Feeling the weight of life upon your shoulders and finding it hard to feel happy?
Do you wake up each morning filled with dread about the day ahead of you?
Unable to pick up your spirits after an incredibly nasty meeting with the Boss?
We feel you.
And the good news is…we’ve found the solution for you.
We rounded up some of the most inspiring, positive and uplifting TED talks.
Each video is less than 25 minutes long, and is the perfect quick pick me up to inspire you when you are down in the dumps.
So, grab a coffee, get comfortable and let’s dive into those happy feels!
The Habits of Happiness
Biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard talks about how humans all have a profound desire to be happy. We can easily train our minds to achieve the deep sense of serenity and fulfillment that we all desire.
Want to be Happier? Stay in the Moment
Matt Killingsworth is a researcher who studies the nature and causes of human happiness. Through his studies, he has found that humans are the happiest when they are able to live in the present. People’s minds tend to wander a lot, and interestingly, that is also when they are the least happy.
Want to be Happy? Be Grateful
Brother David Steindl-Rast, a Benedictine monk, expounds the secrets of happiness: Slow down and be grateful. Grateful living is about being aware of our present moment, the opportunities gifted to us. He recommends a three-step strategy to living in the present: Stop, Look. Go.
The surprising science of Happiness
Harvard Psychologist and author, Dan Gilbert, argues that we are able to manufacture happiness – and that allows us to feel truly happy even when things aren’t going well. Humans have something called a “psychological immune system.” It is a system of non-conscious cognitive processes that can help us change our perspectives and feel better about our situations
The paradox of choice
One of the great things of modern living is the array of choices that we have. Psychologist Barry Schwartz explores how the freedom of choice makes us even more dissatisfied and unhappy. More choices mean exerting more mental energy to make extra decisions. Extra choices always makes us obsessed with making the “perfect” choice as we fear having to live through regret and disappointment – in the event that we make the “wrong” choice.
Flow, the secret to Happiness
Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi coined the concept of “flow” — a state of heightened focus and immersion in activities such as art, play and work. Here, he ponders the question – “what makes life worth living?” Through his research, he has found that people who are in a state of flow – and are completely engaged in the process of creating something new – are the happiest. They do not have the attention or the capacity to worry about life’s problems. Something I’ve found to be absolutely true.
Less stuff, more Happiness
Writer and designer Graham Hill firmly believes that having fewer possessions and less room to store them in, leads to greater happiness. He outlines three steps to living little. Ruthlessly clearing out unused, untouched possessions, being efficient about the usage of our space and the benefits of multifunctional spaces and furniture.
Is your day now starting to look a tad bit more exciting?
Do you feel a bit more ready to face down life with the extra jolt of positive energy?
It is not easy to shift your perspective and dial up your energy to an immediate 100 after watching one video on happiness (or seven). Especially if you have always been in the habit of going through life feeling like a 0 or 50.
Cultivating a positive outlook and getting in the habit of picking yourself up after a difficult situation takes a bit a time.
But small baby steps are all you need. One step at a time.
And before you know it, positivity and happiness will come naturally to you.
