Happy teams are more productive. So are happy leaders.

The greatest success we achieve in life will not be money, it will be happiness. When we master our own happiness, we have a natural and positive impact on all of those we interact with. Wherever we go, we have the power to make the environment more successful. Morale is everything in business, so the first type of success we must strive for is personal, then we must bring this positive, happy and productive attitude to work with the determination and intention to make a difference.

1. Smile

There is no better way to enter a new day than with a smile on our face. We must wake up and make the conscious choice to smile. If we wake up on the wrong side of the bed, we must find positive things to focus to elevate our mood. The intention to be happy, smile and laugh makes us more productive. Neuroscience has proven that laughter is truly the best medicine. If we are down, being able to see the humor and laugh a little, serves to immediately decrease stress and increase motivation.

2. Hardy

To be successful, happy and productive, we must be resilient. We are bound to face hardships, but we must take full direction over the attitude we use to get through those hardships.

A hardship is simply an obstacle or a challenge. It is our job to rise to that challenge and show ourselves and the world exactly who we are and what we’re made of. We must take the viewpoint that hardships are designed to make us hardy. We must use them to build upon our strengths, expand our skills and deepen our knowledge. The more resilient we are, the more successful we have the potential to become.

3. Take action

Success and happiness aren’t what we have, they are what we do; therefore, we are the most productive when we’re backing our beliefs with action. Because happiness is largely a byproduct of achieving, we must train ourselves to think in benefit of things we desire to feel and experience. If we focus on being happy, if we intend for it, we will make it happen. When we direct our thoughts towards our success, and we work hard to create what we want, our success and happiness are nearly guaranteed. Intention plus action, equals increased productivity.

4. Optimistic

Optimism is a choice. To be happy, successful, and productive we must be mindful of the good, and force ourselves to look on the bright side. It is important to re-direct our thoughts to the successes we’ve had during the day, and get our mind off all the “issues.” This mental focus decreases stress, rejuvenates our energy levels, and keeps us feeling hopeful and inspired. When we stay focused on the bright side, we more easily find solutions to our challenges. When we focus on the things that are going great, we give ourselves the gift of receiving little rewards throughout our day; leaving us feeling greater levels of accomplishment.

5. Appreciative

Life is extremely complex because we’re having to balance so many movement elements each day. To stay motivated and inspired, it is helpful to appreciate the simple, easy-to-come-by pleasures life has to offer. To stay productive, we must take time to appreciate hugs from our loved ones, a pat on the back from our bosses or peers, the compliments we get during the day, finding a great parking space in the morning, and the great cup of coffee we had upon waking up. When we are thankful for all that life has to offer, life and career are more fulfilling and easier to enjoy.

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