Reason to Read "Happy for No Reason"

I just finished reading "Happy For No Reason" by Marci. Shimoff. This book incorporates many of the techniques and tools that comes out of positive psychology and blends them with a dose of 'The Secret" and other "pop psychology" and self help guru's advice. What I liked about the book was that she used the research from some notable scholars in positive psychology, such as Edward Diener and Martin Seligman as well as many others, and used some of the exercises that they recommend for improving one's own well-being.

The best idea to come out this book for me, was that the pursuit of being happy was not a matter of chasing it, but rather as Thomas Jefferson had intended, a matter of consistent effort and attentiveness, especially for those of us not genetically predisposed towards happiness for no reason.

Check it out:

www.happyfornoreason.com

The Happiness Makers/animated cartoon 1930's

This a delightful cartoon made in 1935, which I saw in the 50's. It is about happy gnomes bottling sunshine and winning over the sad gnomes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Clx-aAxKiQM

Happy Farmers Make Happy Milk

British farmers have discovered the power of Love-OM. Visit http://www.love-om.com/ a lovely little website dedicated to your wellbeing. British organic milk farmers are doing Tai Chi and hoping to integrate well-being into their farming practices resulting in happy cows that produce happy milk.
I thought happy cows came from California.

Happiness Bank in Estonia

People in Estonia will have an opportunity to come up with creative ideas to help each other in these difficult economic times. People all across the country will be participating in a forum, brainstorming ideas, and selecting best practice ideas to implement. The format for this forum is similar in structure to Appreciative Inquiry. Perhaps they can add to it appreciative interviews? Here's wishing the people of Estonia all the best with this venture called the "happiness bank".



Here is the press story about what they are doing in Estonia.

Agence France-Presse - 2/28/2009 8:16 PM GMT"Estonians plan virtual 'happiness bank' to fight recessionIn times of economic woe, Estonians are banking on ideas to lift their spirits above the gloom and doom of recession with an online "happiness bank" and forums on better governance."The main aim of the project... is to use modern technology to create a 'democracy machine' that will help increase understanding among people, bring the state closer to citizens and force people to become actively involved in improving their lives instead of passively hoping that someone else will do it," Estonian Internet entrepreneur Rainer Nolvak, one of the main organizers of the project, told AFP.In the virtual "happiness bank", people will be able to earn virtual money on their accounts by doing good deeds for those in need. Organisers hope it will give people the idea that doing good is as valuable as earning money."We think that especially when the entire world is facing recession we need a lot of thinking also at the grass-roots level to figure what we all can do to fight recession and make life better," Nolvak added.Organisers hope that as many as 100,000 Estonians in the tiny 1.3-million-strong Baltic EU state will attend 400-1000 public 'brain-storming' forums across Estonia on better governance that will also be streamed live via the net on May 1.Registration for the project is currently underway."The topics of the forums will tackle the most important problems at both local and national level. All forum group heads must select the topics from our website www.minueesti.ee (my Estonia) by April 20, 2009," Anneli Ohvril, head of the Communications Team for the "Let's do it - let's think" project, told AFP."The forum participants will select best practice ideas that they will then start to implement," Ohvril says.Organisers expect to get at least one thousand ideas for best practices that can be applied in everyday life. Later in December, people will be asked to vote on all the local and national best ideas to select the ones they like most."

For the full story see: news.sg.msn.com/oddities/article.aspx?cp-documentid=2659875

Humorous Definition of Optimism

For all those who feel that just looking at the positive doesn't solve problems, (as in Appreciative Inquiry), notice it's the optimist who hopes the ambulance will get there quickly.
Nevertheless, a good laugh is a great way to just feel good!