Week 14

*For explanation of The Happiness Experiment" go HERE .*


Last week's secrets:
Don't be aggressive with your friends and family.
Root for the home team.


Secret #27
Don't confuse stuff with success.


"You are neither a better nor worse person for the kind of car you drive, the size of your home, or the performance of your mutual funds. Remember what really matters in your life."


If you were to make a list of all the things you feel you have accomplished in your life, everything that you are proud of, what makes you happy, would your car or big screen TV be on the list? Probably not. The things that are really important aren't really things at all. Relationships, big events and the part you play in others lives are the things that should make you happy and proud. Spending all your time at work in order to get that mansion isn't going to make your family love you any more or make you any more successful. In my opinion, a successful family is one that spends time together making memories and has a knowledge of their love for each other.


"In a study using surveys and daily observation, the availability of material resources was nine times less important to happiness than the availability of "personal" resources such as friends and family."


Secret #28
Every relationship is different.


"If you've been disappointed by strained relations with a friend or loved one, you must realize that each relationship is unique. Don't let tension with one person convince you that you lack the ability to be a good friend or a loving family member."


You can't get along with everyone. There are people that you are just not going to get along with. And that is ok. People are different. So if you have that one person that you just can't seem to please, accept that you are unique and that that person is unique and your personalities just don't mesh. Stop trying to please. You are never going to make everyone happy. If you try, you'll just end up being unhappy yourself.


"More satisfied people do not have happy relationships with everyone. They appreciate their happy relationships and accept their imperfect relationships."


"Researchers found there were no differences in overall happiness between those who mainly relied upon friends for companionship and those who mainly relied upon family. People have the capacity to create happiness from the relationships available to them and do not need all their relationships to fit an ideal image."


Review:
Don't confuse stuff with success.
Every relationship is different.