Author Archive: JeanineJoy

Your Choice: Separation or Connection

You Get to Choose: Separation or Connection

 The Importance of Understanding Our Connection

Whenever someone focuses upon an atrocity that has happened to someone who belongs to a group that they associate themselves as a member of and they express more outrage than they would at the atrocity happening to anyone or feel more outrage than they would if the individual(s) impacted were of another group you know two things are going on.

The first is that they are coming from a place of fear. Fear that the same could occur to them or their loved ones.

Second, that they do not view themselves as connected to All That Is and to everyone and everything. They are taking a more narrow view and defining themselves as a member of a smaller group, but not as a member of humanity as a whole.

This results in great attention being placed upon some acts and less upon others.

None of these actions lessens future atrocities.

What will lessen future atrocities is for more people to feel the connection that we each have with one another. For each of us to look for those qualities we can relate to in one another rather than the differences.

We are more alike than we seem.

When we allow our emotions to take a nosedive, we move further away from the possibility of harmony that is possible among everyone.

Science has shown that racism lessens when people are happy and increases when they are unhappy.

When tensions rise, rather it be based upon race, religious beliefs, gender, or other traits that are so often used to feel separate from others, we actually move further away from what is desired which is peace and harmony.

If we begin to understand this and stop the cycle of allowing negative emotions to increase the feeling of separation, if we begin to look for points of harmony, for ways to be closer, we can make the disharmony a distant memory.

The next time you find yourself moving into negative emotions over something that is separating yourself from others, stop and ask yourself what your long term goals are. Do you want humanity to live in peace? Do you want  your children and children’s children to feel that same discord or do you want them to feel a part of a wonderful loving humanity? If you focus upon your longer-term goals you can feel in your gut when you are moving toward them or away from them. If you want the future to hold more evidence of love between all peoples, examine your thoughts when you encounter a situation. If your thoughts feel worse in your gut you are moving away from your true desires. Try to move to thoughts that are more general. Try thoughts such as “This is an isolated incident. Most people never experience anything like this.” See if that feels better. Then try thoughts such as “We are all connected, on the quantum level there is no separation. This will actually help society increase our desire for wholeness. We can use this to help us focus on what we want. This has helped clarify what we do not want. Let’s turn our attention to what we do want. We always move in the direction of where our attention is focused. I choose to move toward a more loving world.”  See if those thoughts don’t feel better in your gut. If you are ready, you can even take it to an even better place. “There are already people who have achieved a feeling of connection with the whole of humanity. Their numbers are growing and I want people like that in my life. That is where I want to head. Our connection is what I want my children to feel.”

Please spread the above as far and as wide as you are inspired to share the words. This wisdom has been with all humankind throughout the ages as the quotes below reflect. Deep within each of us, we all know their truth. Modern technology gives us the opportunity to spread this wisdom to more conscious minds than ever before. The potential transformation to a world of peace has never been closer.

Candles along the path to peace have become spotlights illuminating the night. Look and you will find.

~ Jeanine Joy, April 15, 2012, Lombard, IL

“When you see love, you are being informed by the eternal you.
This is the source that created the Universe. Let the eternal you guide your awakening.
If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself.
If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself.
Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.”

~ Lao Tzu

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought.
If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him.
If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him.”

~ Buddha

” You cannot find someone, even if they deserve it, as your enemy and stay Connected with who you are at the same time, because your Source will not take sides like that. No one can stay connected to Source Energy, and push hard against someone else. There are these battles that are fought in the name of “God”, and all of these prayers that say, “God is on our side,” and we say, god is not on your side, nor is god on the side of those who fight against you. god does not take those sides.” 

~ Abraham

“You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”

~ Mohandas Gandhi

“Love is deeply nourishing. 
Like oxygen, it is essential for life. 
The emotions of hatred and fear are poisons that literally stop us in our tracks. 
They paralyze us, physically halting energy production at a cellular level. 
We are not meant to hate.”

~ Marcey Shapiro, M.D.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.
Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.” 

~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Each man should frame life so that at some future hour fact and his dreaming meet.” 

 ~ Victor Hugo

“Every great dream begins with a dreamer.
Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars to change the world.”

 ~ Harriet Tubman

“It takes someone with a vision of the possibilities to attain new levels of experience.
Someone with the courage to live his dreams.”

~ Les Brown

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”

~ Luke 6:27

“The worshipers of the All-Merciful are they who tread gently upon the earth, and when the ignorant address them, they reply, “Peace!”

~ Qur’an 25:63

“Emancipate yourself from mental slavery, none but ourselves can free our mind.”

– Bob Marley

“Any intelligent fool can make things bigger, more complex, and more violent.
It takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction.”

– Albert Einstein

“Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it.”

~ Psalm 34:14

Small communities grow great through harmony, great ones fall to pieces through discord.

~ Sallust

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments.
Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it.

– Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1969)

“Repay no one evil for evil, but give thought to do what is honorable in the sight of all.”  ~ Romans 12:17
Each and every master, regardless of the era or the place, heard the call and attained harmony with heaven and earth.
There are many paths leading to the top of Mount Fuji, but there is only one summit – love.

~ Morihei Ueshiba

© 2012-2014 by Joy. (Happiness1st.com)

 Free Use of this specific post as long as credit is given to author.

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Floor length hair: Q & A

Floor Length Hair: Q & A

You may be wondering what floor length hair has to do with happiness.  It actually does make my life a lot more fun and helps me bring more fun into the lives of others but that is not why I am posting a blog about my hair on this site.  Because my hair is unusual, many people have questions but I do not want to take time away from the more important message of how to increase thriving in one’s life to answer those questions when I am speaking at events.  Also, I recognize that not every member of the audience has those questions.  My solution is to post a Q & A here that will answer the most common questions.  If you have a burning question that is not addressed here please feel free to comment and I will answer it.

Q  How long has it been since you cut it?

A 1985 (that makes 28 years this year – 2013)

Q  How long did it take to grow it that long?

A  It took 17 years to reach the floor.  It seemed to grow faster once I began keeping it in a braid but I think it was that I lost less to breakage.

Q  What shampoo or conditioner do you use?

A  They have changed often because the manufacturers keep changing brands.  I do not use expensive hair products.  I use far more conditioner than shampoo.

Q Does it give you headaches?

A  No.  It would if I put it in a pony tail.  I don’t do that.

Q  Is it a religious thing?

A  Not for me.

Q How long does it take to wash it?

A  Start to finish it is about an hour.  If it is very tangled it can take longer.

Q How long does it take to dry it?

A  I never use heat on it.  I allow to dry naturally.

Q  Do you use special vitamins or a special diet?

A  Nothing unusual and nothing that has been consistent for 28 years.

Q How do you wash it?

A  A hand held shower head is the key.

Q  Who braids it for you?

A  I do.

Q Does it get in your way?

A  Not very much.  I thought it was harder when it was shorter.  Now I can just put it in my pocket if I don’t want to deal with it

Q  Will you give me some?

A  If I gave everyone who asked some I would have been bald long ago.

Q  Do you donate it?

A  No.  #1 – old hair would be thrown away.  You don’t want to make a wig from old hair.  #2 – I am using it.  That question is usually followed by, “What for?” and the answer is to make my life more fun.

Q  Do you ever step on it?

A  Not as long as I don’t back up.

That takes care of the most common questions I receive.  If you have one that is not answered here feel free to leave a comment.  Comments require registration on the site.

