Happiness

At MECC we are committed to fostering our own happiness both in and outside of the workplace. This month, we invite you to take a step back, take a deep breath, and step into happiness. Here are a few tips to create habits of happiness:

Concentrate on Personal Connections These days, the world makes it easy for us to connect. We push a button, dial a number, or write a text message. This spring, we encourage you to push aside the ease of technology and dive deeper into personal, face-to-face connections with the people who inspire and care about you. This isn’t always easy or convenient, but at MECC we understand the value of connection and its importance in our personal and professional growth.

Celebrate Small Accomplishments While it’s easy to concentrate on improving our weaknesses, it’s more important to harness our strengths. Finding consistent ways to celebrate small successes like finishing a big project or trying something new, help improve our self-esteem and ultimately contribute to our overall happiness. If we celebrate our strengths with frequency, they filter into our thoughts and become healthy habits.

Move Before you reach for an 11o’clock cup of coffee, think about taking a short walk outside if possible-if not, walking around the office will work too. Getting outside is a natural way to wake up, slow down, and pause from the daily grind. Taking brief moments of rest and reflection helps us re-center our happiness and balance. Productivity is often (and controversially) linked to personal happiness at work. If this is true for you, taking small breaks, stretching, and moving are different ways to increase your productivity.

Write it Out Even if you only have three minutes to spare at the beginning or end of the day, journaling your best moments or intentions can help put life into perspective, gain clarity, and foster your self-growth. Rereading journal entries can also help us identify what it is that gives us happiness, motivates us, and drives us forward.

Practice Courage Hard decisions and conflicts are normal but difficult parts of life. Each person has their own way of dealing with (or not dealing with) conflicts, but if handled well, they can often lead to healthy changes that give us happiness and peace. Try your best to strategically and respectfully engage in conflict when it arises and make intentional decisions when you are faced with a difficult one.

We invite you to do more of what makes you happy this season-whatever that might be. Share your secrets to happiness and home and in the workplace below: