1. Commitment
Certainly one of the most important components of any theory directed toward increasing one’s Happiness is the issue of commitment. Commitment suggests that you desire to be Happier than you currently are. However, TRUE COMMITMENT demands that you are willing to increase your awareness and understanding of Happiness as well as make positive changes in your life. It has been said that if you have enough reasons, you can do anything. I believe that reasons are the difference between commitment and simple desire. Therefore, this theory was developed to give you so many reasons (in the form of awareness, knowledge, understanding, strategies, and directed successes) that you move from desire - being interested - to a true Commitment to become a Happier person.
2. LOVE AND INTERACTION WITH OTHERS
A key component of becoming Happier is the art of learning to interact with others from the perspective of love. The wisdom of this statement is rooted in science, which dictates that as human beings, we have an inherent desire to communicate with others, and that love correlates highly with Happiness. Therefore, by learning to correctly use this inherent need and increasing our love for others as well as ourselves, we can quickly make strides toward becoming Happier people.
3. PositivPositive Communication
Communication can be examined from two perspective: InTRApersonal - the INSIDE communication, our thinking, what we say to ourselves; and,
InTERpersonal - the OUTSIDE communication, our conversations, what we say to others.
By learning to monitor both forms, weeding out the negative and replacing it with positive, we increase the Happiness within ourselves as well as others.
4. Mental Relaxation
Utilizing the power of a relaxed mind is another important component of becoming a Happier person. Science suggests that the mind operates considerable better when relaxed and free from the stress of daily living. Moreover, patience, equanimity, and a sense of humor in all situations are positive manifestations of a relaxed mind. Thus, acquiring the skill to develop and control a relaxed mind will aid us in achieving our goals as well as sustaining the desired state of Happiness.
5. Awareness
There is a tremendous amount of worthwhile communication all around us which goes unnoticed. This communication can and should be used to increase our Happiness. The keys to utilizing this valuable commodity are first, developing an awareness of this communication, and second, learning to successfully direct it by using a proper (Happy) perspective.
6. Self~Concept
There is sagacity in the notion that we are what we believe ourselves to be. This is certainly true with regard to our Happiness. Thus, an important component of becoming a Happier person is “upgrading” our self-concept. This means developing the ability to “believe” one’s self into becoming a Happier person. If you change a person’s self-concept, you change the person. People who are Happy believe they are Happy; people who are unHappy believe they are unHappy. You change the self-concept you change the person.
7. Goal-Striving
Striving to obtain predetermined goals is a component of such significance that it would have to be included in any serious theory of increasing one’s Happiness. And as was the case in the second component, Love and Interaction With Others, goal striving appears to be an inherent need common to all human beings. The key to successfully utilizing this natural drive is to consistently direct the power of goal striving toward “choosing” to become a Happier person - everyday - that is the thrust of the Intrapersonal Happiness Theory.
8. Universal Power
It is my belief there is much more to this life than we can see, hear, touch, taste, and smell. There are too many instances of a spiritual existence to even consider we are alone in this life experience. Of equal importance is the belief that this Universal Power - God, as well as an Omnipotent Spiritual Presence - is in full support of our inherent goal of becoming Happier. The keys to utilizing this Universal Power lies in developing the trust to believe this Spiritual Existence is in positive support of our Happiness and then applying the knowledge contained within the present theory.