I hope you have as much joy as you can in life.

Jeanine

loose hair on beachbraided

Bullying: Negate Harmful Long-Term Effects

Bullying:  Negate Harmful Long-Term Effects

A new study by Duke Medicine highlights something we already knew would be true: bullying has potential negative long-term psychological impacts on both the bullied individual and the bully.

Jeanine Joy’s upcoming book, Stress Kills: Happiness Heals highlights the link between emotional state and behavior. We also understand:

  • How to mitigate the negative long-term psychological impacts for both the victim and the bully.
  • How to facilitate post traumatic growth.
  • How to build the bridge between the mental outlook of victim to a stronger and surer mindset that portrays inner strength that is authentic, and
  • How to help a bully find more socially acceptable behaviors and address the underlying bad feeling emotions that lead to bullying in the first place.

The potential psychological impacts of being bullied and being a bully, according to Duke’s study, include a higher risk for psychiatric disorders than those with no history of being bullied, higher risk of depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, panic disorders. Those who were bullied but did not bully were at risk of agoraphobia while those who were bullies and victims also had the highest level of suicidal thoughts and were at increased risk for antisocial personality disorder.

But just like situations, individual results vary. At Happiness 1st Institute, our work has been to investigate what causes thriving in spite of negative life events and build bridges to increase thriving in the world. Our focus has placed us in the perfect position to address this issue and take meaningful steps to prevent the negative long-term impacts of negative life events like being bullied and of bullying.

Our understanding of the link between emotional state and behavior also gives us insights into tools that can help the bully (and potential bully) make adjustments that can prevent that sort of behavior from beginning (or end it if it has already started). We can also empower potential victims so that they are less likely to be bullied and so that they have emotionally healthier responses even if they are.

Jeanine Joy developed an anti-bullying program that has provided some amazing results. Suitable for both middle and high school environments. She provides programs to schools at a much lower cost than her usual fee and can also do work using grant funds via the non-profit (Achieve Affinity) she co-founded to expand her work into areas that cannot afford her services through Happiness 1st Institute.

The answers exist. It is time to use that wisdom to make the world a better place for all. Let us help. Contact us today.

 

Is Your Happiness a Selfish Desire?

The Fallacy of Seeking Ones Own Happiness Being A Selfish Act

This new frontier is such an interesting journey.  There are so many common beliefs that are based on false assumptions to overcome.  Society has been teaching humans misinformation about happiness for generations.  It explains a lot about how things have gotten so bad for so many.

One of the most common fallacies I encounter is the perception that seeking ones own happiness is selfish.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

A happy Mother would never abuse her child.  Only unhappy ones ever do.

A happy husband would never abuse his wife.  Only an unhappy one would and whether or not he is happy is his issue; no one can make another person happy.

A happy person would not go on a killing spree.  Only deeply unhappy people do that.

When an individual is happy there are many benefits that extend to their family, friend, employer and community.

If a scale weighed the individual benefits of happiness against the benefits that individual’s happiness gives to their family, friends, co-workers and community it would be self evident that ones own happiness was not a selfish act.

I am not referring to the transitory happiness that one achieves based on external circumstances.  The happiness I refer to is a deep sense of inner stability, well-being, peace and vitality that is consistent and easy to return to when life tosses an obstacle in ones path.

That sort of happiness brings many benefits.  Here is a statement students in our programs can read to help them realize that making their own happiness a priority is far from a selfish act.

        When I am happy I am at my best.  I am in the best health.  I am in the best mood.  I am able to think with greater clarity.  I am able to see solutions to problems far more readily.  I need less from others (pumping up, assistance of all types, etc.).  I have better relationships.  I am more resilient.  I have more energy.  I contribute more by being happy so being happy is a priority for me.  When I am happy I contribute to others by inspiring them to happiness.  I contribute to others because when I feel great I want to help others feel just as wonderful.  Sometimes, when someone feels rotten it makes them feel better to see someone else feel rotten too or see someone who is even worse off then they are.  When I am happy it lifts me even higher to help others up and I gain no happiness or relief from their not being in a good place.  Minding my own happiness is minding my health because when I am happy I will be inclined to make good decisions about my diet, exercise and other habits.  Happiness reduces the stress on my body and enables it to more easily maintain or regain its health.  My immune system functions better when I am happy.  My happiness is good for me and good for the world. 

Degree of Happiness Scale II

Another common fallacy is that an individual can make another one happy. If you have ever attempted to cheer up someone who had decided they were going to be miserable you know that until the person decided they want to be happy nothing anyone else can do will make a significant difference.  Others can certainly contribute greatly to our happiness by providing positive things to focus on but we always have the ability to focus on less pleasing things no matter how pleasing they are being.

There are specific skills and a base of knowledge that can help anyone increase their level of happiness and increase their potential to thrive.

You can do it.  Anyone can. 

The Real Solution to Undesired Behaviors

Why I don’t focus on helping one group 

The knowledge I’ve gained in my journey has benefits that can be applied in so many ways.  I think the ways are actually endless.

My work might  appeal to more people if I structured the programs with narrower names or missions.

There are many programs that grab attention because they are aimed at helping “Politically Correct” groups. Programs designed to help women and/or girls. Programs designed to help the economically disadvantaged or other groups—there are too many sub-groups to even begin listing them.

But every time I see something that focuses on one group, it feels to me as if they are pushing against other groups.

I just saw what looked like a fantastic program to help women and girls but within the description it spoke about a program to help boys and men learn not to treat women and girls badly.

At its essence, it is divisive. It feels “off” to me.

It does not recognize that someone who mistreats another is unhappy. If that person were happier, they would not do as they are doing. Behavior is tied to emotional stance and no amount of education about “proper” behavior will change that basic truth. When we address the root–the emotional state–we will see the progress we seek.

The solutions to all social problems is a better world for all.

The person who mistreats another is not someone who is in an emotionally good state of mind.

If someone is being a bully they are in emotional pain. They would not treat another that way if they were in a good emotional state of mind.

For anyone who feels good emotionally it feels worse to treat another poorly. But when someone feels emotionally bad, especially if they feel powerless, they can feel somewhat better by asserting power over another. It is not the preferred path to feeling better and it will never take anyone all the way to joy, but it can offer relief from a totally powerless state of mind. We need to understand this, as a society, a world society, and give the knowledge and tools to all.

We need to give both the aggressors and the victims tools to move from low and powerless feeling emotional states to more empowered states of mind. Knowledge and tools that allow them to move in the direction of feeling better in socially acceptable ways is the solution will solve the problem.

Continuing to create divisiveness is not the solution. It may bring temporary ease to many who need it but it will not eliminate the problem. We could be giving permanent solutions with the same resources.

Empty Inside?

Often, someone has been very successful in life based upon all the common measurements yet

Still feels empty inside

The ‘hole’ they thought all the right ‘trappings’ would fill still exists.

We know the source of the hole and how to help you fill it once and for all.

Filling the ‘hole’ will not take away your motivation.

It will ignite the passion from within for the goals that light your fire.

We wish for you a happy life. Our programs help  you understand the cause and the cure for that empty feeling.

Healthy Relationships

This course is designed to increase the knowledge and skills that will help you enjoy a life long loving relationship.

