Canada beats U.S. in global happiness index

Canada beats U.S. in global happiness index

Updated Mon. Sep. 3 2007 7:29 AM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

We might be worried about how our loonie is doing, or our vanishing manufacturing sector, but overall Canada is doing well on the global "happiness index" created by a European academic.

Ruut Veenhoven, who created the World Database of Happiness in 1999, now lists 95 countries in his intricately crafted tables.

Canada has a score of 7.6 on the index, compared to the United States' 7.4 score. We're ninth overall in the world, and the U.S. is down at 17th place.

The top rated countries are: Denmark (8.2) and Switzerland (8.1), followed by Colombia, Austria, Iceland, Finland, Australia, Sweden, and then Canada.

Tanzania, by contrast, received a score of only 3.2.

Veenhoven says all countries in the top group scored closely, with the differences small.

"All these countries in the top are Western and they're rich," Veenhoven told CTV.ca in a phone interview from Rotterdam. "They're democratic, and they have a lot of gender equality and are fairly tolerant."

Veenhoven says his work is motivated by a desire to promote happiness. To do that, he needs to define happiness and learn what makes people happy.

"My definition of happiness is how much you like the life you live. That's something you know. And that's something you can measure by asking people, and of course you must do that in a systematic way," he said.

So Veenhoven bases much of his study on anonymous questionnaires. But self-reporting can be notoriously inaccurate; for example, drug addicts, by their own measure, would likely say they are always happy. So the index also uses more measures. For Veenhover's research, the three major factors contributing to happiness are:

1. The quality of society at large -- the main focus of Veenhover's research.

2. The quality of the organizations where we work -- how good your employer is for you, and how nice school is for your children.

3. Personal choices and variations. "Some people make more out of life than others," Veenhoven says.

While the scores for the top-ranking nations were tight, Veenhoven says there are some big differences. Adequate social programs, for example, lead to happiness, though not absolutely. Veenhoven found that citizens are no more satisfied in welfare states than in purer free-market economies.

"In the beginning, I didn't believe my eyes,'' said Veenhoven of his data. "Icelanders are just as happy as Swedes, yet their country spends half what Sweden does (per capita) on social welfare,'' he said.

Typically, people are happier when they have choices.

"In Saudi Arabia, they're very rich but choice is rather limited and as a result, people are less happy than equally rich countries," Veenhoven says.

The freedom factor

Individualistic cultures, such as Canada, bring about more satisfaction than collectivistic cultures, such as Japan, which received a score of 6.2, tied with Uzbekistan. Veenhoven believes lack of freedom of choice is the biggest factor. While Japanese culture is becoming a more individualistic society, it isn't there yet.

"Freedom of choice is particularly relevant. If we get stuck in a way of life that makes us unhappy and then we have a way out, we can leave an unhappy marriage. Divorce is no fun but you can get out. And you can also leave unsatisfying jobs. In collectivistic cultures, it's less possible."

Spirituality can lead to happiness, though again, it's not a hard and fast rule. Veenhoven found that nations in which citizens are religious are typically slightly happier. For example, previous research in the U.S. has shown that religious individuals are happier than non-religious individuals.

"That's not reproduced in Denmark and the Netherlands," he says. "So it's not a universal pattern that people are happier than when they're members of the church and when they're religious."

He says that if you look closer at the relationship between happiness and religion in the U.S., the strongest correlation is with membership of church and church attendance, not so much with religious practices such as praying.

"So I think it's typically the social effects of church that accounts for the greater happiness."

The growing field of happiness

Veenhoven believes that happiness measures are catching on, and he is now one of many academics who try to gauge the health of a nation by its happiness score.

Recently, the OECD (Organization of Economic Ccooperation and Development) held a conference called "Is happiness measurable and what do those measures mean for policy?" looking at the determinants of happiness and the methodology issues in satisfaction measurement. Veenhoven was one of the participants.

He notes that organizations like the OECD are now thinking beyond the traditional measures of GNP and economic growth, and looking more at individuals and what makes them satisfied.

"Increasingly, there's an interest in happiness," he says. "It's just the beginning."

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TOP NATIONS (Top 14 out of 95)

· DENMARK 8.2 (rank 1)

· SWITZERLAND 8.1 (tied, rank 2-3)

· COLOMBIA 8,1 (rank 2-3)

· AUSTRIA 8.,0 (rank 4)

· ICELAND 7.8 (rank 5)

· FINLAND 7.7 (tied, rank 6-8)

· AUSTRALIA 7.7 (rank 6-8)

· SWEDEN 7.7 (rank 6-8)

· CANADA 7.6 (tied, rank 9-14)

· GUATEMALA 7.6 (rank 9-14)

· IRELAND 7.6 (rank 9-14)

· LUXEMBOURG 7.6 (rank 9-14)

· MEXICO 7.6 (rank 9-14)

· NORWAY 7.6 (rank 9-14)

(The U.S.A. has a rating of 7.4, with an overall rank of 17)

BOTTOM 5 NATIONS

· ARMENIA 3.7 (rank 91)

· UKRAINE 3.6 (rank 92)

· MOLDOVA 3.5 (rank 92)

· ZIMBABWE 3.3 (rank 94)

· TANZANIA 3.2 (rank 95)

Smile Meditation

This is from www.smilemeditation.com

TRIORIGIN
SMILE MEDITATION

This world is a wonder world. The whole world is perfect harmony itself; therefore, this world is entirely full of wonders. As Existence Spirit, perfect itself creates whole this world; this world is perfect world and becomes a wonder world from the beginning.


