As the CEO (Chief Energizing Officer) at Hartful Living including GaiaHart.com and BizBuilderCards.com; I’m a Messenger and Mentor for women entrepreneurs, connecting them to their capacity to energize their work and their lives in the art of living Hartfully. At BizBuilderCards.com, you can make a living through giving with greeting cards and gifts to build your network net worth as an additive to your current business or an easy way to send gratitude and kindness to the world.
Improve Your Happiness
November 26, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
How happy are you really? After meeting hundreds of people in the past couple months in my sessions, at tradeshows and over Thanksgiving hearing their stories; it’s interesting to note just how many people are not happy with their situations. They seem to be lumbering along at mediocre not willing to seek out alternatives, yet not wanting to completely accept their position. I’m here to share some insider secrets to happiness.
There are several books on the subject. One in particular is What Happy People Know by Dan Baker & Cameron Stauth. There is also a terrific website by Dr. Martin Seligman at Authentic Happiness. Dr. Seligman’s main mission has been the promotion of the field of Positive Psychology. This discipline includes the study of positive emotion, positive character traits, and positive institutions. Take some of his surveys about general happiness, gratitude, grit and strength.
There are two main building blocks to happiness: pleasures and gratifications. Pleasures are sensual and emotional while gratifications are those activities that call on our skills and strengths and give us a sense of a job well done. Gratifications can be further divided into our signature strengths – marks of character such as perseverance, kindness, curiosity and humility. We are most fully engaged in life when we are part of something that isn’t just for ourselves. True happiness lies in building on our strengths and not rooting out our flaws.
In researching true happiness, Seligman noted that the benefits from these 3 simple exercises lasted for as much as 6 months:
- Write a letter of gratitude to someone from your past who has been particularly kind to you , but who has never been properly thanked and deliver the card in person.
- Every eveinng for a week, write down 3 good things that happened that day and explain what brought them about.
- Take the Signature Strength Quiestionnaire at Authentic Happiness to identify your own strengths and then use one of our top 5 strengths in a different way every day for a week.
A creative way to send a gratitude card or lots of them for the holidays to help shore up your happiness and spirits is at BizBuilder Cards. You can even put your own photo or photos of your recipients on the cards and include a gift card or have the company insert the card into a box of gourmet goodies to pack a real punch. The best part is if you don’t know anybody to send a card to, they have a section called Send Your Love where you can send a card to somebody who needs to know others are thinking about them and sending support and love. Sending a card of acknowledgement is like driving a vehicle for the Law of Attraction – it puts you in an attitude of gratitude when you write it and also brightens somebody’s day when they receive it – a twofer!
One of humanity’s greatest needs is to feel loved, acknowledged and appreciated. Who needs to hear from you today? Why not send a card or postcard and start improving your happiness as well as the happiness of others who receive your greetings. Check out these custom greeting cards for an easy way to spread joy at holiday time and any time. Cheers – I hope your Thanksgiving was filled with happiness and pecan pie. (that makes me happy :-).
What Value Do You Add to Energize Others?
November 10, 2007 | Posted in Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
Where has the time gone? I’ve been meaning to update the last post for some time now between coast to coast and international junkets lately.
The rest of the story about waiting in Columbus for the flight to DC while sharing an outlet for my laptop. It seems the flight was delayed 4 hours…of course 1 hour at a time, so passengers tend to gain a sort of camaraderie of us against them. I noticed a sharing of granola bars, people watching luggage as others stalked food and brought it back for the luggage guardians. My outlet pal shared some local phone numbers of nearby hotels and insider shuttle info in case we had to stay over.
As it turned out, our flight was cancelled. Hoards of us hovered around the hotel calling board, sharing info on what was booked and then passing around our cell phones once we reached a hotel with vacancies so the rest of us could make our own reservations. At the curb, we were a herd of tired travelers waiting on the hotel shuttle. One bright parking attendant shared his own wisdom…the shuttle only holds 7 people, and since we were all going to the same hotel, we may as well share a taxi. That one little tidbit of information he shared made all the difference. Four of us dove into the first taxi and one woman who was only in town for a day shared that she would pay for the ride.
Inside the lobby was mayhem and our fellow passenger who generously paid for our ride mentioned she had no luggage. Sensing she was not the type to sleep without jammies, I dug into my suitcase and gave her a T-shirt my client had given me as a gift that afternoon -still tied with a bow. I ceremoniously handed it to her as her formal evening wear and applause went up in the crowd.
The next morning we greeted our fellow taxi ride share passengers and once again shared a ride to the airport.
