I recently heard a Ted Talk with Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage, where Shawn explained that everything I’ve been experiencing, everything my clients and my friends were experiencing about the power of happiness to make us successful, could now be scientifically proven! (You can listen to Shawn talk about happiness here.  I immediately bought the book.

In the book, Shawn quotes study after study that shows that happiness preceeds success in EVERY area of life, especially in business and career. This is great news if you are a happy person. Woo hoo… but what about the rest of the world? Now I consider myself a happy person, I’ve got a life filled with family and friends for whom I am exceedingly grateful. But, I could be happier on a day to day basis. That is why I was so happy to have Shawn confirm that I could indeed build my happiness muscles.

You see, it wasn’t until I gave up the struggle of having to ‘make money with my business’ and decided that being happy was much more important, that I actually started making money.

So, I’m challenging you to start building your happiness muscles. Get really strong in being able to manifest a state of happiness and to return to that state when life throws you a curve ball. Get good at getting back on the horse, looking for the positive and shining your light into the world.

Here’s one simple way. Do this for 21 days, every day and you will significantly improve your level of happiness… and success:

Start a gratitude journal. Focusing on what you are grateful for, really grateful for, automatically ups your happiness. And it’s not a complicated thing. Simply get a journal – please choose something that makes you happy to look at. I also recommend a special pen that writes really well with an ink color you love. Each night before bed write down three things from your day that you are truly grateful for. Feel the emotions that each brings and give thanks.

You can up the feeling by sharing your gratitude with a loved one, posting your Three Good Things on Facebook, writting with water based ink on rocks and tossing them into the ocean. Anything that makes you feel good.

My Three Good Things today?

• Watching Piglets Big Day with Maddie (age 20 months)
• Sunshine on the Central Coast
• The lemon yellow daylilies blooming in my garden

To Your Happy Success