Smile is the essence of Life. It is the greatest wonder of this world. It is the manifestation of the Existence Spirit to this real world. There was smile within Existence Spirit from the beginning of this world, so it could finally create Triorigin and Neutro in order to create the entire wonderful and orderly world. At the moment of Neutro birth of Triorigin, the latent smile of Existence Spirit start being realized practically for the first time in this world. This world is therefore a smile world and we all are wonder and smile together.

Smile is one of the most important and practical channels to achievement of harmony and perfection; life with a smile.

We could exist thanks to this smile. I AM SMILING, SO I EXIST. YOU ARE SMILING, SO YOU EXIST. WE ARE SMILING, SO WE EXIST ALL TOGETHER.


Smile meditation allows a person to comprehend that every living creatures is initially a smiling creature. It leads a person to be aware of his original smilic nature and see smile in every object of this world, in every moment of time, in any situation.

Smile meditation based on the comprehensive fundamental theory of Triorigin, allows the meditating person not only to improve his health and life quality but also to actively influence the present and future of his or her family, working team and society in general.

It has high potential in treatment of various forms of dependence; from tobacco, alcohol, drugs etc. It leads to ultimate perfection state where Neutro consciousness exists, which includes Neutro mentality, Neutro spirit, Neutro emotions such as Neutrolized happiness, delightfulness and satisfaction, etc.

It is so easy, comfortable and fast to get into the common channel to obtain eternal Origin Smile that everybody can join in this smile meditation to upgrade his or her life quality and to change his or her suffering life to smile life

WE ARE SMILING, SO WE EXIST.
(Prof. Park Jae Woo, in his lecture on Smile Meditation)

I give FREE CONSULTATIONS!

How many of you know an happiness expert? Probably not very many of you! This is why I am giving you an opportunity to ask me the tough questions of your own personalized happiness challenges. One step closer to sustainable happiness...

Happiness in the Bedroom

I was interviewed for the role of happiness in dating, relationships and sex on personal life media by an amazing woman, Alissa Kriteman, check it out! We talk about passion, loverships, and the break up formula! http://www.personallifemedia.com/podcasts/just-for-women/episode008-aymee-coget-happiness-expert.html

Role of Positive Psychology in Coaching

Thank you so much to Margaret Greenberg who wrote the following article in the Positive Psychology daily news on May 14th, 2007. I find it well articulated and easy to understand how the science of happiness, positive psychology, is used in coaching methodology Coaching is one aspect of my business so for those interested in entering a coaching relationship with me , continue reading to gain a greater understanding of how I use positive psychology with my clients.

Positive Psychology and Coaching

There are two common types of research:

• Outcome research which asks, “Does it work?” and
• Process research which asks, “How does it work and why?”

Many clients want to know: What are the benefits of doing this particular exercise or assignment? And those who are footing the coaching bill in large corporations want to know there will be a return on their investment. Following are some specific examples of how I see Positive Psychology intersecting with the coaching profession.

• In coaching, we “acknowledge” and “champion” the client – a core coaching skill. In Positive Psychology, we examine studies on the positive effects of what is called Active Constructive Responding (ACR) and Catherine Freemire’s 3A model (Acknowledge, Amplify and Apply).
• In coaching, we “separate interpretations”. In Positive Psychology, we are exposed to common Thinking Traps discovered by Aaron Beck, the father of cognitive therapy.
• In coaching, we “change geography” and use the body to deepen the client’s experience. In Positive Psychology, we are drawn to the work of Riff and Singer that explores the interconnectedness of the mind and body (or what we call somatic) on human wellness.
• In coaching, we often introduce our clients to journaling and visualization exercises like “Future Self”. In Positive Psychology, we examine the evidence behind exercises like Best Possible Self (BPS) that prove the benefits to health and overall well-being, and Bandura’s research in visualizing success scenarios.
• In coaching, we work with our clients to set goals in their life, like the “Walk the Talk” exercise, and develop plans to achieve the goals. In Positive Psychology, we explore goal theory and studies like King’s that show setting goals produces self-efficacy and promotes well-being.
• In coaching, we help clients notice and overcome their “gremlin” conversations. In Positive Psychology, we study resiliency, optimism, and disputing or reframing techniques such as the ABCDE model (Adversity, Beliefs, Consequences, Dispute, Energy).
• In coaching, we work with clients on process by amplifying both “up and down the tube” experiences. In Positive Psychology, we explore the benefits Bryant has found in savoring and examine the three temporal forms.
• In coaching, we help clients uncover and/or clarify their life purpose and core values to serve as “stabilizing rudders” for living a fulfilling life. In Positive Psychology, we learn why purpose and values are so important to creating meaning in one’s life through the work of Baumeister and Vohs.

