Educational Cover Story Session One by Casey L . Penn
One-Minute Happiness Exercise
Throughout her presentation , Hodous worked in the following exercises that , when combined , take just one minute and can make a real difference in your happiness level .
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For more than 20 years , Kim has been on a mission to help people all over the world be happy and work happy ,” said AMS outgoing president Chad Rodgers , MD , in introduction . “ She inspires people to take charge of their happiness at home and at work .”
An award-winning businesswoman , author , and speaker , Hodous is the author of “ Show Up , Be Bold , Play Big : 33 Strategies for Outrageous Success and Lasting Happiness from a Former Stay-at-Home Mom Who Built a 7-Figure Business from Her Kitchen Table .”
Hodous began her talk by illustrating how just one simple action can change a person ’ s level of happiness . “ There was this university professor , and he was studying happiness ,” she began . “ He got together a group of students who diagnosed themselves as severely depressed . He gave them one activity : at the end of each day , recall and write down three good things that had happened . It could be anything – I mean , it could be ‘ I got out of bed today ,’ or ‘ I didn ’ t get eaten by a lion today .’ After 14 days , 94 % of those students recategorized themselves as either moderately or even mildly depressed .
“ You see ? Just one simple action can completely shift our level of happiness . We need to be happier because there are a lot of miserable people out there ,” she said , sharing that happy people are healthier , more attractive , more productive and creative , and better for the people around them .
“ Our nation is in a happiness crisis ,” said Hodous , whose quest to reconnect to her own “ happy ” began after she experienced great tragedy in her own life – that of losing a child . “ We are 19th among all nations in happiness , although we are second in consumption of goods . So , clearly , having all this stuff is not making us happier … Our forefathers wrote about life , liberty , and the pursuit of happiness . They put those [ things ] right there next to each other … but the happiness piece has been left off the map , so I ’ m here to bring it back . Focusing on happiness is not a selfish pursuit because emotions are contagious . When one of us gets lifted up , we all get lifted up .”
To help us lift ourselves and , by extension , others , Hodous defined happiness and shared a series of habits to help us get and stay happier . “ Happiness is not a destination that you can get and say , ‘ I ’ m happy now .’ It ’ s a practice and a mindset ,” she said . “ I love that because many of you have medical practices – you practice [ medicine ]. It ’ s something you ’ re continually crafting and getting better at . Happiness is a series of habits and thoughts you can work on to raise your level of happiness .”
1 ) Breathe , Smile , Engage . Fully engage and be present , without distractions ( our cell phones are a big distraction ).
2 ) Think of Something Positive . We ’ ve become a negative society , and the Journal of Psychology says that 85 % of the information we hear is negative . Negativity is a pattern that is invasive . So instead , Hodous recommends thinking of something positive to raise your level of happy . “ I believe whether we are positive or negative is a choice .”
3 ) Focus on One Action You Can Take . Eighty percent of people never set goals . One percent of people write goals down and review them regularly . “ Research shows that you don ’ t even have to make your goal to be happier for having set goals ,” she pointed out . “ Find a way to set some goals to get what you want .”
4 ) Decide Who You Will Connect with Today . Connection is more challenging for men than women , according to Hodous , but it ’ s important for all of us . “ We connect in those ‘ special ’ moments with others ,” she said . It could be through words of kindness , through a fun event that doesn ’ t need to be expensive , or through a celebration of another ’ s achievements .
5 ) Think of Three Things You ’ re Grateful For . “ We don ’ t grow when we ’ re on vacation ,” said Hodous . “ We grow when we ’ re in the middle of the muck . Be grateful for all we get to experience ! That ’ s when life takes on such magic – such happiness .”
Kim Hodous makes her home in Arkansas and has done more than 500 presentations on happiness . For more information on her mission to spread happiness , check out her website at : http :// kimhodous . com .
8 • The Journal of the Arkansas Medical Society www . ArkMed . org