On Growing Your Happiness
Sometimes, happiness seems illusive. Rather than waiting for something to make you happy, here are a few ways to curate happiness for yourself. 1. Acknowledge your thoughts. When you’re having negative thoughts, if you tell yourself to stop thinking about them, chances are you will think about it more. The best thing to do is to acknowledge your thoughts. 2. Treat yourself like a friend. How would you treat a friend in distress? Try doing the same for yourself. Make yourself a snack. Take yourself out on a walk. 3. Challenge your negative thoughts. First, write down your negative thoughts and then ask yourself, “Am I basing this on facts? Or feelings?” and “How might I view this situation if it happened to someone else?” 4. Surround yourself with optimistic people. Optimism, like laughter, is infectious. Safely surround yourself with people who lift you up. New York Times.
On the Myth of Being Underqualified for Jobs
Are you on the job search and seeing many job descriptions asking for multiple years of experience? Are you hesitant to apply because you just graduated from college and don’t have much professional experience? In this piece, Art Markman points out, “If you’re completely qualified for the job you apply for, you aimed too low.” Don’t let the imposter syndrome hold you back from applying for certain jobs. If you are a recent college grad, you are qualified for many entry-level and associate positions. Most of the learning will take place on the job. Don’t sell yourself short. Shoot for the positions that might seem just a little out of reach, you never know where it might get you. And always (always) search for ways to build relationships within people in your industry. Harvard Business Review.
On the Silver Lining of Trauma
Whether you have lost a job, housing, or a loved one due to the pandemic, this year has been traumatic for many of us. However, there is a framing called Post Traumatic Growth (PTG), which is “a positive change experienced because of a struggle with a life crisis or traumatic event.” Here are a few things you can do to turn your trauma into a possibility for growth. 1. Reframe your experience. Take time to think about what you went through to see if there are any changes and lessons you might view as positive. 2. Take your emotional temperature. See if there are small ways to incorporate feel-good activities into your routine. 3. Seek social support. Reach out to your family and friends, even if you have not kept in touch recently, to check in on them and to share your experiences with them. This will also strengthen your relationships. 4. Practice facing your fears in small doses. Reflecting on the event through journaling or speaking to someone you trust can be ways to process and to grow. Medium.