Positive Psychology has a lot to offer the coaching profession to broaden the coach’s knowledge and provide empirical evidence for why coaching works. By bringing more science to the discipline, coaching will avoid the “fad trap” and will have the staying power of other helping professions.

[1] Whitworth, L., Kimsey-House, H. & Sandahl, P. (2007). Co-Active Coaching, 2nd edition. Palo Alto, CA: Davies-Black Publishing.

[2] Kauffman, C. (2005). De-mystifying research: an introduction for coaches. In Coaching Research Symposium. Eds: Stein, Campone & Page. Washington, DC: International Coach Federation publisher.

What the heck is Happiness?!

It is crucial we define happiness. The literature mostly defines happiness as subjective well-being (SWB), psychological well-being (PWB) and/or positive affect (PA). (Diener, et al., 1999) Researchers are realizing that subjective and psychological well-being are more multidimensional than just happiness, so SWB is being defined as having the following components: joy, elation, contentment, ecstasy, pride, happiness and affection. (Diener, et al. 1999) Or it is said to have the three main characteristics: “life satisfaction, the presence of positive mood, and the absence of negative mood, together often summarized as happiness.” (Ryan & Deci, 2001 p. 144)“The characteristics related to positive affect include confidence, optimism, and self-efficacy; likability and positive construal of others; sociability, activity, and energy; prosocial behavior, immunity and physical well being; effective coping with challenge and stress; originality and flexibility.” (Lyubomirsky, King & Diener, 2005, p. 804) In brief, happiness can be understood as a frequent experience of positive emotions. (Lyubromirsky, et al., 2005)

Beyond defining happiness, it is also crucial to understand the different types of happiness: hedonic, eudaimonic, and chaironic. The following definitions of hedonic and eudaimonic happiness are by Maltby, Day and Barber (2005) yet are influenced by the work of Keyes, et., (2002), Ryan & Deci (2001) and Waterman (1993).

“Hedonic well-being (happiness), is the relatively shorter term evaluation of present day subjective well bring (happiness) as a balance within positive and negative affect, pleasure attainment and pain avoidance and eudaimonic well being is the longer term psychological well-being resulting from the engagement with individual development and existential challenges within life, meaning, and self- reflection.” (p. 3)

In a review of hedonic and eudaimonic happiness, Ryan and Deci (2001) point out that hedonic happiness originated in the 4^th century BC, a Greek philosopher, Aristippus, “ . . . taught that the goal of life is to experience the maximum amount of pleasure, and that happiness is the totality of one’s hedonic moments.” (p. 143) Ryan and Deci (2001) point out Kubovy (1999) articulation that “. . . psychologists who have adopted the hedonic view have tended to focus on a broad conception of hedonism that includes the preferences and pleasures of the mind as well as the body.” (p. 144) Deiner et al (1998) broadened hedonic happiness by introducing the attainment of goals or valued outcomes in different realms. For instance, if we get a bouquet of flowers, from a secret admirer we have a pleasurable sensation for a few moments. This type of happiness if fleeting and is derived from external sources. There is no concept of spirituality in hedonic happiness.

Eudaimonic happiness is the focus of this study. Many philosophers, religious leaders, and visionaries of the East and West, have “denigrated happiness per se as a principal criterion of well-being.” (Ryan & Deci, 2001) Ryan and Deci (2001) point out that Aristotle even considered “hedonic happiness to be a vulgar ideal, making human slavish followers of desires. He posited, instead, that true happiness is found in the expression of virtue- that is, in doing what is worth doing.” (p. 145)

Eu- daimon- ic. The etymology of eu in Latin or Greek means, good or well and the daimon or spirit is a key component of Aristotelian thinking, and is consequently valued in the PP field. The ic of the word means “having the nature of”. In other words, eudaimonic means to have the nature of a good spirit. Ryan and Deci, (2001) cite “Waterman (1993) stated that, whereas happiness is hedonically defined, the eudaimonic conception of well-being calls upon people to live in accordance with their daimon, or true self. Psychological Well- Being comes into play with eudaimonic happiness. PWB is made up of six constructs autonomy, personal growth, self-acceptance, life purpose, mastery, and positive relatedness. (Ryff & Singer, 1998) Ryff and Singer (1998) empirically demonstrated all six are connected with eudaimonic living and have a positive effect on physiological systems related to immunological functioning and promotes health.