The course name represents the Golden wedding anniversary because we believe this class can contribute greatly to the ability of couples to enjoy 50 or more years together. All are welcome in the course. It is not necessary to come as a couple or to be married. This class will help individuals prepare for great relationships or enjoy the one they already have.

The same skills and knowledge can help you improve all your relationships.

The class is a great wedding or anniversary gift.

If you are ‘in love’ you will know how to keep that loving feeling and if you do find yourself veering off course, you will have skills that can be used to get back on track before you’re in a ditch.

If your relationship has evolved to where you feel more friendship than passionate loving feelings you can use the knowledge and skills to bring back the ‘in love’ feelings.

If the stress of life has made it feel more like your mate is your business partner, figuring out  schedules and budgets, it can help you feel more ‘in love’ even in the midst of chaos.

If your relationship is struggling to survive the knowledge and skills may be able to bring it back to that loving feeling.

If your relationship has ended the knowledge and skills can help you make the next one the one you’ve been dreaming about.

Its goal is to increase happiness, optimism, emotional intelligence, resilience, self mastery, and well-being and improve relationships.

You will feel more empowered and feel more confident in your ability to sustain a loving relationship with your mate. Many of the same skills can be utilized to improve other relationships.

We design the time and location of this class to make it easy to have a date night after class so that couples attending together can enjoy one another and have time to talk about any insights they experienced as a result of the class.

The benefits of increased happiness are tremendous. You will learn why relationships are easier when you are happy.

Happiness also provides health benefits including 50% risk reduction for heart disease, reduced risk for some cancers, reduced risk of diabetes and Alzheimer’s, improved immune function, fewer colds and flu and so much more. See our website for more information on the scientifically proven benefits.

Taking this class is a wise decision. . Your life will be better because of it.

The terms we use to refer to areas the class will benefit are defined differently by different people. This is especially true of happiness. Our meanings are reflected below.

Happiness is a deep sense of inner stability, well-being, peace and vitality that is consistent and reliable.

Resilience is an individual’s ability to cope with stress and adversity. Increased resilience helps individuals recover from setbacks (illness, depression, adversity, etc. ) faster than they would without the coping strategies that our course strengthens.

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to effectively understand oneself and others which impacts the ability to relate well to people and higher EQ levels help individuals be more successful in meeting the demands and pressures of life.

Optimism is an inclination to project a positive point of view upon actions and events and to anticipate favorable outcomes. Optimists tend to be much more successful than pessimists and to experience better health throughout life.

Self Mastery is the ability to be aware of your emotions and rule them rather than have them rule you. Self mastery is the ability to make the most out of your physical, mental, and spiritual health, to be the best you can be.

Well-Being ~ high levels of well-being mean that we are more able to respond to difficult circumstances, to innovate and constructively engage with other people and the world around us. As well as representing a highly effective way of bringing about good outcomes in many different areas our lives, there is also a strong case for regarding well-being as an ultimate goal of human endeavor. It contributes to the individual ability to realize his or her own potential, to cope with the normal stresses of life, to work productively and fruitfully, and the ability to make a contribution to her or his community.

 

 

Go Confidently in the Direction of your Dreams

Go Confidently in the direction of your future

Live the life of your dreams

Learn how in this course, designed to increase resilience, self mastery, optimism, happiness, emotional intelligence, and well-being.

The same skills and knowledge can help you improve all your relationships.

You will feel more empowered and feel more confident in your ability to succeed in anything you set your mind to.

Young adults face many challenges. You are making decisions about your future both when you choose a college and when you decide whether or not to participate in particular activities.

For some, peer pressure exerts undue influence and leads them away from their real goals. This class will help you feel more confident about where you really want to go and what you want to do. The tools provided are effective, even in the moment, to help you stay on track.

Science has demonstrated that increasing happiness literally makes you smarter. You will do better on examinations, including the SAT, when you are happy than when you are not happy.

Your decisions about exercise, nutrition, getting adequate sleep and even crime and substance abuse will be healthier when you experience generally positive emotions.

Depression is at epidemic levels around the world and the rates are especially high for teens and young adults. The good news is that you live at the perfect time. Many branches of science have been exploring happiness and resilience. We have taken the best of that leading edge science and used that knowledge to develop our courses. We believe this class will equip you with skills and tools to greatly reduce your risk of depression and which would shorten the duration of depression should it still occur.

It has been shown that depression during pregnancy has many adverse impacts on the baby including sleep and behavior problems, depression and asthma. These scientific findings point to the importance of learning these skills. In fact, depression has been shown to be a risk factor for teen pregnancy.

The benefits provided by this class have been shown to increase many life skills that make the difference between a mediocre life where dreams are put aside and one where thriving is the order of the day.

We want you to thrive. We know you can. All you need is some knowledge and skills.

Almost every other course you have ever taken has been focused on providing you with knowledge that it has been determined will help you please others. This course is focused on empowering you, giving you the tools and knowledge you need to be successful. Some would say this is selfishly oriented. We (and science) disagree. When you are capable of managing your own life you require fewer resources from others and science has shown that when individuals are happy they are far more likely to help others. The bottom line is that science has shown that an individuals happiness does not just benefit that individual but also his or her family, friends, co-workers and community.

Your very capacity for kindness and ability to love will increase.

The benefits of increased happiness are tremendous. You will learn why relationships are easier when you are happy.

Happiness also provides health benefits including 50% risk reduction for heart disease, reduced risk for some cancers, reduced risk of diabetes and Alzheimer’s, improved immune function, fewer colds and flu and so much more. See our website for more information on the scientifically proven benefits.

Many will tell you to be more positive. We do not just tell you, we show you how.

 

We have over 50 skills and techniques that can be used to increase your happiness in the moment and to become happier naturally for the long-term. Some of the techniques can also be applied to improve your results in sports.

Taking this class is a wise decision. Your life will be better because of it.

Please click on our program tab for additional course information and  to register for this life changing program.

The terms we use to refer to areas the class will benefit are defined differently by different people. This is especially true of happiness. Our meanings are reflected below.

Happiness is a deep sense of inner stability, well-being, peace and vitality that is consistent and reliable.

Resilience is an individual’s ability to cope with stress and adversity. Increased resilience helps individuals recover from setbacks (illness, depression, adversity, etc. ) faster than they would without the coping strategies that our course strengthens.

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to effectively understand oneself and others which impacts the ability to relate well to people and higher EQ levels help individuals be more successful in meeting the demands and pressures of life.

Optimism is an inclination to project a positive point of view upon actions and events and to anticipate favorable outcomes. Optimists tend to be much more successful than pessimists and to experience better health throughout life.

Self Mastery is the ability to be aware of your emotions and rule them rather than have them rule you. Self mastery is the ability to make the most out of your physical, mental, and spiritual health, to be the best you can be.

Well-Being ~ high levels of well-being mean that we are more able to respond to difficult circumstances, to innovate and constructively engage with other people and the world around us. As well as representing a highly effective way of bringing about good outcomes in many different areas our lives, there is also a strong case for regarding well-being as an ultimate goal of human endeavor. It contributes to the individual ability to realize his or her own potential, to cope with the normal stresses of life, to work productively and fruitfully, and the ability to make a contribution to her or his community.

A Happier You

A Happier You

 ~ Benefits everyone in your life ~

Your increased happiness benefits your family, your friends,

your community, your health, well-being, and success.

This course is designed to increase resilience, self mastery, optimism, happiness, emotional intelligence, well-being and improve relationships.See the programs tab to check out the course offerings and register to make your life better.

