How to Coach Yourself and Others Happiness Is No Accident | Page 45

Misconception #2:
"If I become content and satisfied with what I have, I'll lose my motivation to achieve more."
Happiness doesn't drain your energy. It adds more!
Ask a happy person: "I have a boat. Do you want to go fishing?"
He'll say: "Great! Let's go!"
Now ask someone who is depressed: "C'mon, let's go fishing!"
He says, "I'm tired. Maybe tomorrow. And anyway, it might rain..."
Happy people are energetic and ambitious. There's never enough time to do everything they want
to do.
Misconception #3:
Happiness is optional. If I want to be depressed, that's my own prerogative
A beautiful Sunday afternoon. You're at the park having a picnic with your friends.
Suddenly the air is pierced by one person complaining: "Who forgot the forks? It's too hot for
volleyball. I want to go home already.">
You have an obligation to be happy when your mood is negatively affecting others. Don't spoil the
fun.
We all try to put on a happy face when we're at a party. But what about when we are at home, with
our kids? Or when we trudge into the office on Monday morning?
Like an open pit in the middle of the road, a sour puss is a public menace.
Being happy is part of being considerate to the people around us.

The Daily Pleasure Count
To begin appreciating life, pinpoint some things you are extremely grateful for and count them
every morning for one month, e.g.: your eyes, your hands, your children, your cat.
Set a time each day to contemplate these pleasures. Feel gratitude for them. This exercise can
change the mood of even the most miserable amongst us:
The next time you visit your aunt (the one who loves to complain), tell her very respectfully:
"Auntie, I came here to suffer with you today. But before we suffer, it is only fair that you also
share with me five pleasures that you had today."
"I had no pleasures."
"Auntie, did you have coffee for breakfast?"
"Yes."
Don't let her off the hook with this perfunctory answer. Make her share the pleasure. "Was it
sweet? Warm? Did the aroma linger? Did it give you energy?" (She'll comply because she wants
her turn to complain...)
"Okay, it was sweet and it was nice."
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