The Key to Long-Term Happiness and Fulfillment
The quality of our life — emotionally, physically, and mentally — is directly proportional to the quality of our relationships.
What makes you feel happy or fulfilled isn’t the relationship itself, but the interactions that make that relationship up.
The only path to achieving the goal of a fulfilling life is to have fulfilling relationships, and those relationships can only be created by consistently connecting through meaningful interactions.
When you think something positive and you genuinely believe it, voice it.
- When you voice positive thoughts, you make the recipient feel emotionally uplifted.
- This feeling elevates their appreciation of you and the relationship you share.
- Because you were the source of that interaction, their emotional response creates an incredibly fulfilling sense of happiness and satisfaction in you.
When you practice Positive Alacrity, you’re not only uplifting others. Above all, you’re uplifting yourself.
Example
- Recognition: Think of something positive that happened within the last 24 hours, then ask yourself: “Who was the cause of (or involved in) this experience that I could thank or compliment?”
- Specificity: Ask yourself: “What specifically did I like or appreciate about this experience/situation?”
- Action: Now, voice it. Pay this person a face-to-face visit. If that doesn’t work, call them. If you can’t call them, then text or email them; immediately, before you finish reading this.
Source: Harvard Second Generation Study and Patrick Ewers, Pocket