You will understand and be able to implement the keys to sustainable happiness.

You will feel more empowered and feel more confident in your ability to succeed in anything you set your mind to.

The benefits provided by this class have been shown to increase many life skills that make the difference between a mediocre life where dreams are put aside and one where thriving is the order of the day.

We want you to thrive. We know you can. All you need is some knowledge and skills.

Some would say increasing your happiness is selfishly oriented. We (and science) disagree. When you are capable of managing your own life you require fewer resources from others and science has shown that when individuals are happy they are far more likely to help others. The bottom line is that science has shown that an individuals happiness does not just benefit that individual but also his or her family, friends, co-workers and community.

Your very capacity for kindness and ability to love will increase.

The benefits of increased happiness are tremendous. You will learn why relationships are easier when you are happy.

Happiness also provides health benefits including 50% risk reduction for heart disease, reduced risk for some cancers, reduced risk of diabetes and Alzheimer’s, improved immune function, fewer colds and flu and so much more. See our website for more information on the scientifically proven benefits.

It has been shown that depression during pregnancy has many adverse impacts on the baby including sleep and behavior problems, depression, and asthma. These scientific findings point to the importance of learning these skills.

Many will tell you to be more positive. We do not just tell you, we show you how.

You’re made a wise decision. Your life will be better because of it.

Click on the Programs tab for course and registration information.

The terms we use to refer to areas the class will benefit are defined differently by different people. This is especially true of happiness. Our meanings are reflected below.

Happiness is a deep sense of inner stability, well-being, peace and vitality that is consistent and reliable.

Resilience is an individual’s ability to cope with stress and adversity. Increased resilience helps individuals recover from setbacks (illness, depression, adversity, etc. ) faster than they would without the coping strategies that our course strengthens.

Emotional Intelligence is the ability to effectively understand oneself and others which impacts the ability to relate well to people and higher EQ levels help individuals be more successful in meeting the demands and pressures of life.

Optimism is an inclination to project a positive point of view upon actions and events and to anticipate favorable outcomes. Optimists tend to be much more successful than pessimists and to experience better health throughout life.

Self Mastery is the ability to be aware of your emotions and rule them rather than have them rule you. Self mastery is the ability to make the most out of your physical, mental, and spiritual health, to be the best you can be.

Well-Being ~ high levels of well-being mean that we are more able to respond to difficult circumstances, to innovate and constructively engage with other people and the world around us. As well as representing a highly effective way of bringing about good outcomes in many different areas our lives, there is also a strong case for regarding well-being as an ultimate goal of human endeavor. It contributes to the individual ability to realize his or her own potential, to cope with the normal stresses of life, to work productively and fruitfully, and the ability to make a contribution to her or his community.

All of our course offerings provide health and well-being benefits

All of our course offerings provide health and well-being benefits

The benefits of increased positive emotions, optimism and happiness extend to all areas of life.

Scientists in many fields have been working, primarily in the past 20 years, on discovering the benefits of happiness. The results have been conclusive and surprising.

Positive emotions, optimism and happiness have positive impacts on health, well-being, relationships, emotional intelligence, creativity, cognitive ability, decision-making, resilience, substance abuse, crime, teen pregnancy, immune system function, and of course, depression.

 

Business Programs

Business Courses

Businesses have several options to structure courses that best suit their needs.

Increasing positive emotions, optimism, and happiness of employees can help a business accomplish everything they ever dreamed a corporate wellness program could do and much more.

Business benefits include increased productivity, creativity, inspired and insightful ideas, emotional intelligence, cognitive ability, resilience and decreased health care costs, absenteeism, and turnover to name just a few.

If you have considered managing change with AI (Appreciative Inquiry)  a program to increase employee happiness is like putting the wonderful benefits of AI on steroids (without the pills/drugs).

While the science is not yet in on this subject we firmly believe that employee suits will decrease as employee happiness increases. Ask us why.

Depending on the needs of the organization we can arrange classes at your location(s), online, our location or some appropriate mixture of the three. We can also train trainors and provide one on one coaching.

We have articles in other locations on our site documenting proven business benefits including substantial increases in sales and the fact that a less qualified optimistic sales person greatly outperforms a more pessimistic but more qualified sales person and is less likely to experience turnover.

Please contact us to discuss your needs and to see how we can give you the greatest competitive advantage you have ever enjoyed.

Veterans Courses

Veterans Courses

We have great appreciation for the willingness of veterans to serve their country.

We are also aware that such service sometimes involves exposure to experiences that have had adverse repercussions for many including PTSD.

We KNOW that post adversarial growth (greater growth than would have been anticipated in the individual following a traumatic experience) is also a possibility after such traumatic experiences.

We believe that our courses can help veterans (and others) be more likely to enjoy the benefits of post traumatic growth instead the symptoms of PTSD.

From time to time we may provide special offers to veterans as a show of appreciation. In the Spring of 2012 we offered free classs to 1,000 veterans. Future offers may be different, may involve discounts, etc. We will announce any future offers on our website.

We would be more than happy to partner with veteran organizations to help veterans.

Is Your Community at Peace?

Is Your Community at Peace?

Is your community at peace or does it feel more like war or a cold war?

Regardless of how you define ‘your community’ you, your family, and your children deserve to live in peace.

Science has shown again and again that increasing positive emotions, optimism, and happiness is good for communities.

Crime goes down.

Teen pregnancy is reduced.

Some multi-generation issues do not occur (depression in the expecting Mom can cause behavioral and sleep problems for the baby and increase risk of asthma and depression in th child).

Even racism is shown to decrease with increased positivity.

Programs can be designed to help communities create a healthier environment for everyone.

Increased positivity is the road to peace, whether you are speaking of your home, your neighborhood, your school, or the world.

We offer two 1-hour programs designed to increase peace, free to organizations on a space available basis.

Attaining Success

Where you have been

Even where you are

Does not matter

You can get to where you want to be from where you are

Sometimes, what we believe in the midst of seeming tradgedy is the worst possible thing that can happen in our life turns out to be, upon later reflection, the best thing that ever happened to us.

Turning points are often like that.

Change can be tough.

It does not matter what you are, or are suffering, someone who was once there has found a silver lining (or a ‘gift in the wound’) of a situation much like yours.

It is always there and we never get more than we can handle.

Learning to truly believe that things work out for the best and to begin looking for the silver lining as soon as you can is the key to resilience, it is the key to thriving instead of surviving, the key to benefiting from post adversarial/post traumatic growth instead of suffering from PTSD.

We have classes where we provide tools to help you through this process. It does not matter if the event is happening now or if it happened many years ago, you can thrive into your future. All you need is an open mind, some knowledge and skills and you’ll be on your way.

Some of the Scientifically Proven Benefits of Happiness

Some of the Scientifically Proven Benefits of Happiness

The benefits of increased positive emotions, optimism and happiness extend to all areas of life.

Scientists in many fields have been working, primarily in the past 20 years, on discovering the benefits of happiness. The results have been conclusive and surprising.

Positive emotions, optimism and happiness have positive impacts on health, well-being, relationships, emotional intelligence, creativity, cognitive ability, decision-making, resilience, substance abuse, crime, teen pregnancy, imune system function, and of course, depression.

