Weekly: What you need
Let's get back to basics this week. If you want to have a better day, here are some of the simplest, most powerful (and science-backed!) ways to do so:
Set an intention when you wake up
Journal for a few minutes in the morning
Drink water; eat food that makes you feel energized
Identify 1-2 big tasks you'd like to get done today
Block off time to do those tasks
Don't multitask; do one thing at a time
Have a meaningful conversation
Schedule 2 short breaks in your work day
Take time to move your body
Pause before committing to new projects or tasks
Deal with one thing you've been avoiding
Offer to help someone
When something is hard, be kind to yourself
Disconnect from work at the end of the day
Get out into nature
Put your phone away 30 minutes before bed
Reflect on 3 good things that happened
Choose just one that you'd like to focus on for the next few days. I know it will help you to reconnect to yourself, helping you to show up as your true self and make a difference for the people around you and for the world.
With love,
Stephanie Harrison, founder of The New Happy
This Week
Old Happy: "My needs and wants are embarrassing; I need to hide them from other people."
New Happy: "My needs and wants are essential; they connect me to other people."
We all have needs, and they matter — not just because fulfilling them allows you to be your healthiest, happiest self, but also because they are what connect you to other people.
Old Happy's individualistic culture teaches us that if you can't fulfill all of your needs by yourself, then you should hide them away and accept that they will never, ever be satisfied. This mentality leads to sad, lonely, and unhappy people — and a sad, lonely, and unhappy world.
But if we take a step back, we can see that the vast majority of our needs are fulfilled by other people. The food that you eat for breakfast this morning, the car that you drive to work, the team that helps you to complete your tasks, the family that adores you — at every moment, other people are stepping in to nurture you and your well-being. No one does it alone.
You need other people to meet your needs. So stop hiding them away: speak up about what you need. The people around you love you and want to be there for you—they, in turn, just need to hear how they can best help you.
More Tips and Tools
1. How to achieve your dreams — This week's animation.
2. Release your expectations — You are a human; treat yourself like one.
3. The eternal chase — Why achievements don't make us happy.
4. Look with appreciation — Open your mind.
5. Let your fear propel you — Turn it into a source of fuel.
Or listen to the podcast episodes (Apple, Spotify) from this week!
Community
What's something you need or want right now?
"Peace."
"I would love a home cooked meal. I have a new appreciation for being cooked for since I have moved away from my mom."
"Enough of everything I need to live a solitary life in peace and tranquility."
"Motivation. Just stuck in a rut of feeling "meh" during the day, maybe during the week but gets better on the weekends and some days but just lacking motivation to keep moving forward. Been tough to find anything worthwhile after being laid off and struggling to land another gig in this ever chaotic job market."
"A hug."
Inspiration
1. Inside Micheleangelo's secret room where he hid from the Pope (Artnet) — As you can imagine, he passed the time productively.
2. 50 years later, The Beatles release a new song (NYT) — What do you think of it?
3. A falcon lost his ability to fly. Now the bird is an artist in Vermont.(Washington Post) — Listen, if this bird can reinvent himself, you can, too!
Before You Go
No spam, just joy.