It was not an idea situation, but the attitude of the people involved, their willingness to share information, cab fares, clothing, food, cell phones and good humor made all the difference in the world in turning an unpleasant and unexpected situation into a memorable life lesson. What value are you adding to others lives and in return energizing their lives? Is there something a little extra you could be contributing to the cause or the situation or to an organization or individual that will improve the situation or the person? What is your contribution today? How are you energizing others? Remember that you are part of your colleagues or friends or stranger’s environments and you affect their energy with your choices.
Now I’ve got to dash to a 95th birthday party for Max. I’m told he likes salty snacks and sappy love songs so I’m in search of some old sappy standards to bring to the party along with some snacks.
The Velocity of Energy – Giving it Away
September 28, 2007 | Posted in Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
Having discussions lately on the velocity of money and how it can do more good the more it’s circulated. I believe the same is true for positive energy and giving it away and giving to give.
Recently I visited Max, the 95-year-old father of a friend. He’s curently living in an assisted living facility, in one room, while I live in his house he built sometime in the 40’s or 50’s. It’s a part of that velocity of giving and helping each other out – I needed a place to live while my house in the mountains is being built and my friend needed somebody to rent her vacant childhood home.
Max has jettisoned most of his belongings – you can’t keep much in one room. Although he doesn’t own much any more, he insisted on giving me some free bus passes that were sent to him – he doesn’t get out at all any more. He also wouldn’t let me leave without giving me some wooden suit hangers – said he doens’t own suits any more and the curved hangers take up too much space in his “closet” – a hanging rod that is 2′ long. He was very happy to give what he had and it made us both happy.
Even when you don’t have much to give – just giving your energy, time, attention, an ear and some laughs or understanding means the world to others and it enhances your energy too. My new coat is hanging on Max’s hanger in his former home, and I used his bus passes on my trip back East this week.
Thanks to Max for continuing to share his energy, his bus passes and his wooden suit hanger. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to share my electrical outlet with a passenger while we wait for our flight to DC.
What are you sharing today?
London Times Features Fun at Work – Good Times Lead to Good Business
September 17, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
I’m thrilled to announce an interview I did for a recent article in the London Times on the business of fun at work. We’re ready to get the British energized and pumped up for some play in the workplace. People all over the world are finally getting it that work made fun gets done and good times lead to good business.Check out the full article below or click on the link.
Laugh for the Health of It
August 5, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
Try laughter for the health of it. Laughing is exercise and is considered internal jogging by some experts. As an official Certified Laughter Leader, yes, that’s an authentic credential sanctioned by the World Laughter Tour, I promote the benefits of laughter at home, at work and in life to boost your immune system, enhance your relationships and build your teams.
When you laugh, your body moves blood to your heart and lungs, boosting your energy level and making you feel better instantly. It also aids communication and creates a sense of closeness between you and the people you’re laughing with. New evidence points to changes in the brain—not the imaginary funny bone—as the source for laughter. Researchers found that when people laugh, a part of the brain’s reward system is triggered. In this reward system, a person feels pleasure and wants to have the same pleasant feelings over and over again. The areas in the brain triggered by humor are the same ones that are triggered by drugs like amphetamines and cocaine.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, one reason that young people choose to use drugs is simply to feel good. They seek new or thrilling things to have a good time. The good news is that the kids who use drugs to feel good are the ones who are most likely to respond to prevention messages that teach them about the harmful effects of drugs on their bodies. Teens also are swayed mostly by the powerful protective factor of having strong and loving parents who take notice and take part in all aspects of their lives. These kids have the best chances of being successfully taught to seek other ways of having fun.
Other ways in which laughter benefits the body:
Muscle Relaxation
A belly laugh causes muscles to relax and be free of tension. As you laugh, muscles that do not participate in the belly laugh relax. After you finish laughing, the muscles involved have their turn at relaxing. That’s why kids fall on the ground laughing or wet their pants when they laugh too hard, their bodies are relaxing a little too much from laughing. That’s why your cheeks hurt the next day after visiting a comedy club – you’ve been exercising your face.
Reduces Stress Hormones
Laughter reduces at least four neuroendocrine hormones associated with stress response: epinephrine, cortisol, dopac, and growth hormone. You cannot be stressed out and laughing at the same time. Known as the Biology of Hope – those who were anticipating an enjoyable event showed signs of decreased stress hormones in their blood and after watching funny videos or laughing, these markers showed decreased stress hormones as well.
Immune System Enhancement
Clinical studies have shown humor strengthens the immune system. Some studies have shown that the ability to use humor may raise the level of infection-fighting antibodies in the body and boost the levels of immune cells as well.
Cardiac Exercise
Laughter provides good cardiac conditioning especially for those unable to perform physical exercises.
Blood Pressure and blood flow
Laughter lowers blood pressure although women appear to benefit more than men from this exercise. Researchers at the University of Maryland studied the effects on blood vessels when people were shown either comedies or dramas. After the screening, the blood vessels of the group who watched the comedy behaved normally — expanding and contracting easily. But the blood vessels in people who watched the drama tended to tense up, restricting blood flow.