There have been some key factors associated with eudaemonic happiness: character strengths, meaningfulness, and authenticity. Seligman (2002) has connected eudaimonic happiness with what he calls the “good life” which is achieved when you “… use your signature strengths to obtain abundant gratification, in the main realms of one’s life.” (p. 262) Seligman (2002) also indicates authenticity as an essential component of eudaimonic happiness. Authenticity will be discussed in greater length in a forthcoming part of the literature review. Yet, here it is to say that in order for one to achieve a feeling of eudaimonic happiness, one must be able to be true to one’s own character and fundamental nature of virtues. (Linley & Joseph, 2004)

In 1998 there came the clashing of the differing types of happiness, Ryan and Deci (2001) bring to light that Ryff and Singer (1998) challenged “. . . SWB (hedonic happiness) models of well being as being of limed scope where positive functioning concerned, and specifically that SWB is often a fallible indictor of healthy living. In turn, Diener et al (1998) retorted that Ryff and Siner’s eudaimonic criteria lets experts define well-bring, whereas SWB research allows people t researcher what makes their life good.” (p. 146) Ryan & Deci (2001) bring in the well-being work of Rogers (1963) in which his stance of being a fully functioning human being is more than attaining desires.

Surely you know 1 out of 3 billion unhappy people!

During a talk in Australia in 2006, the founder of Positive Psychology says, “3 billion people - don't feel good most of the time, they're not in a good mood, they don't giggle a lot and they don't smile.”

Can you believe this?

Everyone knows someone who is suffering… please alert them that happiness coaching is available to them. Many people do not know that they have another option besides therapy and anti-depressants.

Put your hand on your heart, close your eyes and take a deep breath. Visualize that one person you know who is not happy.

If you truly care about this person, you will tell them that this is an option to end their suffering and actually experience happiness sustainably!

888- PATH 2 HAPPY (888-728-4242)

SUMMER SPECIAL GOING ON NOW

**CALL FOR YOUR FREE CONSULTATION**

Sustainable Happiness = Environmental Sustainability

By now most of you have seen the documentary called Inconvenient Truth about global warming or at least heard the message that if we do not change our behavior now, then we are doomed. Simply speaking, if we are not sustainable then we die.

I heard a lecture by an MIT professor who confessed that his colleagues at MIT who are climatologists told him that unless 80% of the world’s population drastically changes their behavior, we were doomed! All of the planetary resources will be used up and we will be living in a world filled with toxic air and water even more than we are now!

Sounds pretty doom and gloomy doesn’t it? And you wonder why a happiness expert would be talking about this and it is because

YOUR HAPPINESS PLAYS A ROLE IN SUSTAINING OUR ENVIRONMENT.

Numerous studies have proven that we live in an energetic flow of the universe that is influenced by our thoughts, beliefs and actions. So may I go as far to say that corruption, greed, dominance, competition and aggression have brought us to where we are at now?

Happiness brings inner contentment, kindness, optimism, gratitude, laughter, having fun, good health and helping others. What makes us stop thinking that our “positive affect” stops with only other human beings? It doesn’t.

Your happiness affects ALL life on Earth.

Imagine if the planet was populated with happy people, do you think there would be disregard for our environment? Do you think people would litter or pollute on purpose? Probably not. Happy people are optimistic and hopeful about the future so their actions are in line with their beliefs.

Please when you are inspired to change the light bulbs in your home or only have one car, or you convert your car to bio-diesel, or if you recycle, be happy. You can be happy knowing that you are making a difference with your actions and on top of that you are a making a positive energetic influence into our environment. Have you heard the expression, “Do it with a smile!” That would apply here.

The country of Bhutan who enacted Gross National Happiness, opposed to Gross National Product, is the most sustainable country on the planet. I think they may be on to something here… happiness equals sustainable. Can I venture far enough to say that?

Imagine paradise on Earth. Is the population happy? YES! and it starts with you.

Happiness is a Choice. Choose Happiness. Choose Sustainability.

Saucy, Sassy, Smart, yet Soft

There has been a bit of a buzz around the feminine quality of “softness.” What does this mean? Subjectively it could mean an array of things!

Her demeanor is soft.

She has a softness about her.

Her softness is alluring.

How can she be so soft when the world is so hard?

Speaking from the gender perspective, when the feminine value of soft has been lost in our masculine value dominated society, women have had to acquire a sense of “hard” to achieve the same level success. Thus loosing touch with their innate feminine quality of being soft.

As a professional woman, I as well had to learn how to develop the hard side to be successful. Although, in the last week a few people have reminded me of the importance of being soft. So now, I am consciously committed to holding onto my authentic feminine sense of soft. Whatever that may mean to you and for me, I am sure it will develop over time as I have more experience in my true femininity… Remember, authenticity is essential for sustainable happiness.

OMG! I am being considered for the Oprah Show on Happiness!

Dear Oprah!

I was so happy to hear you are doing a show on happiness and helping others be happy! Ten years ago, I devoted my entire life to helping millions of people live happier lives! I feel that it is my spiritual calling in life and I am happy to tell you why I am an essential guest for your show about happiness.

Over the course of the last ten years, I have been crafting a formula that helps people live happier lives at the same time as pursuing my PhD in organizational psychology with an emphasis in leadership and positive psychology. I have mastered a technique to teach people how to take leadership of their happiness and they learn how to achieve sustainable happiness! It has worked miracles for people!

