I had the good fortune of listening to a podcast this morning that spoke to me and I wanted to share. It was on John Warrillow’s podcast, and he was interviewing Bill Hudenko, a psychologist, Dartmouth professor and serial entrepreneur. The subject of finding happiness came up. Bill joked about planning years for a Disney trip only to be disappointed when you get there that it didn’t meet your expectations. He shared that we should be striving to achieve “well-being” instead of happiness as happiness is short-term and fleeting. He then gave his “5 Factors of Well-being” which I feel speaks volumes to this subject. His acronym is PERMA and here they are:
P – Positive emotions. Look for the little things every day that provide satisfaction and joy. A cup of coffee of a beautiful sunset.
E – Engagement. Find something you enjoy doing outside of work. Music, golf, hiking, biking, etc.
R – Relationships. This one is rather obvious but seek out positive, like-minded people with whom you can spend time.
M – Meaningfulness. What can you do to make an impact for someone else? Coach, volunteer, counsel, mentor.
A – Achievement. Have goals for your future. Keep yourself striving for more in your life.
I took some liberties with some of the examples, but I believe his 5 factors are very relevant, especially with what is happening in our world right now. Have an “Attitude of Gratitude” and make it a great day!!