The three absolutes of happiness

Posted: October 9, 2013 | Categories: Self-Improvement

If you are waiting in line at the supermarket, you may occasionally glance at the tabloid headlines.  (You don’t have to admit it)  On these pages (so I’m told) there are headline stories about famous people.  Most of the stories pertain to troubled relationships, people going broke, and health or substance abuse issues.  These stories may be depressing.  They also point to the most important areas we need to live a happy life.

1.  Health:  Manage and control what you eat and how you exercise.  

Everyone of us knows someone with Type II Diabetes.  In many cases, this disease is brought on by health habits.  This includes over-eating, not eating all the right balance of foods, and just plain eating habits.  Lack of exercise can also be a contributor.  If a person with Type II Diabetes does not take proper care of themselves in these areas, the quality of life in later years can suffer greatly.

We don’t have to wait until we have Diabetes before we set health goals.  We can talk to a personal trainer, seek free advice from the Internet, or read a good book or magazine that lays out the fundamentals and action steps.  We need to have a disciplined plan in these areas to give ourselves the best shot at having a healthy life.

2.  Manage relationships. 

British Statesman Benjamin Disraeli once said, “No success in business can compensate for an unhappy home”.  If we are troubled in our relationships, it is almost impossible to be happy.  If you are struggling with this, there are many quality sources you can refer to such as Stephen Covey, Dale Carnegie, Zig Ziglar, or James Dobson.  You may even want to consider professional counseling.

3.  Manage finances and establish financial security

We need to save adequately for retirement, be properly insured, and have enough savings to last us at least six months in the event we lose our job.  Statistics show that less than 14% of the populations are secure in these three areas.  How much of your excess stress is regarding money?  What if you didn’t have this stress?  What would that mean to you?  How much longer are you going to put up with your current situation?  What is your plan?

Life has become so complicated.  Let’s simplify.  We need to manage our health, relationships, and financial security to have a full happy life.  There are other things that are important.  If we don’t build on this three-pillared platform, we could fall short.

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