Tag Archives: positive

Happiness Delivered to Your Door

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Monthly delivery and subscription services have become much more popular in the last few years. You can pretty much get anything you want delivered to you with the click of a button. Some of them deliver necessities like tooth brushes and shampoo, while others deliver more fun and unusual products. Take a look at these 6 awesome delivery services:

Conscious Box

Conscious Box

1) Conscious Box – This monthly delivery of pure and sustainable products helps you discover everything from natural beauty products to health food and non-toxic home goods. Learn more about Conscious Box here: http://www.consciousbox.com/

The Secret Cookie Service

The Secret Cookie Service

2) The Secret Cookie Service – Dressed in suits and sunglasses, the San Diego based cookie team delivers freshly-baked, gourmet cookies right to your door in a briefcase. What’s happier than delicious, homemade cookies? They’ll even bring milk if you want it! Learn more about The Secret Cookie Service here: http://thesecretcookieservice.com/

Art in a Box

Art in a Box

3) Art in a Box – This art subscription service offers original works of art featuring Bay Area artists. Subscribers are sent a piece of art to fit their taste each month. Learn more about Art in a Box here: http://artinabox.net/

Just the Right Book!

Just the Right Book!

4) Just the Right Book! – This book subscription service provides hours upon hours of happiness for book lovers. Just the Right Book! is a service for readers who want great books without having to look for them. Learn more about Just the Right Book! here: http://justtherightbook.com/

Umba Box

Umba Box

5) Umba Box – Umba Box works with artists who create handmade jewelry, accessories, stationery and bath products. Each month subscribers get a box of handmade goods delivered to their door. Learn more about Umba Box here: https://umbabox.com/

Whimseybox

Whimseybox

6) Whimseybox – Feeling crafty? This box is filled with DIY happiness! Every month subscribers receive a new DIY craft project with instructions and materials. You can either make whatever you want from the supplies or follow their tips. Learn more about Whimseybox here: http://whimseybox.com. Note: I used to be a Whimseybox subscriber and it felt like Christmas every time a new box arrived!

Have you tried any of these delivery services? Would you want to in the future? Let me know in the comments!

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Not an official Happster yet? Join us here: http://tinyurl.com/imahappster

15 Awe-Inspiring Happy Homes

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I’ve always been attracted to cool and different looking homes. In fact, my dream when I was little was to live in a tree house. And who would refuse having a slide in their house? Here are 15 awe-inspiring happy homes that I hope will bring a smile to your face.

1. Home with a Slide

House SlideSource

2. Eco Home

Eco HouseSource

3. Tree House

Tree HouseSource

4. Ocean Home

Beach HouseSource

5. Rooftop Pool Home

Pool HouseSource

6. Teapot Home

Tea Pot HouseSource


7. Tropical Home

Awesome HouseSource

8. Upside Down Home

Upside Down HouseSource

9. Face Home

Face HouseSource

10. Shoe Home

Shoe HouseSource

11. Tucked Away Home

Hidden HouseSource

12. All Natural Home (Many think this tree grows this way because it forms to where it can get shelter from the harsh winds.)

Tree Formation HouseSource

13. Underwater Home

Water HouseSource

14. Playground Home

Colorful HouseSource

15. At the end of the day, even a tiny house like this one will be a happy home if it’s filled with love.

Your HouseSource

Which house is your favorite? Let me know in the comments!

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Not an official Happster yet? Join us here: http://tinyurl.com/imahappster

6 Happiness Movements Everyone Should Know About

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I’ve started noticing more and more happiness movements popping up recently, so I decided to compile a few of my favorites to share with you! Here are 6 happiness movements everyone should know about:

365 Grateful Project

365 Grateful Project – Source

1. 365 Grateful Project – A documentary about the extraordinary power of gratitude has turned into a global movement. In an effort to fight depression, Hailey decided to take one Polaroid photo a day of something she felt grateful for. Hailey posted her project on flickr and gradually others began to do their own versions of the 365 Grateful project.

Learn more about the 365 Grateful Project here: http://365grateful.com/

You Are Beautiful Stickers

You Are Beautiful Stickers – Source

2. You Are Beautiful – Matthew Hoffman started the You Are Beautiful project by creating stickers that say “you are beautiful” on them. The movement has grown in the past decade from just 100 stickers to a half million stickers posted around the globe. He sends anyone who wants to be part of the movement 5 free stickers.

Learn more about the You Are Beautiful Project here: http://you-are-beautiful.com/

Happy Fridays

Happy Fridays at USC – Source

3. Happy Fridays at USC – Students at the University of Southern California (USC) started a happiness movement out of their love for Fridays. Each Friday they randomly distribute treats around USC’s campus to other students. They are always homemade and filled with love.

Learn more about Happy Fridays at USC here: https://www.facebook.com/HappyFridaysUSC/

Happier Boston

Happier Boston – Source

4. Happier Boston – The movement is exactly what it sounds like. Sponsored by Samaritans, a non-denominational, not-for-profit volunteer organization dedicated to reducing the incidence of suicide, their goal is to make Boston a happier place. They were recently featured on the Today Show for carrying happy signs and handing out oranges to people walking by at a Boston train station.

Learn more about Happier Boston here: http://happierboston.org/

Delivering Happiness

Delivering Happiness – Source

5. Delivering Happiness – Delivering Happiness started as a book written by Zappos CEO Tony Hsieh and has grown into a movement to help people, organizations, and businesses apply frameworks of happiness to their lives. They’ve partnered with Meetup.com so that you can meet up with other people in your town who are involved in the movement.

