Magic Monday: Happiness, Productivity & What’s Right with You

Words of Manic Monday by The Bangles and modified by Susan Shaner. Musician: Dan Brodax.

Where can you find the magic at work today?

Many years ago when I was in graduate school studying to become an expressive art therapist, I had a fundamental issue with the clinical model. It mostly focused on what was wrong with people. I saw clinicians, who had lives falling apart, judging other people’s states of mind and daily living skills. They say there is a fine line between mental illness, madness and creativity & productivity.

I gravitated away from clinical work into business because I wanted to focus on what was good and right with people and help them achieve their goals. Since a whole field of positive psychology has developed.In my corporate work the last 25 years, I have helped leaders and professionals seek the expression of their highest potential. I have seen many who are depressed, narcissistic and incredibly anxious achieve great things - even though. Let’s face it, we are all broken in some way – or at least far from perfect - despite what our social media posts indicate.

No matter where I go, I can’t move away from the human condition – this tendency to look for what is wrong or to seek perfection. Many company performance reviews leave people feeling not valued or underappreciated.

Regardless of your industry - business, healthcare or education - the invitation is to carry on and strive to be your best version of yourself - even though - Even though you have a boss who unconsciously sabotages you, a peer who always steals credit, a spouse who tries to control you, or yourself who wanes on being disciplined and confident and you hope no one will find you out. That’s a lot to manage!

The invitation everyday is to do our part to find what is good and right in them, in ourselves and in our work. This enables us to have the attitude, strength and fortitude to overcome challenges and achieve that which we seek.While hanging out over the holiday, my daughter picked the movie for us to watch: Happy, a documentary by Roko Belic. Ironic, since last week I was talking about the difference between happiness and satisfaction. She had no idea as she does not read my posts. So many gems in this movie that I will be mining this over the next few weeks.

Ed Deiner, at the University of Illinois said “a person’s values are among the best predictors of their happiness. People who value money, power, fame and good looks are less likely to be happy than people who value compassion, cooperation, and a willingness to make the world a better place.”

There is a ton of research that says that when you are happier, you are more productive. The capstones of achieving greater happiness discussed in the film: 1) personal growth 2) relationships (building/nurturing) and 3) helping others/community.Reflection questions to consider: What do you value? What makes you happy? What factors enable you to be most productive?