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!

My Body

If I didn’t have my body what would I have?

If I pay attention to my body, it suits me well and treats me well. When I ignore my body, it gives me pain.

Over the years, my body has gone through many transitions… from very skinny to almost 170lbs! During that overweight time, I don’t think I ever looked that overweight, but I looked like a hefty, big boned Mid- Western Girl. When I realized how much I weighed I went to the gym and worked out three hours a day six days a week and lost 35lbs in 2 months! I remember when I lost all of that weight, I was approached by a photographer from Vogue who asked me to do a photo shoot! WOW. That made me feel good!

Also, since age ten I was diagnosed with triple scoliosis. (curving and twisting of the spine) Basically, I have the back of a 90 year old! I have always had to pay attention to my body and treat it well. I get care once a week for my back because if I didn’t then, I would be in constant chronic pain from my scoliosis.

It amazes me how many people ignore their bodies. Someone once said, “Treat your body like a Temple” for a reason! I have heard many people say, “I don’t have the money for massage, the gym, organic food, etc.” Well, I have been a student for the past ten years so my bank account has never been high, but when I have money, the little that I have, I invest it in my temple because it is the only temple I will ever have during my lifetime. Excuses are excuses, be proactive with your body, love your body, nurture and protect your body and it will serve you the best it can.

Unconditional Love: Reflections of Family Vacation

Unconditional Love:

Forgiveness, Letting Go, Accepting Imperfection as Perfection, & Conscious Positivity

Reflections of Family Vacation

The two biggest reminders I experienced for how to have successful family and love relationships are FORGIVENESS & LETTING GO.

Your family will be there in your life forever, if you let them. Flesh and blood counts for something and these relationships are built on the foundation of unconditional love.

So given the main premise of the relationship, unconditional love, forgiveness and letting go helps to maintain and manage relationships positively.

Also the more positive actions, behaviors, and language that are dispelled into the family dynamic the more positive it will be. Imagine if everyone in your family consistently told you “Hey, you were Right”? How good would that feel? Or if you received compliments and words of admiration and encouragement from your family members?

Everyone has their flaws. To accept the perfection in ourselves, our parents and siblings is one of our lessons in life. When we achieve this is when we can fully give and receive unconditional love.

So many unhappy applicants!

I can’t believe how many unhappy people there are! The AD has only been up for 24 hours and we have received an overwhelming response so far for people who are very interested in receiving a happiness makeover! This is very reassuring for us because it confirms that people do want to be happy, they are interested in learning how and it gives us an audience for the show! Keep those applications coming!!!

Know anyone who wants a HAPPINESS MAKEOVER?

We are filming a PILOT TV SHOW that is unprecedented! It is geared for Prime Time Network TV and all of the heavy hitters in the industry will be looking at this PILOT. This is a very serious and professional project you can visit www.makemehappytv.com to find out more about the show concept.

Have you ever thought that you could actually be happy everyday for the rest of your life? Well, we found some people who have been happy for years and years in a row! A retired M.D. and a Psychology PhD Candidate have come together to help you learn how to live a sustainable happy life! They are offering FREE HAPPINESS-MAKEOVERS!!! With a combination of 50 years in the happiness business, both of these happiness experts have been experiencing, writing, speaking, coaching, and teaching happiness to audiences of a vast range of ages, experiences and ethnicities. They are bringing their comprehensive background to a TV show that gives HAPPINESS MAKEOVERS! The process will take approximately one week of your time.

We are looking for a group of people who meet the following requirements in order to receive a complimentary HAPPINESS MAKEOVER and be featured on a Pilot TV show for Primetime Network TV.

You want to be happy
You see it as an essential part of your life
You are willing to change your old behavior patterns that keep you stuck in your unhappiness
You have tried other techniques and nothing has helped
You do not mind being filmed
You are over 18
You live in the Bay Area

If you meet the requirements please email happinesstv@gmail.com to receive a questionnaire that will help us identify if the opportunity is right for you.

The Happiness Production Team

Bliss in Business

Bliss in Business:

The Role of Business in using Gross National Happiness as an agent of world benefit

In 1972, the King of Bhutan introduced Gross National Happiness (GNH) as the guiding philosophy of the country's development. Now the UK and several other countries are starting to also adopt this principle as a primary concern at the governmental level. Noble Laureate Professor Daniel Kahneman is currently helping several countries measure their GNH. This is undoubtedly a wave of the future.

Standard of living, health of the population, education, ecosystem vitality and diversity, cultural vitality and diversity, time use and balance, good governance, community vitality, and emotional well-being are the nine provisional (GNH) indicators identified by the Center for Bhutan Studies. Imagine if all countries adopted this principle; we could transform our Earth into a paradise.

Since implementing the GNH measure, Bhutan has reported an increase in life expectancy by 19 years while the gross enrollment rate in primary schools has reached 72 percent and the literacy rate has grown from 17 percent to 47.5 percent according to the Times newspaper of India. Not to mention that it is a leading country in sustainability. Again, the implications for countries that take a stand on the importance of happiness is desirable for their citizens and is clearly the next step beyond the industrialized GNP that has been emphasized in Western society. In his introduction to Well-Being: the Foundations of Hedonic Psychology (63), Daniel Kahneman expresses the hope that hedonic science will prompt economics to shift its focus from "those aspects of life that can be traded in the marketplace to desirable goods such as love, mental challenge, and (reduction of) stress."

This current and future transition has severe implications for the business sector as well as management scholars. Emphases on employee subjective well being (happiness) and positive affect have been growing bodies of research in the management literature only in recent years. It is clearly time for the business sector to not only take a stand in the ethics and morality of their accounting, corporate social responsibility, and environmental implications but also for the happiness of their employees.

Linkages to the increase in the bottom line, performance, effectiveness, and productivity have all been shown as results of happy employees. In 2004, (Halverson, 2004) it was discovered that if your manager has positive affect because of the emotional contagion theory, you are likely to also experience positive affect, which will improve performance. Frederickson and Losada (2005) have identified that the more positive emotions that are experienced at work will increase an individual’s scope of attention (Frederickson & Branigan, 2005; Rowe, Hirsch, & Anderson, 2005), broaden behavioral repertoires (Frederickson & Branigan, 2005), and increase innovation (Bolte, Goschkey, & Kuhl, 2003) and creativity (Isen, Daubmen, & Nowicki, 1987). Besides the aforementioned characteristics, positive affect has shown to make a difference in the health of our physical body, which, of course, leads to low absenteeism due to illness. (For a review, see Frederickson & Losada, 2005.)

It is in the benefit of the business sector and in management scholarship to explicitly take on Bliss in Business, especially as countries take on the GNH as a priority.

Now that it is clear that happiness is a high human concern, and it is to the benefit of political and business sectors to adopt it as a moral obligation it is necessary to understand what it is that increases happiness in individuals.

We propose a paper/interactive workshop that pragmatically outlines a conceptual framework for managers to employ to help increase the happiness, well-being, and positive affect of themselves and their employees. The techniques are inspired by the positive psychology movement, eastern philosophy, and the human potential movement.

We would like to envision a future of business that recruits employees not only by the monetary benefits but also by explicitly stating the importance of their happiness. If governments continue to move in the direction of enacting the GNH, business must follow in their moral obligation to help individuals and society at large.