Weekly: How are you looking?
Old Happy: "I have to close myself off to protect myself."
New Happy: "I can open myself up and find joy."
When we look at something with judgment, we're sending a message to our brains that it is a threat. Our attention collapses into a narrow beam, physically limiting the amount of information that we can take in, focusing on the elements of the world that are most dangerous. This is a critical function for our physical survival—if a car is speeding towards you as you cross the road, it's not optimal to become distracted by the beautiful cloud floating in the sky. But over time, if we're not careful, we can end up living our entire lives in this state of judgment: looking at the world around us, the people in it, and ourselves through a permanently judgmental lens.
That's why it's essential to practice approaching the world with a different intention—one to appreciate. When you do, your focus broadens into a much wider beam, making it possible for you to perceive beauty that was previously invisible to you. This orientation can help you in so many different ways. It's the beauty that fuels us, that gives us the strength to bounce back from our challenges and fight for a better world. What is appreciated can thrive, can connect, and can nourish.
As you go about your day today, I want to encourage you to pause and check in on what your attention is doing. (This can help you strengthen what researchers call your meta-awareness, and is extremely useful for your overall well-being.) Ask yourself: Am I looking with judgment? And, if so, can I switch to looking with appreciation? You might be astounded to discover that there's a lot of joy available here, right now, amidst it all.
Tips and Tools
1. Happen soon — This week's animation.
2. Don't doubt yourself — How to believe in yourself.
3. How to repair — Four tips for navigating conflict.
4. What you think— Transform your beliefs with this exercise.
5. Happy with yourself — How to be true to you.
More from TNH
Book — Order New Happy today to find true happiness.
Podcast — Get a daily morning pep talk — in five minutes or less
Speaking — Book us to speak to your team about well-being, resilience, and productivity.
Articles — Read more articles on our website.
Community
What do you appreciate about your current life?
"Nature. My family. Friends."
"Being able to genuinely accept where I am in life."
"The little things."
"The ability to spend time with family and friends. To take up space and be present!"
"To be in a position where I can seize opportunities I've missed on before."
"The time I have."
Before You Go
The Definitive Guide to Happiness
A groundbreaking new approach based on a decade’s worth of research and brought to life with beautiful artwork, New Happy shows you the proven path to happiness.
No spam, just joy.