Learn more about Delivering Happiness here: http://www.deliveringhappiness.com/jointhemovement/

Happy Notes

Happy Notes

6. The Happsters – Of course you already know a little bit about us, but if you’re new to the blog here’s a little background. Our goal is to make other people happy and let others know when they make us happy. Official Happsters are sent free happy notes to so that they can express gratitude to those who make them happy. We now have official Happsters in over 20 countries spreading happiness.

Become an official Happster and get free Happy Notes here: http://tinyurl.com/imahappster

Have you heard of any of these movements before? Are you part of any of them? Let me know in the comments!

Spreading Happiness Through Active Listening

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Spreading Happiness Through Active Listening

There are thousands of ways we can spread happiness. Often times we can make others happy by doing something we rarely give a second thought to. Do you ever have conversations where a friend is telling you a story and all the sudden you realize you are thinking about something else entirely? Maybe you started thinking about everything on your to-do list, how hungry you are, or how you forgot to call your mom this morning. Other times you might be in a conversation and thinking about what you’re going to say next without listening to what the other person is saying at that moment.

Very few master the art of active listening, but the more you focus on giving your full attention to others, the more appreciated and respected they’ll feel. You’ll realize that your connections and communication skills become stronger when you take steps towards being a better listener.

Here are some tips on how to be an active listener:

1. Look at the person talking. It sounds pretty straight forward, but turning your eyes and body to face the person will show them that you are engaged in the conversation.

2. React accordingly. Give verbal feedback when appropriate like asking them questions relevant to what they’re saying.

3. Reduce distractions. Turn down or off the radio or TV, put down your magazine, and focus on the conversation.

4. Give positive non-verbal cues. Be aware of  positive non-verbal cues you can include such as nodding your head, maintaining eye contact, or raising your eyebrows. You should also think about negative non-verbal cues you might be inadvertently sending like crossing your arms over your chest.

Do you feel like you’re an active listener? Are any of these tips helpful? Let me know in the comments!

P.S. It’s the first day of the Happy Note a Day Challenge on ChallengeLoop! It’s not too late to join! There are over 90 people in it spreading happiness already. Make some new friends and join the fun here: http://www.challengeloop.com/challenge/happy-note-a-day

Living Above The Line

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Living Above The Line

I was recently introduced to the concept of living above and below the line and wanted to share it with you. While many of us have heard these principles before, thinking about being above/below the line is a great way to visualize our patterns.

When we live above the line, we see life from a positive place and are hopeful, creative, and optimistic. When we live below the line, our attitudes are more negative and we can feel powerless, sad, angry, fearful or hopeless.

It is important to remember that we are in charge of how we see the world. While we are continually faced with challenges, the key is recognizing when certain thoughts enter our stream of consciousness and working on how we react to these challenges. To quote Epictetus – “It’s not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters.”

For example, lets say you’re a sales person who just lost one of your biggest accounts. Many people would fall below the line and feel powerless and upset. Others might be above the line and think about how they could change the situation for the better. Maybe they would think of the possibilities that will open up now that they have more time to focus on other accounts or come up with solutions to the problem, like reaching out to some other potential clients. People living above the line focus on what can be done moving forward, while people living below the line have trouble moving past why something happened.

You’ll find that once you make a concerted effort to live above the line, you’ll attract happiness, positive energy, and feel more connected with people.

Have you heard of this concept before? Let me know your thoughts.

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Not an official Happster yet? Become one and get free happy notes here: http://tinyurl.com/imahappster

Top Foods That Make You Happy

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Mood Boosting Foods

The Top Mood Boosting Foods

Did you know that certain foods can actually have an effect on your mood? I didn’t until recently when I was trying to think of what to give out at our first Happster meet up. I wanted to give something that people would not just enjoy eating, but also positively affects their mood.

Here are my main findings about mood-boosting foods:

Vitamin B

  • These vitamins are also called “anti-stress vitamins”
  • They balance your mood and can help ease your anxiety
  • Some foods with vitamin B include asparagus, nuts, brown rice, bananas, and beans

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

  • They are known to be brain-boosting and help keep anger in check
  • There have been studies that show they may help fight depression
  • Some foods with omega-3 fatty acids include salmon, sardines, flax seeds and walnuts

Vitamin D

  • Vitamin D regulates serotonin, dopamine and other mood hormones
  • Studies have shown vitamin D can help combat seasonal affective disorder (SAD)
  • Some foods with vitamin D include fortified milk and orange juice, sardines, eggs, mushrooms, salmon and tuna

Phenylethylamine 

  • Phenylethylamine is a mild alkaloid stimulant that your body produces as a byproduct of the amino acid phenylalanine
  • They lift your mood, perception and awareness
  • Some foods with Phenylethylamine include chocolate, eggs, soybeans, nuts and seeds

I don’t know about you, but I was particularly happy to see chocolate on the list of happy foods! I’m just scratching the surface with mood-boosting foods and am sure there is a much longer list than I’ve provided here.

Are there any foods that boost your mood?

Not an official Happster yet? Get free happy notes here: http://tinyurl.com/imahappster

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Sources:

omega-3 fatty acids: http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=84

Mood Boosting Foods: http://www.elliekrieger.com/mood-boosting-foods

The Top 10 Natural Sources of Vitamin D in Food: http://www.thedailygreen.com/healthy-eating/eat-safe/sources-of-vitamin-d-in-foods#slide-5

Foods with Phenylethylamine: http://www.livestrong.com/article/528433-foods-with-phenylethylamine

Top Ten Happy Foods: http://health.yahoo.net/experts/joybauernutrition/top-ten-happy-foods