Yesterday I realized it had been exactly a month since I posted about Shawn Achor, a leading expert on happiness and CEO of Good Think Inc. I have been practicing his 5 steps to promote happiness and success and have really enjoyed the process. I admit there were a few missed days but mostly I stuck to it. Focusing on positive things on a daily basis felt good and so did the deep breathing exercise. I used this at work a few times (the breathing) to alleviate stress and it worked. I even took a 10 min walk a couple of times during work for the same reason and the results were amazing. It also felt good to praise people who weren’t expecting it. I had one girl tell me that I “made her whole morning” which in turn, made mine. Overall I have felt a more positive rhythm at play making daily routine easier, and yes I feel pretty happy. Last night I got a seat at a bar in 2 minutes compared to the 15 it usually takes. My favorite parking spot at work has been open for me all month even when I was late and I ran into an old friend that made an off night turn right around. If you missed the 5 steps the 1st time, here they are again. I highly recommend!
1. Write down 3 new things you are grateful for – research shows this improves your optimism
2. Write down 1 positive experience you have had in the last 24 hrs – this gets you to look for meaning in your life rather than tasks
3. Exercise for 10 minutes (min) – this releases endorphins that boost your self-esteem
4. Meditate for two minutes (min) and concentrate on your breathing – slow, deep breathing decreases stress and raises happiness
5. Send one positive note, email, etc. to someone to thank or praise them – this increases your feeling of social support ( a key factor in happiness)
velvet birdie 
Thanks for posting this and spreading the good work you are doing. You are to be congratulated on your wonderful blog.
On Fri, Aug 23, 2013 at 8:00 AM, velvet birdie
Good for you. Thanks for the reminder list. I believe it!