July 12, 2006
BE HAPPY ZONE
By Lionel Ketchian
I have been telling you for years that the Happiness Decision is the best thing you can do for yourself. One of the reasons for this is that being happy puts you in a better state of mind to solve problems. I found this out when I began being happy. I had no idea that by staying happy in spite of having a problem, I would be in a better mental position to solve problems or come up with better choices to deal with them.
I was driving my car this past Sunday evening and listening to the John Tesh Radio Show. He always has great features that provide you with the best "Intelligence for Your Life," as he calls it. So John says, "The next time you have to make a big decision or come up with creative solution - have someone tell you a joke first! It'll help." Then he goes to a break and plays some music. John had me hooked and I stayed tuned to hear what he had to say about this.
When he continued talking about this subject, he said, "The next time you have to make a big decision or come up with creative solution - have someone tell you a joke first! It'll help. That's the conclusion of psychology Professor Alice Isen from Cornell University. She found that being in a good mood can help you make better decisions and solve problems more creatively - she calls it "positive affect." "So why does 'positive affect' work? Because when you're in a good mood, the parts of your brain that have dopamine receptors are activated. Dopamine is basically a pleasure chemical in your brain. And it activates the regions responsible for thinking, reasoning and memory. And it's a happy cycle. You feel good, come up with more creative ideas or the right answer, and that makes you even happier.
So the next time you're mulling over a big decision or need to find a solution, look at puppies, have someone compliment you, or watch your favorite sitcom. You'll live happily ever after."
I was so take with this information that I called psychology Professor Alice Isen in her office at Cornell University in Ithaca NY. I told her that I heard about her work on the John Tesh Radio show. I learned from Alice that she has written over 70 articles about "positive affect." I have made the professor a member of our Happiness Club and she now receives our Happiness Newsletter.
If you would like to learn more about this article by Professor Alice Isen or more about "Intelligence for Your Life," check out John Tesh's Radio Show website: http://www.tesh.com. It is a companion site to the John Tesh Radio Show. I recommend that you listen to the John's Radio Show because you will most probably hear about something that you wanted to learn more about.
Even if you come in on the tail end of a story or didn't have time to write down the name of a book or link that John mentioned on the show, you can look it up on his website. Nearly everything John's ever mentioned on the show is archived and can be found there. You can find the most recent intelligence, sorted by category in the menu on the left. Or if you remember a name or phrase, try using the search page.
I want to congratulate John Tesh for the wonderful job he does on his radio show. John is truly bringing you "Intelligence for Your Life."
Our next Happiness Club meeting will be Thursday, July 20, from 7:00 - 9:00 P.M. at the Fairfield Public Library, in the Rotary Room at 1080 Old Post Road, Fairfield. The presentation will be "Learned Optimism: The Key to a Happier Life," by Dr. Cynthia Barnett. Why learn Optimism? People who are optimistic live longer, healthier, happier lives and achieve more. Furthermore, studies show that optimism is a skill that can be taught and learned.
Dr. Cynthia Barnett was featured in Time magazine for their article about women in mid-life who have reinvented themselves. Dr. Barnett is a graduate of the Authentic Happiness Coaching Program facilitated by Marty E.P Seligman, Ph.D., a professor of Psychology at the University of Pennsylvania and a leading motivational expert and an authority on the happiness factor and learned helplessness. Certified Facilitator of the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and certified as a Self-Esteem Facilitator by Jack Canfield best selling co- author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul books.
Meet some wonderful people using happiness in their lives. Admission is free; everyone is welcome. For further information call Lionel Ketchian at 203 258-7777.
Lionel Ketchian is the founder of the Happiness Club and can be reached at PrintLRK@aol.com. The Web site is www.happinessclub.com.