Alexia Georghiou is a professional wellbeing and happiness speaker who teaches happiness as a practical skill, helping organizations build healthier workplace cultures and more human-centered leadership.
Watch the South Florida Live interview: https://www.nbcmiami.com/video/entertainment/south-florida-live/happiness-habits-the-secret-to-everyday-happiness/3844471/
Happiness is something everybody wants and seeks in many ways that doesn’t keep us happy. I used to think I would be happy when…..well “when” happened and I felt happy for a moment and then life kept going on. Then I began to read about hedonic adaptation; we adapt to things in life. Let me explain this so it makes sense. When you bought that item…the house, the car, the latest phone you feel happy. Then the next phone rolls out and that car gets old and the house, well that was just a starter home after all. We hunger for things and think they will bring us fulfillment. We eventually adapt to the newness of things and return to our baseline. The secret is to find contentment realizing the stuff doesn’t satisfy. Nothing wrong with the things; comfortable is nice…it just doesn’t bring that sustained happiness we all hunger for.
Researchers spend time asking people about experiences and things; the stuff we spend our money on. Consistently they find it’s the experiences that bring us longer lasting happiness. I can tell you about the latest purchase I made, but when I share details about my latest adventure, that fosters connection. We relay experiences that are pro social, that we can interchange and bond over.
The stuff we buy? Are you really envious of someone’s car or their house or the clothes they wear or their hair? Maybe if we are honest. I can’t replicate myself to look like someone and people try. There is hunger to look a certain way, with style; and the latest weight loss drugs and their popularity point to societal value in looking a certain way. But does that bring happiness? Perhaps for a moment, and that is fleeting.
Are we jealous when someone gets promoted or happy for them? Do we compete or can we collaborate? How does someone’s success really overshadow us? It doesn’t. The world can’t have enough light shining. So just be who you are and let your light emanate.
I’m going to leave you with a 💭 thought. What do you hope for? How can you accomplish it? Meaningfully engage and focus on that.
Let me know your thoughts by replying to this email or commenting below.
❤️Alexia