You’ve got your vision, you’ve done your research, you’ve created your happiness definition and you know the values that will define your approach.
Happiness is your goal and, finally, it’s time to map out how you’ll get there.
Step 5 – The Happiness Strategy
In business, a strategy provides a framework for operations.
It’s a way of galvanising teams, drawing on core competencies and creating purposeful activities. It’s plan of action designed to achieve a long-term goal or ambition.
A Happiness Strategy, however, is more than just a plan. It’s a promise, a heart-centred intention to fill your day with as much good stuff as possible.
It’s the difference between short-term smirks and long-term laughter.
To be successful, a Happiness Strategy has to be tailored to you. It has to be a combination of what you know and what you’ve learned from your Happiness Heroes.
And to get started all you need to do is make time, make space and make a list.
Write down all of the things that make you happy; everything from the grandest gestures down to the tiniest microscopic moments of any day that can put a smile on your face.
Once complete, you’ll notice it’s made up of three things; happiness conditions you can create, happiness activities you can do and the things that make you happy that are out of your control.
It could be something as simple as making your bed and drawing you curtains, decluttering your wardrobe or cleaning your kitchen; optimising your environment, or creating happiness conditions, is a fast track route to laying the foundations of happiness.
Next, you can take your list of happiness activities and work out, realistically you can fit into your life. Maybe you’ll plan your day in detail, list your activities for the week ahead or maybe you’ll jot down what you plan to do over the next six months. Don’t over promise and undeliver and keep it tailored to you.
And finally, accept and let go of the things you can’t control. Don’t agonise over them, don’t wish to change them,just let them be.
Your Happiness Strategy should be with you at all times; write it down somewhere or keep it in your notebook on your phone.
Keep looking at it. Keep reminding yourself of your ambition. And keep making space and making time for those tiny moments of joy that cultivate a peaceful mind and a happy heart.