Let’s talk about another person that has made it his life endeavor to find and spread happiness. He is the CEO of a happiness consulting business, Good Think Inc. I am talking about Shawn Achor.
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Who is Shawn Achor?
Shawn is a researcher, teacher, author, and speaker on happiness from Waco, Texas. He focuses on positive psychology.
The way I was introduced to him was a when I went through the top 10 TEDx Talks of recent years and his was one of them. His TEDx Talk is titled “The happy secret to better work”, you should check it out!
Setting Boundaries
According to his site, research shows that happy people are 23% less stressed, have 39% better health, 31% more productivity and 34% more positive social interaction. Imagine being 23% less stressed just by being happier.
One way to accomplish being happy is by learning to set boundaries. Setting boundaries with ourselves and others. Shawn says,
“Every moment is a sacrifice. The key is to be okay with the sacrifices you make.”
Is the pain we feel worth it or are we better off without that thing or person we want? No pain, no gain? Not necessarily. Sometimes, it is better to give things up for us to be happier. We are obviously talking about bad habits and toxic relationships, not things like stop going to the gym because I’m barely able to walk the next day from being so sore.
The Happiness Advantage
Shawn Achor is the New York Times bestselling author of Before Happiness and The Happiness Advantage . These books have had a tremendous reach in society and are highly recommended reads. They both are in my library.
He is also the author of two awesome children’s books:
Shawn says, “the greatest predictor of long-term happiness is your social connection.”
When Shawn moved to Texas, he started working and having more interaction with family. Bonding with family and creating daily social connection is a sure fire way to elevate your happiness and keep your batteries charged. Shawn also mentions using meditation and solitude to get recharged.
He is married to Michelle Gielan, positive psychology researcher, who also is a bestselling author of Broadcasting Happiness. Shawn prioritizes family and uses this as an excuse with people. “I’d love to help you, but I want to be a really good dad.” People love that. I respect that. Set boundaries and stick to what you need to be happy.
