I have observed in recent times that individuals can invest in and achieve regular, well-rounded exercise regimes, great nutrition (balanced, wholesome foods), and good sleep hygiene; however, they are not happy, nor would they describe themselves as happy.

As an Osteopath, I consider the whole patient – the physical and mental bodies. One thing is true: if you are not happy, you will not be healthy. Read that again.

It is a harsh, blatant, raw truth.

Before I go on, I know that being happy 100% of the time is not achievable. I also know, as an NLP Coach Practitioner, that happiness is a state we can tap into at any time.

Let’s test that now.

Recall a moment in time when you were truly happy. Close your eyes and float down into your body in that moment. See what you saw and hear what you heard. Open your eyes.

You can feel that happiness rising inside, can’t you?

This proves that we have the raw ingredients within us to be happy.

However, adulting can make happiness feel momentary and even elusive – and, as we have briefly considered above, this can absolutely have a negative impact on our health and wellbeing.

There are many books and incredible resources aimed at helping us boost our happiness baseline. 

This month, I read the amazing Happy Mind, Happy Life by Dr Rangan Chatterjee.

I am a HUGE fan of Dr Chatterjee. His work inspires me both as a professional and as an individual (check out his podcast, Feel Better, Live More).

Drawing on solid science, Dr Chatterjee gently offers 10 easily implemented, bite-sized ways to strengthen your core happiness.

This book is about raising your baseline level of happiness. This can be done at any time, even (especially, I would argue) when we are at our lowest.

Drawing upon his years of clinical experience as a GP, Dr Chatterjee shares case studies showing that, through the use of one or more of his 10 suggested approaches, patients have significantly changed their mindset and, therefore, their lives.

This is powerful stuff – and most of it is free.

Using a three-legged stool as his analogy for core happiness, Dr Chatterjee explains that happiness blooms when we are aligned, content, and have a sense of control over our lives.

All three of these pillars need to be strong if our core happiness is to provide a solid platform for thriving.

This is a book I will definitely revisit, and I am sure I will be recommending it for years to come.

Wishing you a happy, healthy day,

If you liked this, you may also like: 

The Happiness Advantage by Shawn Achor

Atomic Habits by James Clear