Why this blog?

Because HAPPINESS is misused. My theory is that Happiness is NOT the POINT of Life; rather, it is a POINTER IN LIFE. Making life happier is what I specialise in. Find me at abetterlife-uk.com and http://hertscollegeofhypnosisandnlp.co.uk

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Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Hi - Ok I have a confession - well, it's obvious really - that I have moved on from here. I am creating an all new Happiness website http://happinessdoctor.co.uk ...
but I'm a bit slow at it. So in the meantime, there is still a lot of stuff here worth looking up. And you can also find me at abetterlife-uk.com, where you can sign up for my happiness announcements! Yes please :) Keep in touch. Richard

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

12 Happy Tips to Survive Xmas

Stuck indoors for longer than normal, eating and drinking too much of – well, almost everything, locked together with difficult family members.. while trying to please everyone. Sometimes the festive season can be very trying. My festive break survival plan may just help, along with some FREE HYPNOSIS DOWNLOADS.

FAMILY & FISH – GET OUTSIDE – IT’S YOUR MIND – KIDS ARE BONKERS – THEY’LL NEVER BE FIXED – OLD RECORDS – ANTIVIRUS SOFTWARE – PROTECTIVE FIELD – DRINK & EAT LESS! Obviously – GIVE IN – MENTAL DETOX – LET IT OUT – REMEMBER it’s only XMAS! Read more at abetterlife-uk.com/12-tips-to-survive-xmas

Friday, September 29, 2017

Happiness makes flu jabs work better - research

New research by a team at the University of Nottingham has found evidence that being in a positive mood on the day of your flu jab can increase its protective effect.

https://www.nottingham.ac.uk/news/pressreleases/2017/september/study-finds-being-in-a-good-mood-for-your-flu-jab-boosts-its-effectiveness.aspx

Monday, September 18, 2017

HAPPINESS AND A HAPPY LIFE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THE SAME THING....


Here's my beef - that happiness and happy lives are not necessarily the same thing at all. And more importantly, I have the idea that Happiness is not something you should pursue in any case. Shocking? I'll explain.
You see, researchers use the notion of 'Subjective Well-Being' or SWB to measure happiness in their surveys. They ask questions like, How happy have you felt over the last month?  and How satisfied are you with your life?  You might give two very different answers to each of these questions. Others may not. It depends in part on what you think they mean. Others have made this point too.
Recent research has also pointed out that Happiness and Meaningfulness are not the same thing.. which is kind of along the same lines. But I think there is a more fundamental problem. We have got the whole idea of happiness messed up. (The full paper is here).

Here's my BIG IDEA: WHAT IF EVERYTHING THAT YOU THOUGHT WILL MAKE YOU HAPPY WERE TOTALLY WRONG? Unlikely? Not so; in fact, it's very probable....

Professor of psychology at Harvard, Daniel Gilbert wrote in his book Stumbling on Happiness that the single biggest obstacle to our happiness is our natural inability to think accurately about the future. 
Gilbert goes as far as to accuse our brains of being “talented forgers”, fabricating a convincing living story made up of nothing but memories and distorted perceptions. Happiness is, by far, an “inside job.”  I agree.
BUT there’s worse to come. And this comes from my own experience of some twenty years working with people to solve a myriad of life problems, and it’s this: HAPPINESS is JUST AN EMOTION – a FEELING.  And FEELINGS are meant to be learnt from. They are the mind/body’s natural feedback signal – just kike pain teaches you not to stick your finger in the fire. 
SO WHAT DOES HAPPINESS SAY to us? 
My idea is that Happiness says YOU ENJOYED THAT - something resonated with you. AND HAPPINESS ASKS - WHAT WAS IT ABOUT THIS THAT MAKES IT SO GOOD? LEARN from it; what is it teaching you about what matters in life to you? Where is it telling you to head - the direction for more of what this was really about?
The bottom line: happiness is NOT the POINT of Life; rather, it is a POINTER IN LIFE. Sign up to my blog and get four free articles introducing my ideas on happiness; the Physics of Happiness. 

Wednesday, March 16, 2016

British teenagers among least satisfied in western world

Happiness matters...


Article in the Guardian 15 March:http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/mar/15/british-teenagers-among-least-satisfied-in-western-world?CMP=share_btn_fb 

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Friday, January 22, 2016

Happiness is your BIGGEST PROBLEM



Happiness points to the MOTHER OF ALL PROBLEMS.. and the only one you really have. How to find it.