Work, Play, Love.

If you are familiar with the movie Eat, Pray, Love, you would remember that on a life changing journey across the world, a woman discovers the secrets of life happiness to which she categorizes into eat, pray and love. I won’t go into all the details, but I would highly recommend watching this film, as it explores simple aspects of everyday life that provide the greatest happiness and life satisfaction of all.

On a similar note, positive psychology experts agree on several strategies for life enhancement. Simple actions in your daily life can add up to create feelings of happiness, well-being, positivity, and pleasant experiences that reflect a meaningful life. The following tips are easy ways you can increase life satisfaction in three key areas of your life:

Work

During your work day, consider starting a meeting with positive comments about your fellow peers’ contributions. This may raise positive affect, and thereafter generate greater likelihood of creativity and good decision making. You will foster healthy and relationships within your environment, which may also stimulate productivity in the workplace!

Play

Help others to find some time to unwind, have fun, and play! Take a moment to think about someone in your life who may need some down time but has responsibilities that hinder them to do so. For instance, offer to babysit for new parents, take a larger share of a project for someone who is overloaded at work, bring dinner and a board game to an elderly person, and start to play as well so that you can reap these benefits too!

Create time for yourself as well by participating in brief relaxation activities to break up your day…meditations, a nature walk, or yoga are great ideas! Relaxation can make your mind and body more sensitive to pleasurable moments the rest of the day.

Love

Be kind to those you love and those who you have also just met. Research shows that engaging in kind acts on a regular basis increases well-being for yourself and for others. Tell those close to you that you love them. Your sincere expression of love will boost your relationship and produce positive affect in others.

What are your ideas of incorporating more positivity and kindness in your everyday work, play, and love? I’d love to hear from you.

Always,

Paula