Are you guilty of the "future-dependent happiness trap"??
The beautiful weather continues but spare a thought for people stuck around the world - I've got a friend stuck in South Africa who must be getting pretty desperate because she runs her own business in London and heavens knows when she's going to get back now.
Saturday night we got out the Indian recipe book and cooked a fantastic curry for our house guests. It was tasty, aromatic and not very difficult - if I get the time but the recipe up on the site. And for a change I made rice that actually was fairly light and fluffy rather then the grey goop my rice usually is.
Last night I did a pre-recorded interview with a syndicated radio station network that actually won't be broadcast until May 2nd - I'll give you a heads-up when I know for sure. But we discussed various aspects of unhappiness and how people can turn unhappiness around.
Again this was based on my new book How to be a Happy Human. Some of the interesting things the presenter and I discussed included when people use alcohol, drugs or something like comfort-eating to "medicate their unhappiness". They try and bury unhappy feelings rather than facing them and embracing them - and changing the situation that makes them unhappy.
TODAY’S THOUGHT: Then we discussed something that always makes people think - what I call the "future-dependent happiness trap".
I'd like to ask you if you base your happiness on something happening or changing in your future -saying things to yourself like: I'll be happy when I get a new job, or happy when I find a partner, or happy when I lose a stone in weight, etc?
Because the future-dependent happiness trap means people live for their future and miss out on what's going on in their lives today. And who can predict the future? You can’t! But you can enjoy moments of happiness in your life today and stop overlooking them. In my book I give various tips on how to do this.
Why not get in touch through "your e-mail of the week" with your experiences of the future- dependent happiness trap?
I'm off to Tunbridge Wells to see my adopted "gran" – can’t wait as some old friends and I are going to take her a picnic lunch - she's almost 92! She's such a character and has lived such an amazing life.She knows how to grab each happy moment as they come.
Have a lovely Monday - if that's possible - I know how many people hate Mondays, Pam X