Recently, I received an invitation to see the Dalai Lama speak at an event in London, which sadly I was unable to accept.

The Dalai Lama is responsible for one of my favourite quotations, which is “The Purpose of life is simple, to be happy.”

As we all have unique personalities, the definition of happiness is different for each of us and we can compare our life experience against that definition.

I have had the privilege to work with thousands of people either one to one or in groups since I started in business and the invitation got me thinking about the qualities, characteristics and habits of really happy people that I have worked with over the years.

Whilst the list is by no means exhaustive, here are some thoughts about some of common traits that I have observed in some of the happiest people that I have met.

I have noticed that happy people:

  • Have a healthy balance between work and leisure time. Special time with family and loved ones is important to them and they ensure that they reserve and spend quality time with them.
  • Possess an attitude of gratitude. They freely express their gratitude for what they have and the good fortune they experience. They value and appreciate the contribution of others and ensure it is recognised.
  • Do things for others. They know that the world does not revolve around them and they freely give their time and resources to help and support others. Acts of kindness and generosity by them are common and done without seeking credit or attention.
  • Have a clear sense of direction and what they want to achieve. They have a sense of clarity about what they would like to experience and accomplish in life and the steps that they need to take to fulfil their goals.
  • Work at developing collaborative relationships. They avoid unnecessary conflict and like to see people get along and work together in harmony. They view diversity of opinions and ideas positively and not as a source of conflict. They avoid disagreeing for the sake of it.
  • Practice self-care. They exercise regularly and have healthy boundaries. They know when they need to put themselves and their needs first. They intuitively know when they need to take some time out to rest and recharge.
  • Are lifelong learners. They accept that they never stop learning and have a natural curiosity. Never afraid to try out new things and approaches to tasks, they look for new ways to learn new skills and acquire knowledge.
  • Adopt a positive approach to life. They tend to have an optimistic rather than pessimistic approach to life; their glasses tend to be half full. They see the positives in situations and look for the strengths and qualities of people.
  • Resilient and bounce back from adversity. They are aware that life has downs as well as ups and know that challenges and difficulties are almost inevitable for a life well lived. They adopt the attitude “this too will pass” and look for the gift and learning from challenging experiences.
  • Are comfortable with who they are. They know that nobody is perfect. They have a strong sense of worth, know their strengths and equally have an awareness of their weaknesses and flaws. They are authentic and accept themselves for who they are.

This week, why not take a few moments to think about your definition of happiness. How happy are you? Are there any steps you need to take to increase your level of happiness?

This week’s quotation:

“Be happy with what you have and are, be generous with both, and you won’t have to hunt for happiness.” William E. Gladstone

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