Happiness is.............

.....................many things to many different people.

Here are some of my favourite tips and simple pleasures that always brighten up my world.

Tip1: Become and optimist.
Optimists are happier and more successful. In the face of set-backs they see the future as full of possibility. How? Imagine your best possible self 10 years from now. What are you doing? How are you feeling? Reflecting on dreams can help you think positively.

Tip 2: Focus on what’s going right.
This is a “biggie” and one of the principles of the law of attraction.Ever wondered why the law of attraction isn’t working for you? I’m sure you will find the principle reason is you are focusing on all that isn’t working and not what is going right. In tests 92% of depressed people who listed every day three things that went well, became happier with their symptoms halved in 15 days.

Tip 3: Try meditation.
Buddhist Matthieu Ricard is one of the world’s happiest people. He has spent much of the past 35 years meditating. Studies have shown that meditation causes huge activity in the brain area associated with happiness. A few hours of meditation can kick-start this process.

Tip 4: Perform Random Acts of Kindness.
According to various research happy people are more likely to volunteer, and the more they do, the happier they are. Acts of kindness are an easy way in; they give you perspective and counter feelings of alienation.


Here are some things that create those warm, fuzzy feelings of happiness within me (aside from the obvious of family and friends).

Films:
Grease
Little Miss Sunshine
Hairspray

TV:
Glee
Friends

Sights:
My luggage coming out first on the conveyor belt at the airport
The postman arriving with lots of packages

Guilty pleasures:
Ben and Jerry's ice-cream
Cashmere socks for slouching around in the house
New books
Homemade soup on a really cold day

Songs:
Lovely Day-Bill Withers
Dancing Queen- Abba
Don’t Stop me Now- Queen
Club Tropicana- Wham

Please leave a comment and let me know what makes you happy.

WWW....Wednesdays

Over at Should be Reading, MizB hosts WWW… WEDNESDAYS and asks readers to just answer the following 3 questions:

1. What are you currently reading?
2. What did you recently finish reading?
3. What do you think you’ll read next?

As an avid reader I follow a lot of blogs and came across this wonderful thread posted by MizB
OK, here are my answers:

1)Currently reading:
I am currently reading
This was recommended on another blog (can't remember which now), but really enjoying it.

Also reading


I always feel I should read a business book. I feel terribly guilty if I read a novel during the day.

And finally, re-reading



2) Recently finished:



This book is hauntingly beautiful and will stay with you long after you turn the final page. I couldn't stop thinking about it weeks after I finished it.And it still brings tears to my eyes now.

3)Planning to read next:

Just ordered One Day by  David Nicholls, Seventh Heaven by Alice Hoffman and Spiritual Economics by Eric Butterworth.

 



That's my list.
Any recommendations  or  comments on the books I am planning to read next would be appreciated.