Fake Your Way to Happiness

 

Can you steer your life toward happiness by simply counting your blessings? Maybe. One recent researcher found that people who pause each day to reflect on the positive aspects of their lives (for example: their health, friends, family, education, freedom) are more likely to get happy and experience heightened well-being.

Or if you’re feeling a little down – maybe you can fake your way and get happy too! You may have more control over your mood than you think. According to other new research, people who choose to act more outgoing, happy or assertive actually improve their outlook on life.

In three complementary studies, William Fleeson and colleagues tracked the moods of more than 100 students. In the first study, 46 students kept diaries for approximately two weeks. They reported feeling happy and more positive when they acted outgoing. When acting shy and reserved, their feelings were just the opposite.

The second study looked at long-term effects of acting like an extrovert. Once again, the 10-week study revealed that the 57 students in this portion of the study were more likely to be happy when they acted more extroverted.

In the final study, 47 students were told to act either like an extrovert or introvert during a discussion group. Participants who were energetic and assertive had more fun, were happy, and enjoyed the group — while the passive and shy ones were unhappy in the situation.

Self-Confidence and Your Performance

Many scientific studies tell us that our self -confidence has a direct effect on our performance in all areas of  life — and that this is directly tied to what we simply believe to be true.

Lets review just one classic study.

Picture this… A teacher comes into a primary-level classroom, and tells her students that a new scientific study proves blue-eyed children are a lot smarter than brown- or green-eyed children.

The results are dramatic. The blue-eyed children immediately began to outperform their brown and green-eyed classmates in all aspects of their studies.

Then two months later the teacher calls a special classroom meeting. She tells the students she had made a serious mistake. She apologizes, and says the scientific study actually proven that brown- and green-eyed children are the most intelligent.

Again the results are dramatic and immediate. The blue-eyed children lose their edge and begin to under perform. The brown- and green-eyed children’s grades, on the other hand, immediately soar to the superior range.

What does this prove? Simply this:

• If you *believe* youâyou are  smart, you act smart.
• If you *believe* you are creative, you act creative.
• If you *believe* you are a success, you act successful.
• If you believe you are excellent at something, you act excellent.

We each live up (or live down) to the image we hold of our own self.

 

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