Some Scientifically Shown Benefits of Increased Happiness

Positive emotions, optimism, and happiness have been scientifically shown to:

·                                 Reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 50%[i]

·                                 Provide a protective defense against breast cancer[ii]

·                                 Increase resilience “We contend that the cognitive broadening that accompanies states of positive emotion expands and improves the ways people cope during crises”. [iii]

·                                 Increase problem solving abilities and negotiating skills[iv]

·                                 Have the potential to create chains of events that carry positive meaning for others, positive emotions can trigger upward spirals that transform communities into more cohesive, moral and harmonious social organizations. [v]

·                                 Reduce stress  which is being researched as contributing to Alzheimer’s disease[vi] and [vii]

·                                 Be the best coping strategies for life’s ‘downs’. [viii]

·                                 Significantly reduces risk of stroke (study only considered optimism)[ix]

·                                 Improved relationships of all types[x]

·                                 Increase success[xi]

·                                 Research suggests that negativity in social relationships is an important predictor

·                                 of (adverse) mental health in its own right[xii]

 

This is just a sample of the scientifically proven benefits. Research has found enough benefits to fill several books. I apologize for the copious citations but I wanted you to see that the statements are based upon solid research.

•         Improved immune system function

•         Reduced risk of heart disease and stroke

•         Reduced risk of Type II diabetes

•         Reduced risk of Alzheimer’s disease

•         Reduced risk of depression

•         Reduced incident of illness

•         Shorter duration when illness occurs

•         Reduced inflammatory response to stress

•         Increased longevity

•         Lower blood pressure

•         Less pain

•         Improved sleep

•         Greater resiliency and adaptability

•          More likely to make good choices

•         Increased creativity

•         Increased success

•         Increased productivity

•         Increased optimism

•         Improved relationships of all types

•         Improved social support networks

•         Feel love and appreciation more

•         More likely to marry

•         More likely to be happily married

•         Become more likable

•         Greater clarity of thinking; the mind sees more possibilities

•         Increased ability to see the ‘big picture’

All of our course offerings provide health and well-being benefits

Citations and greater details are in programs and books by Jeanine Joy available on Amazon and other fine book sellers.

 

[i]Boehm, J. K. , & Kubzansky, L. D. The heart’s content: The association between positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular health. Psychological Bulletin, April 2012

AmericanAcademyof Neurology (2001, July 13). Keeping up your overall health may keep dementia away, study suggests. Science Daily

Cardiovascular disease is a risk factor for Alzheimer’s so this risk is also reduced. AmericanAcademyof Neurology (2001, July 13). Keeping up your overall health may keep dementia away, study suggests. Science Daily.

[ii]Ronit Peled, Devora Carmil, Orly Siboni-Samocha and Ilana Shoham-Vardi. Breast cancer, psychological distress and life events among young women. BMC Cancer

[iii]What good are positive emotions in crisis? A prospective study of resilience and emotions following the terrorist attacks on the United States on September 11th, 2001. Fredrickson, Barbara L. ; Tugade, Michele M. ; Waugh, Christian E. ; Larkin, Gregory R. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, Vol 84(2), Feb 2003, 365-376. doi: 10. 1037/0022-3514. 84. 2. 365

[iv]Content analyses revealed that physicians who felt good were faster to integrate case information and less likely to become anchored on initial thoughts or come to premature closure in their diagnosis. In yet another experiment, Isen and colleagues showed that negotiators induced to feel good were more likely to discover integrative solutions in a complex bargaining task. Overall, 20 years of experiments by

Isen and her colleagues show that when people feel good, their thinking becomes more creative, integrative, flexible and open to information. The Value of Positive Emotions. Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph. D.

[v]The Value of Positive Emotions. Barbara L. Fredrickson, Ph. D.

[vi]Ioannis Sotiropoulos, Caterina Catania, Lucilia G. Pinto, Rui Silva, G. Elizabeth Pollerberg, Akihiko Takashima, Nuno Sousa, and Osborne F. X. Almeida. Stress Acts Cumulatively to Precipitate Alzheimer’s Disease-Like Tau Pathology and Cognitive Deficits. Journal of Neuroscience, May 25, 2011; 31(21):7840-7847 DOI:10. 1523/JNEUROSCI. 0730-11. 2011

[vii]Robert A. Rissman, PhD, assistant professor of neurosciences, said the findings may at least partly explain why clinical studies have found a strong link between people prone to stress and development of sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which accounts for up to 95 percent of all AD cases in humans. Robert A. Rissman, Michael A. Staup, Allyson Roe Lee, Nicholas J. Justice, Kenner C. Rice, Wylie Vale, and Paul E. Sawchenko. Corticotropin-releasing factor receptor-dependent effects of repeated stress on tau phosphorylation, solubility, and aggregation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012 DOI: 10. 1073/pnas. 1203140109

Is Your Child Happy?

An Open Letter to Parents Regarding the Happiness of Their Children

Does your child’s happiness matter? As parents we want the best for our children. We willingly make many sacrifices to ensure they have not only what they need but opportunities we want them to have.

Why do we do this?  In the final analysis, whether it is good grades, a college education, a car, being on a winning team or a wide circle of friends the reason is that we believe they will be happier in the having of the experience, education or thing. We want our children to be healthy, happy, and productive.

In our opinion every parent would benefit from being aware of the new research on happiness.

I will share some of the relative details of that research including:

  •      Happy children have better relationships
  •      Happy children do better in school
  •      Happy children do better on examinations including the SAT
  •      Happy children are healthier
  •      Happy children are more likely to accomplish their goals
  •      Happy children are less likely to become addicted to drugs and alcohol
  •      Happy children are less like to get pregnant
  •      Happy children are less likely to commit crimes

Happy children do better in school and on examinations including SAT examinations. Scientists have actually demonstrated that happiness increases our level of both intelligence and creativity. The same individual is not an intelligent or creative when they are in a negative state of mind as they are when they are in a positive state of mind.

Don’t worry. I am not about to suggest that you give in to every whim your child has in order to ‘keep him or her happy’. In fact, happiness does not work that way. It is not about ‘getting your way’ but about how you respond to the circumstances of your life. It is what I call the ‘back-story’ you tell yourself.

For example, take two children who want the same thing and their parent tells them they cannot have it. A negatively focused child might, in their own mind, explain your unwillingness to allow them to have the desired thing by telling themselves things such as “Mom/Dad would let me have this thing I want if they loved me; they must not love me” or “I must be a disappointment to Mom/Dad; if they were proud of me they would let me have this thing I want” and so on. You can see where those thoughts lead. They lead to low self esteem and associated problems including depression.

On the other hand, the positively focused child might, in their own mind, explain your unwillingness to allow them to have the desired thing by telling themselves things such as “Mom/Dad would let me have this if they thought it was best for me; maybe I can help them see the benefits of my having this thing”, or “Even though they said no today they may change their mind” or “Maybe Grandma or Grandpa will get this thing I want for my birthday”, or “Maybe I could earn the money and get this thing I want myself”.

As you read the types of thoughts a negatively focused child might have and imagine others along those same lines also think about the drama and anxiety that might be associated with the thoughts.

The negatively focused child, if they have tied how much their parent loves them to the outcome of getting this thing or not will experience the parents’ unwillingness to provide the thing as a severe emotional blow (and rightly so considering what they have tied to the outcome).