Besides being an expert in the topic of happiness I am also a happy person! There are three types of happiness and the one that I live with on a daily basis is called chaironic happiness. The definition of happiness is about being good -- being at peace with self, with others and with God of the cosmos. It is based on developing our innermost being and core values. It can be called spiritual or transcendental happiness, because we can experience it even when we are on death bed or suffering from terminal cancer or in the midst of adversity. It is the kind of happiness experienced by Zen masters and individuals with peak experiences.

I have taken my happiness education and my personal experience and have overcome the “happiness challenges” in my life: being fat, ugly, poor and divorced. I have overcome these challenges stronger, happier, and more confident than ever!

In order for me to accomplish my goal of helping millions of people live happier lives, I have been pursuing media for the past three years. I have written several TV shows in entertaining formats with the mission in mind. I am currently on the brink of my TV career while my agents in LA and NYC are talking to networks and producers about me hosting a happiness makeover show!

I have written happiness articles for the United Nations and Bhutan Times (home of Gross National Happiness) about how we need happiness taught at the educational and governmental levels. Fortunately this is just starting now with Harvard having the first happiness class in 2006 and the first world map of happiness being published in 2006 as well. I have large scale plans on the implementation of happiness all over our world and I would love your help in achieving this colossal goal!

I am on the second round of edits on my first book called Wake Up & Smile: Your Guide to Sustainable Happiness and I plan to finish my dissertation research about how I can be the most effective authentic and transparent leader of happiness.

Thank you for your consideration.

Happiness Strategy Unfolds - Dissertation Research Introduction

My life’s mission is to help millions of people live happier lives. Over the past ten years, the strategy of how to accomplish this mission has been unfolding. In January of 2002 I started a PhD program in Organizational Psychology. At first, I thought that hundreds of thousands of people work in corporations and they are not happy. I believed that with the knowledge I gained from my studies in organizational psychology I could help organizations (i.e. corporations) create cultures where their employees were consistently happy. That same year I worked in a large financial services corporation and realized that the employees’ happiness is dependent on the decisions of the leadership, so if I could influence the decisions of the leadership I would be able to accomplish my mission. This decision led me to focus on leadership in my studies.

In the spring of 2003, I discovered Positive Psychology (PP) which is a movement that has decided to study what is “right” about humanity instead of using the traditional pathology paradigm. This movement was adopted by the American Psychological Association in 1998 and it provided me with a theoretical basis to stand on when it came to happiness. PP uses the term subjective well-being (SWB) and defines as happiness. In the same year, I met the researchers behind the movement who were the first to theorize and apply PP principles in organizational settings. This movement is called Positive Organizational Scholarship (POS).

In December of 2003 I received an email from a man who was the host and producer of ‘The Happiness Show’ in White Plains, NY. He was soliciting more research from scholars in the area of subjective well-being. After receiving that email, I had a persistent vision where I co-hosted “The Happiness Show.” I reflected on my mission of helping millions of people live happier lives and realized I could impact millions of people in a moment’s notice through the television. This is opposed to the long term, top down approach of influencing the decisions of the corporate leaders. Also, the television enables me to access millions of people in a second whereas working with corporations takes much more time to make change. I decided to shift gears from a corporate focus to a media focus and utilize the education I have gained in organizational psychology, leadership, and positive psychology to help me make the best TV show and achieve my mission. In other words, instead of consulting to individuals, groups and corporations on how to be more effective in achieving their goals, I have chosen to embody all of the organizational psychological concepts to effectively achieve my mission of helping millions of people live happier lives through the television.

To begin my education in television, I created segments called “The Happy Zone” which aired on the Happiness Show in three cities in America public access stations. After ten of these segments, I decided to leave the ”little pond” of local Public Access Television and learn how to get a show on Prime Time National Television with an aim of eventually having the show in approximately 150 countries around the world.

It took me a few years to become familiar with the ins and outs of the entertainment industry. I had to learn about the structure of how the entertainment industry works, in other words, how networks, distributions companies, production companies and talent agencies work together. I also had to learn how to craft my happy message into an award winning reality television show and put it in the format of an industry standard treatment (a treatment is a business plan for a television show). Networking is also a key to success in the industry so I attended two major television conferences, one in Cannes, France called MIPCOM in October of 2005 and the other in Las Vegas, NV called National Association for Television Production Executive (NATPE) Conference in Las Vegas, NV in January of 2006.

My strategy was to find a production company who would be willing to produce my show. I know that since I have not had any formal training in how to produce an award winning Prime Time Network television show, I needed to find experienced partners with a record of success. I was very lucky for a “Jane Doe” learning about how to get a television show on the air, I was able to access many reputable production companies and networks. I pitched my show over and over and everyone thought it was a great idea but no one said yes and a few said no.

Meanwhile, the BBC produced two documentary shows on happiness between November 2005 and June 2006 and Canada produced a show on happiness that aired in June 2006. Happiness continued to gain popular attention in the media, yet still there is not a show dedicated entirely to Happiness in America.

