Are You Happy?

Our post today is by Rebecca Hintze, mental health expert and author of several books, including the following from AromaTools.com:

  

 

Keep reading, and take a moment to analyze your state of happiness and look for ways you can improve. Thank you, Rebecca, for sharing your knowledge with us!

Everyone wants to be happy, and everybody can be when we have healthy attitudes, beliefs, and values. Despite the increase in psychiatric drug use and talk of emotional disorders, the truth is, most people are happy. According to a recent study, people who live in relatively free countries (and aren’t in prison or psychiatric institutions) declare to be a least moderately cheerful in spite of their age, gender, and financial status.

It’s true that happy people behave and think differently than unhappy people. If we want to be one of the happy folks, we may need to take inventory of the following factors. Since the choice is ours, we can begin today to identify and adjust the reasons why we’re not behaving, believing—and therefore creating—happy lives.
According to research, here’s what makes a happy person:

• Happy people are more loving, forgiving, trusting, decisive, creative, sociable, and helpful.
• Some say that money doesn’t make you happy. This is not necessarily true. Research has shown that happier people have more money. There is a connection between wealth and well-being, though it is not significant. Stress from financial disorder does lead to depression. However, wealth cannot be attributed to redeeming a depressed person. And money only reports to support happiness when it meets needs and a little bit more. Wealth alone doesn’t predict happiness.
• Happy people are more likely to set optimistic goals and strive to meet them.
• Happy people have healthier immune systems that result from happy attitudes.
• Happy people don’t suppress good feelings when they feel them. They laugh when they feel like it. If they receive a compliment, they accept it.
• Happy people are less self-focused.
• Happy people are less violent and aggressive.
• Happier people are usually spiritual people. Though some studies show that some forms of active spirituality can correlate with prejudice and guilt, for the most part, a belief in God—and consequently, an active spiritual life—correlates well with several mental health criteria. People who are active in their church tend to be less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, divorce, or commit suicide.
• Happy people have strong support systems. When we have a large crowd of loving friends and family, we are happier and healthier, and less likely to die prematurely.
• Happy people are married. A large amount of data show that people are happier when they are attached, particularly married.

We have the choice to be happy by changing behaviors that make us unhappy.

For this week’s personal growth, take inventory of your state of happiness.

Ask yourself:

• Do I have a healthy support system? If not, why? Do I have emotional walls that push people away, including a spouse or potential mate? If so, why?
• Am I in debt or without a sufficient income and stressed as a result? If so, how did I get to this point? What beliefs do I have about money that prevent me from creating abundance?
• Am I self-absorbed? If so, why? Do I believe I am worthy to have my needs met and do I allow others to meet my needs?
• Do I set optimistic goals and try to reach them? If not, why?
• Do I suppress laughter and reject compliments? If so, why?
• Am I spiritually connected, believing in a divine, higher power of love, light, and truth?
• Am I willing to love, forgive, trust, serve, and interact with others? If not, why?

For extra support, consider regularly diffusing citrus essential oils. All citrus essential oils are natural mood uplifters. With regular use, they have the ability to uplift mood and encourage happiness. Through self-exploration and by taking action, we can unlock the doors to living happier lives.

Many Blessings,

Rebecca Hintze

About the Author

Rebecca Hintze, MS, is considered an expert in the field of mental health, specializing in family issues and emotional intelligence. She is the international bestselling author of Healing Your Family History, distributed worldwide and translated into 8 different languages. She is the creator of The Emotions Mentor Course Series, and she’s also the author of the books Essentially Happy, Essential Oils for Happy Living, and Emotions and Essential Oils: An A–Z Guide.

Today, Rebecca speaks to audiences worldwide on healing family patterns, overcoming destructive behavior, increasing emotional intelligence, resolving health care issues naturally through essential oils and supplementation, and resolving family conflict.