Monday mornings can be tough. Especially if you've got a job you don't like. Even if your job is OK, that first day of each week can often seem daunting. But what if I told you that you could be happy, no matter what your situation (or day of the week) and that it was as simple as X + Y = JOY. Yessiree, there is a simple formula for happiness!
Sounds too good to be true, but there is a way to calculate your own happiness formula. Think in terms of micro-level (5-10 minute) daily routines) and macro-level thinking...big picture stuff like where you'd love to live, your ideal job, etc.
Here are the things that'll need your consideration:
Micro-level stuff includes creating an uplifting and supportive morning routine that consists of reading, journaling, meditations,and spiritual practices of your choice. If you don't have time to them all then pick the top 2-3 that work best for you, or choose to get up a few minutes earlier so you can easily fit them in. Now the macro-thinking stuff: What are your goals, things you enjoy doing, etc. Your own personal formula may contain a mix and match of the following:
These might include: living in an energizing city with a vast array of entertainment and work possibilities or moving into the peace and tranquility of the countryside and a work-from-home job that'll support that lifestyle, working on fun and creative products, traveling (long and short trips, creating an enjoyable and stress-free home environment (feel free to add your own). The next element is physical. Micro ones might include: getting outside, spending time in nature, going for a walk, taking a fitness class, while the macro ones might be exercising regularly, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, cutting back on junk food and eating healthier. The last element is social. Micro could be meeting a friend for coffee or tea, cooking with others, talking on the phone with family or friends. Macro might be things like attending a cultural or sporting event, volunteering regularly, taking classes, hosting get-togethers, long-term travel. So now we know the kinds of things that we use make up our happiness formula, let's look at how we put it all together.
Step 1. Reflect on your current morning and evening rituals. How did the past few days go..good, bad? Rate your activities during those days; are they a 1, a 10...somewhere in the middle? What things are working best for you? What's missing? What would a 10 look like to you?
Step 2. Aim for quality (not quantity) as you fill in your chart. Try not to censor yourself, just go with whatever comes in your mind. make a list of three to five things, in each of the above categories, that energize you the most. What daily activities are 'must-haves" for your happiness formula? What macro lifestyle factors are important to you?
Step 3. Express your happiness formula as an equation by identifying elements across the three M's : Must-haves - choose three things from your above list that you keep you sane and keep you energized; Multiplier/s - Choose one or more elements that boost, or super-charge your day or week; Minuses - Choose one or more habits that no longer serve you. They can include things like fear, mind-set, and those "shoulds" you need to let go of.
These elements then go into a formula that might look like this:
[(Ritual 1 + Ritual 2 + Ritual 3) x Booster] - Barrier/s to Drop = Happiness.
Keep working on your personal formula until it fits "The goal is to capture your most critical foundational elements. You can even give it a fun name or label, the result on the other end of the equal sign, that serves as a shortcut for how you want to feel when enacting these routines," says Jenny Blake, author of the book Pivot. And it needn't be set in stone, either. Think of it as a recipe that you can tweak and fine-tune until it's perfect for you.
Remember, though, that the more we chase after happiness, the more it eludes us. Don't worry about it. Trust your formula. We are all more fulfilled when we pursue meaning, growth, impact, and connection directly. When we do that, a calm and purpose-filled happiness naturally find us! And that's as easy as 1 + 1 = 2.
Sounds too good to be true, but there is a way to calculate your own happiness formula. Think in terms of micro-level (5-10 minute) daily routines) and macro-level thinking...big picture stuff like where you'd love to live, your ideal job, etc.
Here are the things that'll need your consideration:
Micro-level stuff includes creating an uplifting and supportive morning routine that consists of reading, journaling, meditations,and spiritual practices of your choice. If you don't have time to them all then pick the top 2-3 that work best for you, or choose to get up a few minutes earlier so you can easily fit them in. Now the macro-thinking stuff: What are your goals, things you enjoy doing, etc. Your own personal formula may contain a mix and match of the following:
These might include: living in an energizing city with a vast array of entertainment and work possibilities or moving into the peace and tranquility of the countryside and a work-from-home job that'll support that lifestyle, working on fun and creative products, traveling (long and short trips, creating an enjoyable and stress-free home environment (feel free to add your own). The next element is physical. Micro ones might include: getting outside, spending time in nature, going for a walk, taking a fitness class, while the macro ones might be exercising regularly, getting 7-8 hours of sleep each night, cutting back on junk food and eating healthier. The last element is social. Micro could be meeting a friend for coffee or tea, cooking with others, talking on the phone with family or friends. Macro might be things like attending a cultural or sporting event, volunteering regularly, taking classes, hosting get-togethers, long-term travel. So now we know the kinds of things that we use make up our happiness formula, let's look at how we put it all together.
Step 1. Reflect on your current morning and evening rituals. How did the past few days go..good, bad? Rate your activities during those days; are they a 1, a 10...somewhere in the middle? What things are working best for you? What's missing? What would a 10 look like to you?
Step 2. Aim for quality (not quantity) as you fill in your chart. Try not to censor yourself, just go with whatever comes in your mind. make a list of three to five things, in each of the above categories, that energize you the most. What daily activities are 'must-haves" for your happiness formula? What macro lifestyle factors are important to you?
Step 3. Express your happiness formula as an equation by identifying elements across the three M's : Must-haves - choose three things from your above list that you keep you sane and keep you energized; Multiplier/s - Choose one or more elements that boost, or super-charge your day or week; Minuses - Choose one or more habits that no longer serve you. They can include things like fear, mind-set, and those "shoulds" you need to let go of.
These elements then go into a formula that might look like this:
[(Ritual 1 + Ritual 2 + Ritual 3) x Booster] - Barrier/s to Drop = Happiness.
Keep working on your personal formula until it fits "The goal is to capture your most critical foundational elements. You can even give it a fun name or label, the result on the other end of the equal sign, that serves as a shortcut for how you want to feel when enacting these routines," says Jenny Blake, author of the book Pivot. And it needn't be set in stone, either. Think of it as a recipe that you can tweak and fine-tune until it's perfect for you.
Remember, though, that the more we chase after happiness, the more it eludes us. Don't worry about it. Trust your formula. We are all more fulfilled when we pursue meaning, growth, impact, and connection directly. When we do that, a calm and purpose-filled happiness naturally find us! And that's as easy as 1 + 1 = 2.
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