I knew we were on a tipping point for happiness on television yet, I felt stuck because I could not produce my own show and no one was biting and offering to help me. Until, I met Carl[1] who contacted me regarding ‘The Happy Zone’. Carl has a Master’s degree in Film and worked as a writer, director, and producer for a number of major films. When I met with him, he asked me why I have not produced a pilot. My answer was, because I don’t know what I am doing since I have never created a television show from scratch before. He offered to help me and in June 2006 we decided to start working on the pilot. As I began to produce the pilot I realized my knowledge of organizational psychology, leadership and positive psychology gave me a unique edge in the pre-preproduction phase.

Concurrently, I learned of a newly developed research methodology called Protagonist Action Research (PrAR) (Williamson, 2004) where the researcher studies herself doing something. This methodology is inline with my ontological and epistemological views. I believe reality to be subjective and interpretive to each individual. This methodology allows me to subjectively analyze my experience of learning by doing. In addition to this methodology supporting my values and belief systems of reality it also supports my learning style whereas I learn best from doing. Finally, I am a firm believer in the unification of theory and practice and this study exemplifies this conjunction.

As I started the pre-production phase of the pilot, I realized I could not possibly create a show about happiness unless the people who worked on creating the show were happy! If the end product was to teach people how to live happier lives, the people involved with the production had to be able to put their happiness into the creation. I was always taught while growing up that what you put into something is what you get out of it. In this case, there would be no way of producing a show about happiness if everyone who participated on the production was miserable. Therefore, I decided to make it explicit that I needed everyone to be happy while working on the project. The production I am leading is what I am referring to as a “Positive Production.”

Traditionally in the entertainment industry it is quite renowned for having a culture of chaos, stress, and aggression when it comes to production. To reiterate, the topic of my show is happiness; I found it only natural to have all of the people working on the project be happy. This dissertation articulates my experience of being a female authentic leader applying positive psychology principles during the pre-production phase of my pilot television show with the aim of helping my volunteers be happy.

It is my hope that the conclusions from my research will be useful for others in the entertainment industry who are interested in creating a positive production. I plan to have my research contribute to the growing body of literature in the field of positive organizational scholarship and authentic leadership. Throughout this dissertation it will be noticeable I am writing from a feminine perspective. This perspective is innate within my paradigm because I am a woman experiencing the world as a woman. Given the dissertation focuses on my subjective experience, it will be evident that I bring a female voice to the research. My research question is “What can be learned from a female authentic leader in development as she uses techniques from positive psychology to help her Pre-production volunteers be happy while working?”

Benefits of Gratitude

Gratitude is so important that America even has a holiday devoted to it! Below are a few key facts on the topic...

Gratitude is derived from the Latin root gratia meaning grace, graciousness, or gratefulness. According to Pruyser (1976) all derivatives from the Latin root “have to do with kindness, generousness, gifts, the beauty of giving and receiving, or getting something for nothing.” (p. 69) Emmons and Shelton (2002) define gratitude as a psychological state that offers a “. . . felt sense of wonder, thankfulness, and appreciation for life.” (p. 460) The roots of gratitude lay in mostly religious traditions, including Christianity, Judaism, Islam and yet maintains to be an illusive topic within the positive psychological literature. (Lazarus & Lazarus, 1994) Very little empirical research has been done on gratitude. (Emmons & Shelton, 2002)The benefits of gratitude move beyond just the satisfying intrinsic feeling into other subjective experiences. Chesterton (1924) asserted that “gratitude produced the most purely joyful moments that have been known to man.” (p. 114) According to the few empirical papers on gratitude, it is a pleasant state and is linked with positive emotions, including contentment (Walker & Pitts, 1998), happiness, pride, and hope (Overwalle, Mervielde, & De Schuyter, 1995). Emmons and Shelton (2002) reference a survey conducted by Gallup (1998) where over 90% of American teens and adults expressed gratitude helped them to feel extremely happy or somewhat happy. Emmons and Crumpler (2000) have reported that a conscious focus on gratitude makes life more fulfilling, meaningful, and productive.

Ode to King Jigme Singye Wangchuk (King of Bhutan)

I admire your introduction of Gross National Happiness (GNH) as a form of governmental importance. I have read all of the benefits it has brought your country and as an American Idealist with inspiration from your policy I set foot into the world with a plan to achieve high GNH for all countries on Earth. Dedicating my life to this endeavor, I have a lot of time ahead of me to devote to helping our planet be happier by spearheading initiatives through business, media, and world organizations. I have written papers on how businesses have to take a stand in their role in GNH and how they can practically integrate happiness into their daily organizational culture. In the media, I have been talking with TV executives over the past few years about a show that teaches the audience how to be happy. Finally, in the future I plan to perform happiness exercises with the World Bank, the UN, and many other world organizations. With your introduction of GNH at the governmental level, I have been able to point to the benefits you have brought your people as evidence that happiness is something we must put at the forefront of our society in order for there to be peace on Earth. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your insight to inaugurate such a fundamental human experience as a top priority.

