[INSPIRE 66] TAL BEN SHAHAR - HOW TO BRING POSITIVITY & HAPPINESS TO EACH MOMENT! Harvard | Health | Spirituality | Self-Help

Did you ever wish you could be happier right now, much happier? That life could be, well, happier in each moment, more puppies and roses, or that at least the sun could be shining more than half the time?

Well then do we have the show for you!

Today we’ll be talking with Tal Ben Shahar, a former Harvard pyschology professor and a leader in the field of positivity and happiness. He’s also the author of the best-selling book: Choose the Life You Want: The mindful Way to Happiness.

Today we’ll be talking about at least 10 key ways to CHOOSE Happiness in Each moment, plus the power of smiling and why we both do it before starting the show, plus why we might want to forgo that new Porsche, and instead head for Cabo pronto. Arriba!

Interview Topics Include:

1. Got into studying happiness because wasn’t happy studying computers
2. Generosity Brings Happiness
   1. There was a study that gave you money to go shopping
      1. Shoppers high had 1 day stick – then gone
      2. Those who were give money to instead give away, had more stick, even a week later

• Hebrew word natan, palindrome, same word backwards, because of the relationship of giving and receiving

3. Being Present Brings You Happiness
   1. Eric, Blind Home Designer
   2. Hellen Keller
   3. Brings happiness and boosts immune system
4. Being in a state of Gratitude brings you happiness
   1. Hellen Keller was a consummate appreciator
5. Being Present and Grateful is a super-powerful happiness duo
   1. What Barbara Frederickson calls heartfelt positivity – feeling good in the moment
   2. Einstein , either nothing is a miracle or everything is
6. What are key ways to be mindful for happiness
   1. Like working out
      1. Can go to gym
      2. Or bring activity to everything
   2. Mindfulness
      1. Can meditate
      2. Or can make every moment a mindfulness practice
   3. Listening to someone contributes to their physical health
      1. Kids self-esteem is higher
      2. Also affects employees in workplace – sick less when listened to more by boss or colleagues
      3. One of best predictors of job productivity is the answer to “do you have a best friend at work” – having someone hear us out.
   4. Having Pets contributes to wellbeing and happiness
   5. In every moment can cultivate mindfulness
      1. Amy Cutty – Physical Posture
      2. Doing dishes can be mindful
      3. When eating –
   6. 5-10 minutes a day of mindful eating a day can improve our wellbeing
   7. Posture can improve wellbeing, happiness, and body chemistry
      1. High power pose –
         1. Rooster pose or big-shot pose
      2. Increases testosterone and reduces cortisol
         1. Demostrates confidence
      3. Weaker pose
         1. Increases stress hormones, decreases testerone
         2. Hunching forward at computer isn’t good for our psychology
      4. The permission to be human
         1. Allowing ourselves to experience any and all emotions
         2. Difficult of self-help gurus
            1. Can’t be happy all the time
            2. Cannot suppress or block emotions
         3. Allowing yourself to experience emotions
         4. The idea of the lucky person – phenomenon of luck and Dr. Wiseman
            1. More open
            2. Interpret events differently
         5. Be a benefit finder, not a fault-finder
         6. How to become more of a benefit finder
            1. Teach it
            2. Write about it
            3. Have reminders around you
         7. Bringing humor and lightness to your life
            1. The healing power of humor – Norman Cousins
               1. Prescribing humorous activities – the power of humor is remarkable
            2. Ellen Degeneres
               1. Combining Dance and Humor
            3. The Wonder Drug video on Happiness.tv
               1. Ellen and TBD (Too Busy Disorder)
                  1. So important to do less rather than more
               2. Changing our beliefs and the mind-body connection
                  1. How do we shift those beliefs
                  2. Carol Dweck –
                     1. Fixed mindset vs. growth mindset – self fulfilling prophecy
                  3. Having a fixed vs. a growth mindset
                  4. Shoot for more positive experiences – even small experiences
                     1. The value of experiences over goods
                  5. Supporting a child’s dreams
                  6. Spirituality – having a meaningful, purposeful experience
                     1. See your work as significant or purposeful
                     2. Doesn’t have to be in a great or big experience or ah ha moment, it can be in just about every moment of our lives.
                  7. Happiness is in the details – in the minute-to-minute decisions we make
                     1. Jon Kabat Zinn – wherever you go, there you are – being present to the experience

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