The positively focused child feels secure in being loved, would never think to tie being loved or not to a question of receiving something. These feelings really have little or nothing to do with the parents’ behaviors but with the back story the child tells him or herself. An average parent with a child that has developed this type of back story cannot change their behavior enough to make the child feel more love. The child has to change the back story in order to feel the love that is already there.

The interesting thing about back stories is that we all create them to explain things that happen in our world. There are as many different back stories to every situation as there are people.

Listen to your own thoughts as you move through your day. If someone is rude to you how do you explain it to yourself in the privacy of your own mind?  Do you see the world as full of rude people or do  you shrug it off as that person having a bad day and taking it out on someone who just happens to be handy?

If you receive a promotion was it luck, your hard work, your education, who you know, right place and right time or something else?

Everyone creates back stories for events in their life. It is something we usually do unconsciously. Most of us do not say to ourselves “What sort of back story am I going to tell myself about this situation?” and then create one that makes us feel good. We could do this but most of us do not. Then we begin believing the back-story we tell ourselves and will staunchly defend the truth of our back story which is just something we made up to make sense of something and then thought about repeatedly.

Another interesting thing is that most of us do not talk about our back stories as such. We do not have conversations that are that deep into the privacy of our own minds.

When we are more consciously aware that we are creating back stories we have the opportunity to question them before they become rooted as beliefs. For example, the child who first ties being loved to receipt of some ‘thing’ could, if the child understood back stories, ask the parent or another trusted source if that back story that feels so awful is true and avoid thoughts that would fester and create trouble in the future.

That is enough about back stories for now. They are just one aspect of how a negatively focused individual experiences the same situation so differently than a positively focused person experiences the same circumstances.

Let’s return to the fact that happy people (children and adults) do better in school and on examinations than those who are not. So, if one of your dominant desires for your child is to do well in school so they will be happy would you not want to help them learn to be happy now so they can do better in school?

Depression has reached epidemic levels in America with 1 in 10 individuals experiencing depression[1] and depression being rampant among those in the 18 – 24[2] year range.

Learning how to be more optimistic has been demonstrated to both help alleviate depression and prevent depression. There is a separate letter in the Benefits section of our website which is focused on depression that you may wish to read.

Good relationships are very important to a life that feels good. Science has also shown that happier individuals have better relationships including family, friends, co-workers and other loved ones. There are too many factors that impact relationships to cover them here but if you consider the ‘back-story’ example above you can clearly see how the negatively focused individual is not feeling the love even if it is there. Many people suffer from feeling unloved when they are very loved. It is their back-stories that interfere with being able to feel loved. Happier individuals are also more likeable and tend to be able to maintain friendships and other relationships in healthier and more satisfying states.

Finally, the benefits of happiness on health are tremendous. In one study, which I am very glad I did not participate in, positively focused and negatively focused individuals were deliberately infected with the same cold virus. They were also kept in an isolated floor of a hotel for monitoring throughout the experiment. The results were astounding.

All the negatively focused individuals became ill. Some of the positively focused individuals did not become ill.

The positively focused individuals who did become ill suffered fewer symptoms and a shorter duration illness than the negatively focused individuals. Because they had isolated the participants they were even able to measure true symptoms (not just reported symptoms).

This and other studies have shown a direct correlation between immune system function and level of positivity.

Other studies have shown that individuals in like circumstances who are more positively focused can live as much as 10 years longer than those who are negatively focused even when family history is considered. Additionally, those who were positively focused were more likely to remain fully functioning until much closer to death than those who were negatively focused. The chronic and debilitating illnesses tended to impact those who were negatively focused.

Other research has shown that the risk of ailments such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, depression, and Alzheimer’s are reduced with increased levels of happiness.

Regardless of whether your desire for your child is just not missing class due to illness as much or a longer and healthier life increasing happiness now can have positive impacts on all of these things.

The positive impact of increased happiness on an individual is tremendous. It will improve their relationships, their results in school and their health and general well-being.

Our classes are available for individuals age 16 and up and mature 14 year olds are welcome to attend classes with their parent(s) if both/all are enrolled.

Please consider giving your child the gift of happiness. Your child’s happiness matters.

See our programs tab for information on classes. We are also available for programs in schools.

Closing with a sincere wish for a happy life and all that entails for you and your child.

Sincerely,

 

 

Jeannine Joy, President

Happiness 1st Institute

For Younger Children

Please Note:  In the future classes for younger children will be developed. If you are interested in classes for younger children please let us know as demand can influence the resources we put towards development of the course. We would also be interested in hearing about your experiences with younger children, what worked and what did not, to help us develop effective tools and techniques to help them.

For now the best we can do for younger children is recommend some reading material.

For the parent:

Martin Seligman’s “The Optimistic Child” as reading material to parents of younger children.

For the child:

We like:

S. M. Mawe’s “Dandelion: The Extraordinary Life of a Misfit”

“The Little Engine That Could” – Any age appropriate version should be good

 

[1] Healthline, What is Depression, Retrieved on December 8, 2011, from http://www. healthline. com/health/depression-overview

[2] Tartakovsky, M. (2008). Depression and Anxiety Among College Students. Psych Central. Retrieved on December 8, 2011, from http://psychcentral. com/lib/2008/depression-and-anxiety-among-college-students/

Sales and Tenacity of Purpose

An open letter to Sales Managers about Optimism

Did you give your team a test to determine their optimism before you hired them?

Is your team selling as much as you would like them to?

Is turnover a concern?

What are your new hire training costs?

Are you aware of the MetLife studies and successes with hiring optimistic individuals?

MetLife worked in concert with the Father of Positive Psychology, Martin E. P. Seligman[1] to test Seligman’s theory that hiring more optimistic sales people would reduce turnover and increase sales.

The results were very conclusive.

For years MetLife had used standardized industry tests to determine aptitude for selling insurance as a primary tool in deciding who to hire. Turnover was 50% in the first year with a hiring cost of thirty five thousand per person. Sales results were not good and by the end of the 4th year 80% of the new hires were gone.

Scientific research had already shown that pessimists give up faster and more often than optimists. Quitting is a form of giving up.

They decided to experiment. In addition to the standardized industry test they tested the optimism of the applicants.

They had the existing MetLife agents take a questionnaire to measure their level of optimism/pessimism. The results showed a strong correlation between sales success and optimism.

The ten percent who were the most optimistic sold 88% more than the most pessimistic tenth. The most optimistic half sold 37% more in their first two years than the pessimistic half sold.

The first year they tested the optimism of 104 new hires from the same part of the country. At the end of the first year 59 had quit. Taking the 104 on a scale with the most optimistic at the top the least optimistic were twice as likely to have quit during the first year.

The agents in the top half of optimism had sold 20% more than the agents in the lower half. The agents from the top quarter of optimism had sold 50% more than the bottom quarter.

In the next round, fifteen thousand applicants took the optimism test. Then Met Life gambled and hired 127 new agents who had failed the industry standard test but scored very high on the optimism test in addition to hiring 1,000 using the industry standard test and monitoring optimism.

The 127 who had failed the industry standard test but scored high on the optimism test outsold the pessimists hired in the traditional way by 21% the first year and 57% the second year. This special group, who had failed the industry standard test and would not have normally been hired even outsold the optimistic half of the traditional hires by 27% over the first two years.

Finally, it is important to note that the sales of the optimists continued to improve.

Okay, how does this help you?  You already have a sales force and yes, you can test future hires but you don’t want to start over. You understand that optimism creates greater persistence in sales people and would like these benefits but how do you get from here to there?

