9 Habits of Happy People, by Jameson L. Scott

“What is happiness and why do we want it?” This is from one of the first chapters of the book, 9 Habits of Happy People by Jameson L. Scott. As the author suggests, happiness comes mainly from the ability to get what we need and resolve problems in our lives.

So, we want happiness because it means self-actualization and personal satisfaction. Everybody reaches their own happiness in a different way, but in his book, Jameson teaches us a few guidelines that happy people have laid out throughout history.

The author’s recommendations

First of all, 9 Habits of Happy People is presented as a book that calls for individual action, instead of being a self-help book. It drives us to change using actions instead of just thoughts. For this reason, the author informs us that in order to follow the guidelines in the book, you have to leave your comfort zone. That’s the only way to integrate the 9 habits he mentions into your life.

In addition, he ensures that after reading the book and following the guidelines in your own life, you won’t have to read any more self-help books, which he harshly criticizes. From experience, he invites us to go through a process of self-discovery and reminds us that the only way to be happy is to live your life.

Happy people don’t let the future impose on the present

Happy people:

• Socialize without seeking approval. They know that in order to be happy, they have to be whole. They can’t be what others want them to be, or else they’ll give them power and their lives will be guided by what other people think. They don’t put on a false image, and they know that they can’t please everyone.
• Love themselves. Happy people take care of themselves, treat themselves, and empower themselves. They don’t play the victim, insult themselves, or reject themselves. They know their potential, and they try to achieve what they can.

• Accept their circumstances and pursue what they want. These people distinguish between conformity and acceptance. They believe in change and fight before giving up. Also, they improve themselves constantly, appreciate life, and take advantage of it as much as they can.
• Connect with the present. This is one of the fundamental habits of happy people. They try to live in the moment and forget about the past and the future. To do so, they dedicate a few minutes each day to meditating and immerse their thoughts into whatever they’re doing.
• Do things that scare them and go for what they want. They take advantage of opportunities as challenges to overcome their fears. They know what makes them panic and they take action to face it. These people have fears just like you and me, but their fears don’t stop them, and they’ve even been able to use them as sources of motivation.

They learn and rest

Happy people also:

• Learn from everything around them. They recognize failure and fail better and better each time until they find success. They’re aware that in order to learn, they have to act and gain strength and confidence.
• Rest appropriately. They sleep between 6 and 8 hours each night and disconnect from their obligations for 2 hours each day. They rest without technology, etc.

• Have a balanced diet and exercise. They consider their connection with their bodies to be a fundamental channel of communication for their well-being, so they pay attention to it and take care of it.
• Have proper posture and respiration. Happy people have observed that there are certain postures that limit one’s actions and how they communicate. Lastly, they place a lot of importance on respiration and the way air enters their body.