Respiratory Cleansing
Frequent belly laughter has a cleansing effect because it empties your lungs of more air than it takes in – similar to deep breathing. This is extremely beneficial for patients who are suffering from emphysema and other respiratory problems.
Relaxation, pain reduction and sleep.
The focus on the benefits of laughter really began with Norman Cousin’s memoir, Anatomy of an Illness. Cousins, who was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis, a painful spine condition, found that a diet of comedies, like Marx Brothers films and episodes of Candid Camera, helped him feel better. He said that ten minutes of laughter allowed him two hours of pain-free sleep. Humor allows a person to temporarily “forget” about aches and pains from disability, injury, or surgery.
What are you doing to add humor and laughter into your day today?
The Rest of the Story: Banner the Guide Dog, Larry & Southwest Airlines
July 25, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
With the help of my speaking buddies, Beth Terry, Steve Tyra, Terry Brock and of course the star attractions, Larry Colbert and Banner the wonder dog. Here’s the rest of the story in their own words about what happened that Friday the 13th with Larry, Banner and the Southwest Employees who showed their true colors in a life or death situation.
Check out the happy ending to this heart-warming story about compassion, teamwork, humanitarian and heroic efforts and doing the right thing on YouTube: http://youtube.com/watch?v=YZ17L8j6bsY
Truly inspirational efforts on everybody’s part to come through in a difficult situation.
Even the canine community pulled together. Here’s the card my Madison sent to Banner as well as a photo of Banner enjoying medical leave lounging by the pool in his colorful bandages. If you want to send a card to Banner, click here:
What is the Energy and Velocity of Your Money?
July 24, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully, Wealthy Woman | By Gaia Hart
I’ve been hearing a lot about the velocity of money lately. The topic has come up in several teleconferences I’ve attended in relation to building wealth, enhancing relationships and improving prosperity on many levels.
Velocity of money is defined simply as the rate at which money changes hands. If velocity is high, money is changing hands quickly, and a relatively small money supply can fund a relatively large amount of purchases. On the other hand, if velocity is low, then money is changing hands slowly, and it takes a much larger money supply to fund the same number of purchases.
What kind of energy are you giving your money? How many times do you send it out to do work for you and serve others? How often are you letting go of it in order to allow others to make a living from what you give them in exchange for their skills? Are you holding tight to what you have and not letting it go out do circulate, mingle and mix in the economy and in the social scene with other cash? Does your money become a spinster, sitting home, under the proverbial mattress or in a checking or savings account not earning you anything and not doing anybody any good? Or does your cash network with others and bring people, opportunities, energy, life force and vitality to your life by making the rounds in your community?
Sure we should have an emergency account just in case, but that doesn’t mean it has to sit there like a couch potato just waiting for something bad to happen. Your emergency fund could be earning even more income for you or any other sorts of ways to keep it moving and in action. Keeping your cash moving and creating energy for you and for others by exchanging hands is what gives it more velocity. And with more velocity the economy grows and so do the opportunities that come your way because of it.
So what kind of energy are you giving your money? What is the velocity of your money? Like love, compliments, appreciation or other types of acknowledgment, it doesn’t help anybody for you to hold them tight and not give some away. By giving and exchanging hands, you give opportunities and energy to others as well. Remember that emotion is energy in motion – giving away emotions helps keep us in motion and keeps the velocity going as well. If you’re feeling stuck, try giving something away and taking action. Forward motion and creating velocity helps attract new things into your life to get unstuck. Go ahead and create some velocity today and give something away.
Knowing Why You Come to Work Each Day
July 19, 2007 | Posted in Leading Hartfully, Living Hartfully | By Gaia Hart
Thinking about Larry and Banner’s story makes me think about why some people come to work each day. What do you get out of the relationship with your job? Why do you show up each day and what do you want to accomplish? Do you have a master plan for showing up for life, or are you just clocking in and clocking out? I’m sure you know of colleagues who have retired years ago, but they just keep showing up for work each day to collect a paycheck.
What can you do to get inspired about your work? Make a list of what you do and don’t like about the different qualities and characteristics of your profession or your job. What can you change about it to make it more inspiring? What can you do to inspire others. As Zig Ziglar, the famous grandfather of motivation speaking so eloquently states: If you help enough people get what they want, you will get what you want.
What are you doing to help other people get what they want and get where they want to go? Are you embracing empathy and kindness into your day? What would you do in emergency situations and how far would you go to do the right thing? Fortunately for Banner and Larry, Troy knew why he showed up for work that day and he knew what he had to do to do the right thing.