Joy, No Matter What?
During the good times and the challenging ones…our REAL work is equipping ourselves and leaders to deal with transitions and change. While we want the changes and challenges our clients face to be inspirational and aspirational, often they’re not.
At the end of the year with the rush to close sales, complete deadlines, close-out year end business and plan for 2012, leaders and teams are often exhausted and uninspired. You may wonder what you can do to energize and bring JOY back. Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, professor of Psychology at the University of California at Riverside and author of The How of Happiness: A New Approach to Getting the Life you Want, gives us a gift of ideas. Her research suggests that “50 percent of individual differences in happiness are governed by genes, 10 percent by life circumstances, and the remaining 40 percent by what we do and how we think.” She’s learned that one way we can cultivate happiness is through the expression of gratitude and generosity.
In fact, her research shows that people who practice gratitude report:
- Improvements in mood, as well as lower levels of depression and stress.
- Better physiological health, including enhanced quality of sleep.
- More energy.
- A sense of connectedness with others.
- Greater satisfaction with life in general.
As we move from Thanksgiving into the year-end festivities and holidays, we encourage you to plan for JOY. Express your gratitude by giving and reaching out to others.
Appreciation (gratitude) is one of our six Innolect values. As we reach for JOY this holiday, we invite you to join us as we support those less fortunate. Please visit the Pay it Forward page on our website. It provides links to organizations that are making a difference, building people and positive legacies.