<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC '-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN' 'http://www.w3.org/TR/html4/loose.dtd'>; <html><head><title>Article Directory Online : Free Online Article Submission - Articleonlinedirectory | Use The Watersheds Of Life To Achieve Happiness</title></head><body><h3>Use The Watersheds Of Life To Achieve Happiness</h3><br /><br />By: <br /><br /><p>Moments of personal anguish can strike often, cruelly, and when we least expect them.<br /> <br /> I am sure that you, like everyone else, will have lived through one or more or many life events such as divorce, breaking up a business partnership, discovering betrayal by an old friend, retirement, bereavement, bankruptcy, and so on. The list goes on and on, and they can leave serious legacies in their wake.<br /> <br /> But there is another, a seldom considered aspect to these traumatic occurrences. They present you with a wonderful opportunity for self assessment. A chance to pause, to take an in depth look at yourself, and perhaps to make adjustments in your life which will dramatically improve your happiness and self satisfaction. After all, we all seek happiness and self fulfillment, don't we ? What is happiness, anyway ? There are probably as many definitions of happiness as there are people on the planet. A random internet search produces the following :<br /> <br /> -Happiness comes down to the difference between commitment and attachment -Happiness is social relationships -Happiness is individualistic, varying from one person to another -Happiness is a recipe that includes a number of ingredients -Happiness and unhappiness are two sides of the same coin -Happiness is the highest good -Happiness is about having each tiny wish come true -Happiness is delivered through focussing on the key areas of your life -Happiness is connected with diet and exercise -Happiness is not something that happens to you. It is inside you now -Happiness is the most important and the ultimate objective in life -Happiness is a set of skills you must learn<br /> <br /> Clearly, a stringent self examination must be beneficial.<br /> <br /> One of the best-selling books of recent times was written by Dr Tal David Ben-Shahar and is entitled "Happiness 101". With its associated television programmes and dvd's, it derives from a course taught by Dr Ben-Shahar to students at Harvard University. In the course, Dr Ben-Shahar describes experiences as being pleasureable or meaningful or both, and it is the overlap of the two which brings happiness. He teaches goal-oriented Harvard students to learn that happiness is the ultimate currency, not wealth or success. They should focus on the journey, enjoying each little thing along the way, rather than concentrating on the goal. <br /> <br /> If you think about it, this makes perfect sense. But how many of us actually practice it ? Google Happiness 101 with Tal Ben-Shahar.<br /> <br /> A very successful angle in psychology is being developed at the University of Pennsylvania by Dr Martin Seligman, who is Director of the Centre for Positive Psychology there. His underlying principle is to switch pschological studies away from mental illness, victimology, pathology, etc into the positive areas of emotion, virtue and strength.<br /> <br /> Happiness is not brought about by a random assortment of genes and luck. We each already possess certain strengths and traits called by Dr Seligman "signature strengths", which can be developed to provide natural buffers against the negative emotions and misfortunes we all endure. A life crisis is one of the best times to identify your own "signature strengths" to bring about marked improvements in your health, careers and relationships.<br /> <br /> Dr Seligman has devised a "Signature Strengths Survey" to assist with this process.<br /> <br /> Much more can be learned at his website at Authentic Happiness (http://www.authentichappiness.sas.upenn.edu/Default.aspx). <br /> <br /> Finally, if you really want to take your life in hand and achieve real and lasting happiness, try googling these:<br /> <br /> BBC News: The Happiness Formula, American Psychological Association (APA), European Network for Positive Psychology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), Positive Organizational Scholarship at the University of Michigan School of Business, Positive Psychology Center: Research Information, Quality of Life Research Center, VIA Institute on Character, Positive Psychology Anthem.</p> <br /><br /><b>Author Resource:-></b> Peter Shaw is a writer, bookseller, and bookbinder who lives a retired idyllic life in a remote village in the Great Karoo, South Africa. His central theme is downsizing and retirement options. You can read more at<a href=http://tinyurl.com/yenfxrj>Aberdeen Books and Crafts</a> or at<a href=http://tinyurl.com/yenfxrj>abcdigitalbooks</a>.<br /><br /><b>Article From</b> <a href='http://www.articleonlinedirectory.com/'>Article Directory Online : Free Online Article Submission - Articleonlinedirectory</a><br /></body></html>
