Description: 

We all want to boost our happiness! That is why I am providing you with a mini-series on how to improve your happiness. In this episode, we talk about negative visualization. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I was listening to the Yale happiness course by Dr. Laurie Santos and she says if we think about the reverse of what could happen, called Negative Visualization, it can actually increase your happiness.  That sounds crazy to me.  

Dr. Santos uses the example of the movie It’s A Wonderful Life where Jimmy Stewart imagines what his life would be like if he were never born.  This works with your loving partner.  Imagine what life would be like if you never met your partner. You can use this to break out of your hedonic adaptation and realize, oh wow, I really do love these things about this person and I am so glad we found one another. 

What the scientists find, if you write about how it might not have been, you can increase your happiness. This can be anything from getting into the college you wanted, the life partner you choose.  You think about the subtle things that might not be, but for these events. What this does, is it breaks you out of the hustle and bustle of the here and now and you can have a moment of gratitude for what you have.   

This can be an incredibly useful journaling or gratitude practice. We go into this in more detail in episode 18.  

I hope this gives you some inspiration on improving your happiness, just a little, through negative visualization - which sounds so crazy and “unhappy” to say.  Tomorrow, we will talk about this similar concept “make this day your last” - but I promise, it’s not as morbid as you think.  

See you tomorrow. 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/

Description: 

We all want to boost our happiness! That is why I am providing you with a mini-series on how to improve your happiness. In this episode, we talk about negative visualization. 

Transcript:

Welcome to Everyday Happiness where we create lasting happiness, in 2 minutes a day,  through my signature method of Intentional Margins® (creating harmony between your to-dos and your priorities), happiness science, and musings about life. 

I'm your host Katie Jefcoat and I was listening to the Yale happiness course by Dr. Laurie Santos and she says if we think about the reverse of what could happen, called Negative Visualization, it can actually increase your happiness.  That sounds crazy to me.  

Dr. Santos uses the example of the movie It’s A Wonderful Life where Jimmy Stewart imagines what his life would be like if he were never born.  This works with your loving partner.  Imagine what life would be like if you never met your partner. You can use this to break out of your hedonic adaptation and realize, oh wow, I really do love these things about this person and I am so glad we found one another. 

What the scientists find, if you write about how it might not have been, you can increase your happiness. This can be anything from getting into the college you wanted, the life partner you choose.  You think about the subtle things that might not be, but for these events. What this does, is it breaks you out of the hustle and bustle of the here and now and you can have a moment of gratitude for what you have.   

This can be an incredibly useful journaling or gratitude practice. We go into this in more detail in episode 18.  

I hope this gives you some inspiration on improving your happiness, just a little, through negative visualization - which sounds so crazy and “unhappy” to say.  Tomorrow, we will talk about this similar concept “make this day your last” - but I promise, it’s not as morbid as you think.  

See you tomorrow. 

Life is heavy enough, we shouldn’t have to search for happiness.  Get the exclusive happiness email, delivered with a smile twice a month to your inbox. https://www.katiejefcoat.com/email 

And, let’s connect on social at @everydayhappinesswithkatie  and join the community on the hashtags #IntentionalMargins and #everydayhappinesswithkatie on Instagram

Links:  https://onamission.bio/everydayhappiness/