As a life transformation coach, people assume I deal with a lot of different types of transformations (i.e. health, business, relationships, family). However, I can actually sum it all up in one word – happiness. People want to transform into a happier person, and there are a number of tools and techniques that can help. The first challenge is knowing what makes you happy. The first thought that comes to most people’s mind is money, but that’s not necessarily true, and many people who are “satisfied” are not actually “happy”. So the secret is knowing what makes you happy other than money.
How do you start figuring out what REALLY makes you happy? How about just starting at the beginning? Think about what you enjoyed as a kid and the specific times you can recall being happiest. This may be celebrating Christmas when you were seven years old. It might be when you and your mother or father cooked together. Write these memories down and work your way back from your childhood all the way to the present.
Once you have a list of happy memories, then it’s time to think about “why” you were happy in each of those memories. What is it that you enjoyed so much that made you feel happy? When you think of an answer, make sure to keep asking “why” to drill down deeper and uncover the true reason you were happy. For instance, cooking with your mother or father may have been fun, but why? You may remember telling jokes and laughing, but why? Maybe you remember them being very serious at work, but when they were with you, they liked to smile and laugh, and you loved feeling cared for and appreciated…that they spent time with you. Now we start to understand what really made you happy.
What I have noticed is that it’s less of the material things that make people happy, and it’s more of the social times…the connections made and the shared emotions that seem to make people the happiest. Even when my clients tell me about happy times like traveling and experiencing new adventures, a little more digging shows they are still happiest when these adventures are with another person on the journey.
When starting your Happiness Action Plan, go ahead and “take a stroll down memory lane” all the way back to when you were a kid to the present, write down your favorite and happiest memories, and detail why they made you feel so happy. You will find that this exercise will not only make you smile, but it will give you ideas of what actions you can take now and in the future to be happier.
Ready to go further? Here are some steps to help you in creating your Happiness Action Plan for a Phenomenal Year (HAPPY):
1.KNOW WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY – Create some happiness goals by thinking about what makes you happy in terms of your mind, body and soul (i.e. loving relationship, spending time with family, being creative, experiencing new things)? If you need ideas, go back to what made you happy as a kid.
2.IDENTIFY YOUR OBJECTIVES – What do you need to achieve your happiness goals (i.e. more money, more time, meet new people, get healthier, get into a more positive state of mind)?
3.DETAIL SPECIFIC TASKS – How will you achieve your happiness objectives? What are the tasks you need to complete to achieve your objectives? When do you need to complete them? What skills and resources do you need (i.e. skills training, people, equipment, time, money)
4.MANIFEST WITH INTENTION AND ACTION – Put the intention out there (i.e. meditation, prayer, self-talk, vision board) and execute the plan. Tell your family and friends so they know your needs and how they can help you.
5.REVIEW YOUR PROGRESS – Monitor your progress periodically (i.e. weekly, monthly, quarterly) and make adjustments as necessary. You may need to re-think your goals based on new circumstances, priorities changing, or goals being reached.
Need help with creating your Happiness Action Plan? Contact me!
Ronnie Tsunami, ThM
Life Transformation Coach