10 SIMPLE The
SECRETS to LOVING LIFE
Take stock this summer with some small tweaks to your outlook. The result? A happier, more fulfilled you
1 Live on purpose
“A sense of purpose brings the greatest life satisfaction,” says happiness expert Paul McGee. Not only are people with a sense of purpose happiest, they also live longer and even make healthier lifestyle choices by eating more vegetables and doing more exercise, according to research at Washington University. But how do you find your sense of purpose? Purpose can come from your children, friends, work – or even housework. “My 87-year-old mother-inlaw still comes over every week
Our expert % PAUL McGEE is a motivational speaker, communication coach and bestselling author. He has delivered talks worldwide and sold more than 200,000 books. His new book, How to Have a Great Life (Capstone, £9.99), out on 25 June, explores surprisingly simple ways to success and happiness.
to do our ironing – it’s not that we can’t do it ourselves, but she says it makes her feel useful,” says McGee. “She would never say, ‘I do it because it gives me a sense of purpose.’ But it amounts to the same thing.” % DO IT Ask yourself, “What do I care about? What energises me? What am I doing when I’m at my happiest?”
2 Plan for happy times
Don’t just hope for a happy future; plan one! Figure out what makes you happy and do more of it. “You might have an amazing evening with an old friend and you both say ‘We must do this again soon’,” says McGee. “But then neither of you does.” % DO IT Ask yourself, “Will this make me happy?” Make a conscious choice. “We know going to yoga or visiting a friend will make us happy, but we stay in and watch TV because it’s easier,” says McGee. “There’s nothing wrong with a Netflix fix, just make sure you’re choosing it for the right reasons.”
3 Stop comparing
We all do it. To compare is human, but if you’re constantly comparing yourself to other people and finding yourself wanting, that’s a recipe for unhappiness. The trick here, says McGee, is to catch yourself doing it and to remind yourself that what you’re seeing is not the full picture. How often, for example, do you post your least flattering shot on social media? Or tell that stranger you’ve just met at a party how stressed you are at work? Exactly. And you’re not the only one presenting your “best face” to the world. “Remind yourself that you’re only seeing part of the jigsaw and move on,” says McGee.
% DO IT Switch from idealising to humanising. That friend of yours with the envy-inducing house and fabulously wealthy husband might still feel insecure about her career – or lack of it. Or have worries about her sick mother.