How to Live in the Moment

When I give talks on happiness a lot of people are interested in how I have achieved living in the moment. It took me six months of constant practice, but eventually I was living in the moment. When I realized I was living in the moment 100% of the time, I felt an enormous lift of stress come off my shoulders. Below I outlined some practical tips on how to train yourself to live in the moment.

1) If you notice yourself thinking about something in the future, like a decision you have to make, directions you have to find, a phone call you have to make, etc., then schedule a time 10 minutes before you absolutely must make that decision. This way, you know you will address the issue, you know when you will address the issue, and it does not permeate every moment of your life until then.

2) Also, if you notice yourself preoccupied with something in the past or future that is not an "action item" like #1, then reel back your thinking like a fishing rod so you can be back in the moment.

3) If you are bored in the moment or don’t like being in that moment for whatever reason... then you use all of your senses to get every possible morsel of experience, thinking, or learning, whatever that moment has to offer.

Remember it takes time, persistence, and patience to actually achieve living in the moment. When it happens, it is worth it and you will never go back to not living in the moment!

Is it Alright to be Sexy?

Is it alright to be sexy? Our society has so much judgment when it comes to a woman showing her sensuality. Why is this? I say it was based in the Puritan value system…

What is a woman to do if she enjoys this part of herself and is willing to share some intimacy?

Let’s get real… together… I strive for authenticity and transparency so you can see who I am inside and out. In fact, I think it is your duty as a human being to be who you are and express your individuality. An aspect of happiness is knowing and understanding who you are and what you are here to do.

There is intimacy in my personality and there is a feminine sensuality inside me too… What do I face for being me? The only thing I can think of is your judgment… well, I am happy… being me: open, authentic, sensual, and intimate with you.

Happiness is an intimate topic. Happiness is not a surface conversation; it is from your heart - an intimate place.

I am secure within myself and confident about myself so I remain unaffected by your judgment. It actually does not bother me. I return to the importance of being myself… what you see is what you get.

So yes, it is ok to be sexy if you feel sexy inside and feel comfortable in your authenticity and in your aim for transparency.

How many people have looked at my photos and smiled anyway? Probably a few, so that means happiness not only comes in the form of my verbal expression but also my physical appearance.

Let’s hear it for Happiness! Individuality! The Sexy Feminine! Acceptance! The True and Authentic Self! For Self-Confidence and High Self-Esteem! Non-Judgment! And Freedom of Expression…

Yes, it is ok to express myself… however I choose to. I ask you not to judge me for my sensual expression. I am not asking you to like it, just accept me for being me and I will accept you for being you.

Speak from your heart

Our society is stuck in their heads and lost touch with their hearts.

Do this exercise…

Step 1: Ask someone you know “What did you do today?”

They will respond most likely with activities or about what they accomplished on their to-do list or they will be very dry and boring and tell you how they went to work and so on… you get the idea.

Step 2: Ask the same person to place their hand on their heart and feel their heart and get in touch with their heart for a moment. Now, ask them to check in with their heart before they answer your next question. Ask them “What did you do today?”

Most likely they will tell you about feelings, interests, passions…

You will clearly see a difference. What would happen if everyone spoke from their heart? Would we be a society that cared more, that nurtured each other, who loved each other? I would like to see a world based on the love we have for our fellow human beings not a world who is protecting ourselves from each other…

The mind versus the heart. Please speak from the heart and show people that you care and love them… Didn’t someone famous say… love thy neighbor for a reason…

Am I the real deal? - Testimonials from my Community

When someone is outrageous and outspoken enough about something like happiness, I think it is validated when hearing other people's opinions. Below are a few testimonials from my community attesting that in fact, I walk my talk... I strive for authenticity and transparency in every area of my life.

If ever there was a "right person" for the job of spokesperson for happiness it would be Aymee. Aymee's the real deal. She walks the talk, and is an infinite source of happiness, joy and inspiration to everyone who's fortunate enough to cross her path and inevitably be touched by her. Aymee can put a person totally at ease and bring out the best in them. This can be seen in her interviewing style that has her subject reveal a playful, tender, open and honest side to them. There's a selflessness about Aymee that can be not just heard but felt in everything she does. Aymee is a person who truly cares about her fellow human beings, wants nothing but the best for us and is willing to do the work it takes to care for us asking nothing in return. It's hard to believe there's actually a person like that out there, but there is, and she's it.
-Morgan Anson, Web Developer and Art Director, San Francisco,CA

Aymee is the Queen of Happiness and her smile is contagious.
-Heidi Lloyd, Independent Film Maker, Chile

If anyone knows how to exude happiness, it's Aymee Coget. Aymee is fun, whole hearted, and witty. Ready to smile and laugh at any opportunity, Aymee will always inspire you to find the positive aspects in your life, and in life in general. She is a refreshing burst of happiness in your way, that most people just don't offer you.
-Jesse Seaver, Stand- Up Comedian, San Francisco,CA

Aymee is eccentric and out going. She likes to challenge society's established norms.
-Azure Kraxburger, M.A. Student, San Francisco, CA


Aymee has faith in happiness and is a prophet of positivity.
-Chris Struett, Lover of Life, San Francisco, CA

