Notes: Happiness and Stress

Documentary: Happy
Documentary: Stress

Happiness- increased dopamine levels; a neurotransmitter in the brain that when released, makes you feel good.
Intentional action-do something to make you happy.
When you do something, find your rhythm, be in the zone.
Do something that you like to do and be good at it. Master it.
Values=Happiness, our values in life produces happiness
Value cooperation more than competition, if you feel competitive with somebody, beware because it can led to unhappiness
Cooperation=happiness
Competition=unhappiness
Avoid seeing life through the physical eyes
See life using your heart, this is your vision
Be compassionate, compassion led to happiness and greater satisfaction in life
Joy comes from the connection with other people, stay connected to people/friends
Look for happiness in non-material things
Be interdependent with each other in a community and interact with environment, see nature daily
Key to happiness-compassion and loving-kindness
Do compassion meditation. Meditate and think about compassion for 15 minutes
Count your blessings everyday
Review 5 Things To Be Grateful every night
Do 5 Acts of kindness daily
Cultivate happiness through compassion
Be authentically “YOU” at all times
There is no formula for happiness, it is different for every person
Only you can make you happy.
Others can make you unhappy, but not make you happy. 
Do things that you love to do
Don’t do things you don’t like to do
Appreciate what you have daily.

Stress-it’s there to help us [fight or flee]
Problems with human beings – we don’t know when to turn it off 
Antidote of stress-find a place where you have control

If you are in a leadership position, avoid giving unnecessary stress:
1. Give people more involvement of what they do
2. Give people more say of what they do
3. Give more reward for the amount of effort they put out
4. Invite people to contribute
5. Create a condition where people flourish and grow

Reducing stress
1. Don’t bite when you are having a bad day
2. Social affiliation is powerful, don’t be a loner; interact with other humans
3. Avoid too much ambition
4. Give to others more than you receive, giving is healthier than you think
5. Don’t just survive stress, thrive on it
6. When adversity comes, react normally with real emotions like anger, frustration, grief, sadness but make sure to get back to baseline immediately.
7. Don’t dwell on the results of the adversity.  You cannot undo it. Flip to the next page as soon as possible.