What is the connection between feeling happy and having less stress? For one, you can’t experience both feelings at the same time. And, positive psychology research shows that you can increase your happiness by doing certain exercises. By that reasoning, you can decrease your stress by doing those same exercises.
A working definition of stress taken from Claire Michaels Wheeler’s book, “10 Simple Solutions to Stress” is that stress is the “situation that arises in you when life’s challenges and pressures exceed your perceived ability to cope.” The key is that it is your perception of the event that affects your stress level. The good news is that you can increase your coping skills and make choices to increase your happiness.
One exercise to improve your happiness is gratitude journaling. This activity can lift your mood and move you away from a focus on what’s going wrong for you. I have several of my coaching clients do this and they report an immediate shift in mood. When doing this activity, reflect on what you are grateful for in your life – it could be family members, friends, a great meal, a fun party, etc. Aim to journal 3 days a week. I would love to know how it works for you. If you are too shy to post here on your results please send me an e-mail to chris@chriscoward.com Good luck!