Aymee has great communication skills. She uses poignant words and has amazing eye contact. Her ability to connect to others through her words and gestures are both potent and graceful. The enormity of Aymee's positive influence has affected my life forever. I consider the time I met her to be apart of one of the most pivoting moments of my life; a moment that marks the time I was able to be with my fear in such a way that I could see clearly what I needed to do to live my dream as a successful artist and most importantly to be present in my journey of discovery.
-Tobias Tovera, Aspiring Artist, San Francisco, CA

Aymee is dynamic, positive, energetic, full of life and inspiring.
-Kerrie Halmi, Executive Coach and Trainer, Oakland,CA

Aymee is one of those rare individuals who just radiates warmth and openness. It's almost as if she just landed on this planet, completely trusting and positive. But she is also incredibly aware and sophisticated. What an amazing blend of qualities. And oh, who can forget that infectious broad beautiful smile. And, of course, Aymee is physically beautiful. Even though I think she actually is aware of how gorgeous she is, she seems at ease with her physical self. She seems to enjoy her beauty without arrogance or self-consciousness.
-Evie Hock, M.S.W., Therapist, San Francisco,CA


Aymee is exceptionally kind, warm and loving. She has a positive nature that inspires others and gives them the confidence to believe in themselves. She is highly articulate and intelligent, equally caring and empathetic. Aymee makes a strong and positive first impression. In spite of her incredible physical beauty -- she is really stunning -- she is very down to earth and unassuming. She is as beautiful inside as out. She is totally natural. When we met, she was so warm and "open." I immediately felt comfortable with her, and it seemed as we'd known one another already. Aymee radiates love. She imparted a very simple concept to me -- that happiness is a choice one makes every day. that's a very simple truth; but somehow, although I think I had heard it before, Aymee presented it in a way that has enabled me to absorb that realization... and it has had an amazingly positive effect on my life.

-Anonymous

Persistence Pays Off!

Persistence Pays Off!

Someone said this for a reason. I have found this to be true in a number of areas of my life. Many people often give up before they even start, they never get to the point where they try and try again. Where would we be if Einstein quit after the first try? Where would we be in the first settlers in America gave up?

In my PhD program, I have to pass three exams (Theory, Practice and Research) in order to get my Master’s degree and move into candidacy for my Doctoral degree. We are supposed to get three tries to pass all of the exams. I failed my research exam three times over a year and a half! The first time was because I really didn’t know what I was talking about, the second time was because I was on a nine hour jet lag, and I actually never received any feedback as to why I didn’t pass. The third time, I failed because I did not write down one sentence that explained my thinking about a topic. In my feedback session, my professor said, “Aymee, I wish you would have written that down!” So I knew what I was talking about but I neglected to articulate it clearly in my paper.

The school said I could take it one more time. I asked for a different method of exam since this way was not working with me. They gave me an assignment to design three research studies on the topic of my choice. I ended up spending my summer writing a 50 page paper including three research studies. I finally passed and was able to move forward with my candidacy!

Right now, I am in the middle of creating a pilot for my tv show. On the first day of shooting we had 7 major disasters! I couldn’t believe it! Two days later my co-host resigned because he hates acting! Now we have to rework it and we are behind on schedule.

Millions of people will benefit from this show so no matter what my obstacles are; it will not deter me from helping people live happier lives. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right?! I keep reminding myself Persistence Pays off!

Break up Formula: Just because you are breaking up, doesn't mean you can't be happy

A lot of people claim to be unhappy because they just went through a break up. Now I have gone through my fair share of break ups, let me tell you, which is why I have come up with a break up formula to help deal with the separation. Before you start working through the five-step process of the formula, you have to know that the break up is a good thing, other wise you would not be broken up! So here we go…

Step 1: Acknowledge the break up - If you can’t acknowledge it you can not move forward.

Step 2: Accept the breakup - If you can not accept the fact that you have broken up, you can not move on.

Step 3: Identify lessons learned - People are pulled together for a reason, everyone has something to teach us. This would be a time where you sit down and take into account everything you learned from your experience with your former partner.

Step 4: Be grateful for the lessons you learned - Because of your experience with your former partner you have grown in ways that you would never have if it wasn’t for that person, so give gratitude for your growth.

Step 5: Let go - This is actually a physical exercise where you try to feel all of the hurt, anger, frustration, depression, and sadness in every cell in your body where you are all but consumed by it. Then place your hands over your head and take a deep breath. As you exhale, move your hands down your body like a French Coffee press. You are pressing all that you cultivated in the beginning into the ground.

I guarantee this process works! Ask me any questions if you feel stuck anywhere…

Good luck and remember - no one is responsible for your happiness except YOU!!!

Listen to your inner SOCK PUPPET!

Have you lost touch with your inner voice? I have a solution for you! Think of your dilemma in a yes or no context. Close your eyes and imagine two sock puppets; one is yes and the other is no. Ask your question and see how the sock puppets respond…. And there you go! Listen to your inner sock puppet!