The above study focused upon separating the optimistic from the pessimistic or less optimistic at the time of hiring. It did not address existing staff and their level of optimism.

Since then research has shown that not only can individuals change from being a pessimistic to being more optimistic but that the change is easily sustainable over time.

Beyond being better salespeople who are less likely to look for greener pastures research has also found that optimistic individuals:

  • Are healthier
  • Live longer
  • Think with better clarity
  • Do better in their careers
  • Have better relationships
  • Enjoy life more

Optimistic teams win more often even when the talent on the pessimistic opponent is superior.

It has also been shown that people would prefer their leaders be optimistic[2].

While it is still smart to focus on hiring optimistic individuals for sales roles it is possible to reshape your existing sales force into a more productive team by increasing their level of optimism.

The benefits of optimism are not limited to the sales team. Increases in optimism in all employees provide the benefits desired from typical wellness programs and some benefits that wellness programs do not even attempt to address.

One study demonstrated a 19% increase in accuracy of complex decisions among well educated adults. Can you imagine an executive team that makes decisions that are 19% better?

Happiness 1st Institute is uniquely situated to teach your employees how to be more optimistic.

Our founder had a successful 30+ year career in the insurance, securities and trust world. After learning to be optimistic and becoming very happy in her own life she began teaching others.

We use the best of several fields including Positive Psychology, Emotional Intelligence, Neuroscience, Quantum Physics and ancient wisdom to develop methods that work. Many of these methods have been thoroughly researched with thousands of adults using them to make permanent changes in their levels of optimism, happiness, emotional intelligence and resilience.

Everyone comes from a different perspective. We believe that a combination of proven methods provides a greater chance of success with individuals of diverse backgrounds and different starting points.

We know that increasing the level of optimism in your employees, salespeople, and staff; will result in significant benefits that will contribute directly to the success of your company.

Let’s have a conversation about how increased optimism in your employees could be achieved. You have nothing to loose and much to gain from exploring this idea.

Sincerely,

 

 

 

 

Jeanine Joy, President

[1] As detailed in “Learned Optimism” by Martin E. P. Seligman, Ph. D.

M. Seligman and P. Schulman, “Explanatory Style as a Predictor of Performance as a Life Insurance Agent,” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 50 (1986)

P. Schulman, M. Seligman, and D. Oran, “Explanatory Style Predicts Productivity Among Life Insurance Agents: The Special Force Study,” (unpublished study available from Foresight, Inc. Falls Church, VA.

[2] Citations for many benefits of happiness are in TRUE Prevention–Optimum Health: Remember Galileo http://www.amazon.com/TRUE-Prevention-Optimum-Remember-Galileo/dp/0615992463/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1399761604&sr=8-1&keywords=true+prevention+galileo

 

An Open Letter about Relationships and Happiness

An Open Letter about Relationships and Happiness

Many individuals seek a relationship because they want to be happy.

Many individuals blame their lack of happiness on the behavior of individuals with whom they have relationships including parents, siblings, friends, children, significant others, friends, and even co workers and neighbors.

‘If only “_________” would be different then I would be happy’ is a common lament.

I can’t be happy because “so and so is doing or won’t do” is another common assertion.

The common element in the above examples is that you have absolutely no control over the behavior of others. When you make your own happiness dependent upon something over which you have no control your happiness becomes an impossible dream.

Others, no matter how much they love us, will not follow our dictates in order to make us happy consistently. They can’t. They have their own desires and goals which may conflict with what we want them to do. They also have other people in their lives who may want them to behave differently than we want them to behave. Making everyone with expectations of your behavior happy is an impossible task if there is more than one other person in your life. It is also a huge burden to put upon your loved ones. It causes stress and conflict for the individual(s) you intend to love when their desires conflict with your expectations. It is conditional love and that does not serve you or them very well.

As a result of the way many people think about relationships they end up with one unsatisfying relationship after another. Often they seem to have the same relationship with a series of different people (same issues, different faces).

There are ways, within your control, that will allow you to have better relationships in your life.

Your happiness level has a great impact on the quality of the relationships in your life.

Your happiness level has a significant impact on how you perceive the actions of others. When you are happy there are many things that others can do that won’t bother you at all that you would find very bothersome when you are not happy. Your level of happiness actually impacts how you perceive your relationships.

Likewise, the happiness level of those with whom you have relationships impacts how they perceive you. If you are in a relationship with someone who is generally unhappy they are very likely finding fault with you.

One of the good things that scientists have discovered about happiness is that it tends to be contagious.

We can teach you how to be happier and then your increased happiness can have a positive influence on others in your life.

Happy people also have better relationships. In our class you’ll understand why it works this way.

When you are unhappy it is often difficult to think clearly. It is scientifically proven that the same person is smarter when happy than when unhappy.

The Keys to Happiness class offered by Happiness 1st Institute will pay dividends throughout your life. Your increased happiness will help you develop better relationships in all areas of life.

Better relationships will make life more fun.

There are many benefits to increased happiness including improved health, and well being, increased emotional intelligence, increased intelligence, increased creativity, higher levels of success, and improved immune system functioning.

Make an investment in your life. Make a commitment to become happier and use that happiness to nurture your relationships. See our website for upcoming classes and additional information. You can learn to take your relationships to new levels right along with your happiness.

Click on the Programs tab to see our class offerings.

You can do it. Anyone can.

Warm Regards,

 

Jeanine Joy, President

Happiness 1st Institute

 

50% Risk Reduction in Cardiovascular Disease without dieting or exercise

50% Risk Reduction in Cardiovascular Disease without dieting or exercise

A new scientific study from Harvard states that positive emotions, optimism and happiness reduce the risk of cardiovascular (heart) disease by 50%!

This is not just one study, this is what is called a meta-analysis which is the term scientists use to describe a study of studies. The researchers compiled data from 200 separate studies. This finding is much more reliable than the result of just one study. In order to say that positive emotions, optimism and happiness reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease by 50% the evidence had to be consistent and clear.

An earlier study, often referred to as the Nun study because it studied Nuns throughout their lives found that positive emotions equated to about 10 extra years of life. While that is astounding and is more than the typical difference associated with smoking or not, to me the best part of that study was that not only was life longer when positive emotions were common, the debilitating end of life diseases showed up closer to death so there were not only more years but much more quality years. The Nun study is especially significant because all the participants lived similar lives so things associated with lifestyle could be ruled out as causative.

The days of viewing happiness as ‘fluffy and nice to have’ are long over for those who are aware of the current research findings.

We are not encouraging you to not give attention to other factors. Maintaining a healthy body through good nutrition, activity, adequate sleep and good choices about things like smoking, drinking, and drugs will always be beneficial to you.

But there is more good news. The same Harvard meta analysis found that individuals with more positive emotions tended to make better lifestyle choices about nutrition, adequate sleep and exercising. Other studies have shown that positive emotions can have a beneficial impact on everything from substances abuse, crime and even teen pregnancy and the health of unborn children.

The many benefits of positivity are expanding rapidly as many branches of science explore this area. The benefits fill complete volumns. The following is all supported by scientific studies and does not reflect all the benefits of increased positivity.

