After Shawn Achor’s TEDx talk exploded in popularity so did the 21-day happiness challenge. Shawn Achor explains that happiness actually has an advantage and this gives people all the permission they need to finally prioritize taking control of their thoughts and putting in the work to be happy.

Is Happiness Actually Productive?

We all know the main motivating factor behind any goal is happiness. If your focus is to lose weight, get a job, or even support a family member financially the driving factor behind these is your happiness.

So is happiness actually productive? Shawn Achor says, “Your brain at positive performs significantly better (31% better) than it does at negative, neutral or stressed. Your intelligence rises, your creativity rises, and your energy levels rise”.

This is what he calls the happiness advantage and it is quite an advantage. So then instead of delaying happiness to be on the other side of our goals what if we brought it into our current time and space?

Learn more about the happiness advantage here!

This means the goals that would bring us happiness, we can perform (31%) better if we are already happy. This is the kind of science that supports what at least most of our gut feelings are telling us, that is happiness is important.

Now, how can we go about cultivating a more positive outlook? That would be with the 21-day happiness challenge Shawn Achor researched and created.

How To Do The 21 Days Happiness Challenge?

The idea is forming a habit of positivity and therefore a much higher baseline of happiness. All you need to do is commit to creating a mind shift through practicing one (or more) of these researched habits for 21 days.

The Five Habits To Choose From

Listed below are the five habits you can choose from. Allow yourself to commit to these habits for 21-days and evaluate at the end of it how your perspective may have shifted.

Thank You

For the first habit we will cover, simply pause to list 3 new things you are grateful for each day. Yes, only 3 are required. How does this create a powerful mental shift?

Your brain will eventually begin scanning your day and your life for positive input rather than the habitual negative input. It begins to rewire your approach to life by simply pausing throughout your day to be grateful.

Meditation

During your day taking only 2 minutes to pause, breathe, and be fully present will retrain the mind to let go of negativity more easily and to find better focus. This practice greatly reduces stress and cultivates a more present approach to life. You can even practice this guided meditation for being fully in the present moment.

Journaling

Grab your journal and put it on your bedside table because this habit asks you to write one positive experience you have had each day. Why is this so impactful?

Have you noticed that it is common when people are asked about their day, their negative experiences are what they remember the most? This habit rewires the brain to find more meaning in the day and to again search for positive input as opposed to negative ones.

Random Acts of Kindness

This habit spreads the advantage of happiness to others as well. To practice it, it can even be something simple as sending a positive and kind email each day, but this profoundly increases our feelings of social support.

With humans as social creatures, it is important to our happiness and wellbeing to feel supported and connected. Find out more about practicing loving-kindness in everyday life.

Excercise

Each one of us has a sacred physical vessel, also referred to as a human body. Taking only 10 minutes each day to exercise not only boosts endorphins and empowers the immune system, but it ingrains the belief that your behavior matters which then continues to your approach to the rest of the day.

Expand Your Happiness Journey

One of the key components to happiness is self-love. You are always with yourself, listening to your inner dialogue, and are directly impacted by your beliefs. So you can see why cultivating self-love is a required component to happiness.

Here we have a complete guide to self-love that you and yourself are sure to enjoy!