By Marianne Clyde
What IS a Happiness Hack?
A Hack is essentially a shortcut to a goal, an easy, quick way to overcome an obstacle.
Most of us will agree that we WANT to be happy. Most of us will probably agree that there are times that we are NOT.
Because only 14% of people in the world “really happy” and only 14% having an internal locus of control as opposed to an external locus of control, we can easily see that most people are not there and most people don’t really know how to get there.
What does it mean to live with an EXTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL?
Essentially, if you have a high EXTERNAL Locus of Control, you believe that you are a victim of circumstances. That outside influences largely control your life. And if outside influences are running the show, it affects your health, your mental and emotional well being, your relationships, your income, and basically everything else in your life.
What does it mean to live with an INTERNAL LOCUS OF CONTROL?
With a high INTERNAL Locus of Control, you recognize that YOU have the power to control your life to a much larger extent. Every decision you make, your thoughts, your actions, your beliefs, direct your energies to create the life you want. These people are generally more successful in life and happier.
What you can DO?
One of the best ways to be able to tell if you are an Internal or an External locus of control person is to check what kind of questions you ask yourself. When something happens, or when a problem arises, how do you react?
Do you ask, “Why me?” Do you ask, “Why am I always the one to get in these messes?” Notice the WHY questions? These often represent a victim stance. Something is happening TO you for some reason beyond your control and there’s nothing you can do about it.
OR do you ask “How can I make this better?” How can I protect my self the next time?” “What can I do to improve this situation?” Those are the questions of a solution focused person. This is someone who knows they have the power to change things.
YOU can change your HAPPINESS level!
YOU have the power to improve your life within seconds by just changing the questions you ask and taking action. That is a person with a strong INTERNAL locus of control.
You want to be happier on a more regular basis, so do things that make you happy every day. Pet your dog; hug your kids; call a friend; take a walk. You could volunteer at the local food pantry; send funny or encouraging messages to people you love, because YOU have the power, baby!
Action Step: Make a list of things that make you happy, that you have control over, and do one every day.