 

When you are happy you are at your best. You are in the best health. You are in the best mood. You are able to think with greater clarity. You are able to see solutions to problems far more readily. You need less from others (pumping up, assistance of all types, etc. ). You contribute more by being happy so being happy is a priority for you. When you are happy you contribute to others by inspiring them to happiness. You contribute to others because when you feel great you want to help others feel just as wonderful. Sometimes, when someone feels rotten it makes them better to see someone else feel rotten too or see someone who is even worse off then they are. When you are happy it lifts you even higher to help others up and you gain no happiness or relief from their not being in a good place. Minding your happiness is minding your health because when you are happy you will be inclined to make good decisions about your diet and exercise and other habits. Happiness reduces the stress on your body and enables it to more easily maintain or regain its health. Your happiness is good for you and good for the world. Happiness is the path to peace.

Telling someone to be more positive is a waste of words if you don’t teach them how. Changing from pessimistic to more optimistic has been proven possible and sustainable but it requires skills. That is what we do at Happiness 1st Institute. Our classes are the best available is to increase happiness, optimism, emotional intelligence, resilience, self mastery, and well-being and improve relationships. Our program was developed utilizing the most up to date research results from may scientific fields including Positive Psychology, Neuroscience, Resilience Research, Sociology, Emotional Intelligence Research, Behavioral Science, Quantum Physics, philosophy and more. We continually monitor new findings across many scientific domains and update our programs to take advantage of new findings.

What is the connection between heart disease and positivity. One factor that is very important to health is that our immune systems function better when we are positively focused. The next time you cling to anger remember that doing so is decreasing your immune function. You’re hurting yourself–probably more than anyone else when you hold onto anger, grudges, and other less than positive emotions. It is easier than you think to find perspectives that feel better to you.

Classes are offered both in person and online. See our “Programs” tab for current offerings and links to registration.

Citations:

Boehm, J. K. , & Kubzansky, L. D. The heart’s content: The association between positive psychological well-being and cardiovascular health. Psychological Bulletin, April 2012

The Nun StudyThe Nun Study is a longitudinal study of aging and Alzheimer’s disease funded by the National Institute on Aging. Participants are 678 American members of the School Sisters of Notre Dame religious congregation. You can find additional details on Wiki and cited in many scientific articles. The study is ongoing.

An Open Letter Regarding Depression

An Open Letter Regarding Depression

Depression has reached epidemic levels worldwide including in America with 1 in 10 individuals having experienced depression. [a]

Depression has become rampant among young adults of college age individuals. [b]

According to the World Health Organization “Depression is a common mental disorder that presents with depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure, feelings of guilt or low self-worth, disturbed sleep or appetite, low energy, and poor concentration. These problems can become chronic or recurrent and lead to substantial impairments in an individual’s ability to take care of his or her everyday responsibilities. At its worst, depression can lead to suicide, a tragic fatality associated with the loss of about 850 000 lives every year. ”

Depression is the 2nd leading cause of  disability in ages 15 – 44 and the 4th leading contributor to years of potential life lost due to premature mortality and loss of productive life due to disability and affects 121 million people worldwide. [c]

Other studies have shown that depression in Mom’s to be increases the risk of both behavioral and sleep disorders in the baby, seems to predispose the child to depression and increases the risk the baby will have asthma.

The following findings were included in the National College Health Assessment Executive Summary from the Spring of 2011

College students reported the following experiences at some time during the past 12 months:

Felt things were hopeless                                                  45. 1%

Felt very lonely                                                                   57. 3%

Felt very sad                                                                      61. 1%

Felt so depressed it was difficult to function                      31. 1%

Felt overwhelming anxiety                                                 50. 6%

Felt overwhelming anger                                                   37. 1%

Seriously considered suicide                                               6. 4%

The above statistics are the result of almost 120,000 surveyed students representing a cross section of society attending 129 different post secondary institutions. Depression is an equal opportunity illness impacting people of all ages, genders and backgrounds.

The statistics reflect a generation that does not know how to be happy.

Happiness is not the momentary good feelings one associates with various activities such as receiving a good grade, a smile from that cute co-ed, receiving a long-desired gift, or a pleasant surprise, shopping, a good meal, or other physical pleasures, or any other thing that brings what we call ‘momentary pleasure’. The happiness that Happiness 1st Institute teaches is far more substantial and sustainable than those momentary pleasures. This happiness is deeper and comes from the very way we think about others, about life, and about ourselves. This happiness is not dependent upon outer circumstances or upon factors over which individuals have no control.

For example, a student receiving a poor test grade who has not had the training we provide could have many different negative responses all the way up to and including ‘giving up’ on the class or even on life.

A student receiving a poor test grade who has had the training would be able to see a path to doing better next time. The student would accept full responsibility for the grade but would not crucify him or herself over it. Students who have taken our classes understand that we all learn from failure and within every failure is an opportunity for greater knowledge and success. Perhaps it is that this particular professor’s exams are more difficult than most so more time will need to be devoted to preparation while a negatively focused student might use a broad brush and use the poor grade to paint him or herself as a failure who can’t do anything right.

Likewise, in matters of relationship a student who is negatively focused might take the end of a romantic relationship as there being something inherently wrong with him or her rather than it being just not a good match for them.

Our programs have helped our students overcome depression. It is not that we teach that no improvements are necessary. Quite the contrary, we empower students by teaching them that we all continually improve throughout life but that deciding to improve in an area does not require one to denounce their current state. The best example is a toddler learning to walk. The toddler does not criticize herself for not yet knowing how to walk. The toddler keeps trying until he has mastered the art of walking never doubting that he will succeed.

For some reason much of society stops seeing the progression of improvements throughout life as natural and deems room for improvement as indicative of a flaw rather than room for additional growth. This type of thinking results in negative self-talk that does not serve our higher good and can lead to anxiety and depression.

While we cannot guarantee that a student having completed our training will never experience depression we firmly believe that our training greatly reduces the risk of depression and that it can have a positive impact on those who suffer from depression.

Scientific studies have shown that increasing optimism, which is one of the outcomes of our program, can relieve depression and reduce its reoccurrence and new evidence has been coming in that shows that training like ours can help prevent depression.

An individual who is suffering from depression would need to be somewhat more diligent in applying the tools and techniques that we teach because their thought paths would work against them in the beginning but the gains would have even greater benefit than those experienced by someone who is not depressed. The best thing is that, as they use the tools and techniques, improvements would come right away and continue to increase over time. The processes are not something you have to do for many days, weeks or months before feeling some benefits.

It is our sincere desire that the reports of depression decrease worldwide as the result of the skills and techniques we teach becoming more widely known and understood.

We have an oppotunity to improve the lives of multiple generations by increasing the happiness of young adults now. Let’s get going.

Disclaimer

We cannot and do not recommend anyone suffering from depression forgo traditional forms of help while attending our classes; those decisions are best left to you and your medical providers.

[a] Healthline, What is Depression, Retrieved on December 8, 2011, from http://www. healthline. com/health/depression-overview

[b] National College Health Assessment Executive Summary (Spring 2011), Retrieved on December 8, 2011, from http://www. acha-ncha. org/docs/ACHA-NCHA-II_ReferenceGroup_ExecutiveSummary_Spring2011. pdf

Tartakovsky, M. (2008). Depression and Anxiety Among College Students. Psych Central. Retrieved on December 8, 2011, from http://psychcentral. com/lib/2008/depression-and-anxiety-among-college-students/

[c] World Health Organization/Mental health/Depression, Extracted on December 8, 2011 from http://www. who. int/mental_health/management/depression/definition/en/