If you were to write down what you feel at this very moment, you would probably be somewhere in the middle — not depressed but not exactly happy either. For most of us, we are in this middle ground. Knowing someone genuinely happy is entirely unheard of, especially at this time when the world is at its worst. But how can we embody positivity and keep the fire burning in our hearts amid all these?

In this episode, Andy Cope relays practical tips on how to have a more positive outlook. He talks about who the two-percenters are and what we can learn from them. Andy also shares his proudest moments and favourite books, which you may also find valuable.

If you want to discover different ways of thinking about personal development, this episode is for you.

1. What is the difference between  happiness and positivity?

• Leading in the New Normal webinar 

• The ‘new normal’ has been around for a while due to the pandemic. 

• Your job as a leader is to be inspired. When you are flourishing, it creates a ripple effect on the people around you. 

• For Andy’s PhD thesis, he gave out diaries in the workplace and asked people to record their feelings during the working week. He then plotted people on a graph of well being or happiness. 

• First is Andy’s PhD, which took him 12 years to finish, but was proud that he stuck at it. He even graduated at the same time and day as his daughter, who finished her master’s degree. 

• Happiness is an emotion. You can open up to it or let it in, but you can’t choose it

• Most of them underwent many challenges, trauma, and adversity. These experiences served as a wakeup call that kicked them to become more positive. 

• The Japanese phrase ‘ichi-go ichi-e’ relays the uniqueness or rise of the moment. It teaches us to live in the moment a little bit more. 

• Be good at ordinary things, like being kind, passionate, resilient, and having a positive attitude. 

[03:39] ‘We’re all going to have bad days, right? That’s fair enough. But you don’t have to have a bad life’.

[8:25] ‘I just think that when the world’s doing its worst, which it is at the moment, then it’s even more important that we know how to be at our best’.

[20:22] ‘I tell everybody, you already are a superhero, but you pretended to be normal. So stop pretending’.

[25:04] ‘When you become this two-percenter, you have to kind of inhabit that personality of being the best you, and it goes everywhere with you’.

[38:23] ‘Maybe happiness isn’t a pursuit. Maybe if we just stopped for long enough, happiness would have time to catch up with us’.

Andy Cope, also known as ‘Dr of Happiness’, is a best-selling author, happiness expert, qualified teacher, and recovering academic. He is a sought-after keynote speaker and a highly-respected figure on employee wellbeing and human flourishing. He has done various radio and TV appearances and has appeared in Esquire, The Telegraph, and Daily Mail.

If you wish to get in touch with Andy, you may reach time through Twitter or send him an email at [email protected].  

With the world we’re living in today, it’s easy to get discouraged and spiral down into negativity. But with Andy’s practical tips, you, too, can choose positivity. If you enjoyed today’s episode of The Mindset Mentor Meets..., then hit subscribe and share it with your friends!

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My latest book "You're Better Than You Think You Are is available right now on Amazon.  https://www.amazon.co.uk/Youre-Better-Than-You-Think/dp/B08PJPQDK5/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=your+better+than+you+think+you+are+angela+cox&qid=1608565611&s=books&sr=1-1

To meeting inspiration,

Angela