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SALT LAKE CITY -- The search for happiness is the new search for the fountain of youth. We buy self-help books, take vacations, indulge in guilty pleasures, attend therapy, buy new toys and take more "me" time, all in a noble effort to find joy in everyday life. But while these things can at least bring a reprieve from life's daily stresses, and are a step in the right direction, they can't give you lasting joy.
There's a science to happiness, and researchers are in hot pursuit. A nonprofit group in the U.K. is combining these scientific findings with the wisdom of the ages. Their conclusion so far: Achieving happiness may be as simple as taking action with simple but meaning steps.
What we want for our society is as much happiness as is possible and, above all, as little misery.
–Action for Happiness
Action for Happiness is a grassroots organization seeking to spread happiness in our homes, our workplaces and our communities. The movement is catching on, and it's spreading across the globe. "What we want for our society is as much happiness as is possible and, above all, as little misery," the group's mission statement says. The implication is, it continues, that each of us are personally responsible for creating more happiness and less misery.
Action for Happiness is looking to recruit "happiness activists" to spread the message. To help them get started, the group has created "10 Keys to Happier Living." Among them are doing things for others, noticing the world around us, taking care of your body, finding ways to bounce back, and keep learning new things.
Beyond that, the group invites us to take action. There are 12 action steps to get you started, things like find three good things each day, look for the good in those around you, get help if you're struggling and use positive parenting techniques.
A total of 50 action steps can be found on the site, but in the community section people around the world are talking about how to find and spread happiness, and how to bond together to make change locally.
To help inspire you to action, I end with a little piece of the wisdom of the ages:
"Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service, and have a definite object in life outside themselves and their personal happiness." - Leo Tolstoy
Email: lmaxfield@ksl.com
