happier atmosphere for both of you.

Simple Action #3 -Happiness is a Choice.

Attitude is a choice. Our attitude influences our happiness far more than our circumstances.

Each of these choices will cause our body to release endorphins. These are natural painkillers and mood enhancers.

3 very simple actions. They don’t require a monetary investment, yet they can make a world of difference in the happiness we experience daily.

Bonus Tip

For the next 30 days, start each day with a smile. Each time something goes amiss during your day, step back, take a deep breath, and smile. Not a forced frozen caricature of a smile, but a genuine heart-felt smile (this may take practice) and then come back to this article and share how it has changed your life.