October Newsletter

7 Days to Lasting Happiness - Insights from the Upcoming Email Course

Hello Reader,

I hope that despite everything that’s going on, you’re still having a great October.

Even though I’m not a fan of cold or dark, I find the soft, pale light and the dark nights of October somehow soothing.

The darkness forces us to look inward instead of outward, prompting a period of self-reflection.

Closing your eyes and being in the dark is not just closing down the external world, it’s about opening up to the internal world of thoughts, feelings, habits, and beliefs.

That being said, time for the news!

(And yes, I know I missed last week’s email. Oops! Life happens 😄)

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News

A new blog post is out:

​Happiness for Beginners: Discovering the Secrets to a Happy Life​

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This blog post is about some of the most fundamental aspects of happiness:

What is it, why it is a choice rather than a result, and what are the building blocks that are required for a happy life?

What’s unique about this post is that I’ve included a collection of links for further reading.

So you can take a look at a topic, and deepen your knowledge about the subject by following the links.

Take a look and let me know your thoughts.

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The email course I’ve been working on is almost complete, and I’m trying to get it out next weekend.

The course will be free, and I’ll provide you the opportunity to check it out once it’s completed.

As always, the old saying holds true: You teach what you have to learn. And this course has been no exception.

So next, I’ll unpack all the insights that working on this course has revealed.

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7 Days to Lasting Happiness - Insights from the Upcoming Email Course

In this month’s newsletter, we’ll be exploring the topics of the companion course for my book ‘Happiness on Demand’. The course will be an email course spread over the span of 7 days.

We’ll use the different course modules (lessons on individual days) as the framework.

The email course “7 Days to Lasting Happiness” will explore seven key topics that are central to creating lasting happiness and fulfillment in life.

We’ll go through them one by one.

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Day 1: “What is Happiness”

On the first day, the course will delve into the very essence of happiness. What is happiness and how can you get it?

Well, as you already know if you’ve read the blog: Happiness is an innate emotion, not a feeling.

What’s the difference? Emotions are our automatic responses to a stimulus or event that are experienced both physiologically (in your body) and psychologically (in your mind). In essence, they are our “first thought”. They reveal how we truly feel about what is happening physically, psychologically, or spiritually.

Feelings, on the other hand, arise from interpretation and perception of emotions and are subjective, influenced by thoughts, beliefs, and past experiences.

Feelings are our “second thought” (think about all the moments when you’ve had an impulse to say or do something, only to be stopped by your rational mind and make you go … On second thought…)

Feelings are our conscious mind’s best effort to conceptualize our emotions. For example, the emotion of happiness could be conceptualized as a feeling of joy, excitement, peace, bliss, or a combination of many other feelings.

But happiness is an emotion. Very natural and very much ever-present. It is supposed to be “the default state”. You are supposed to be happy, but your conscious mind (thoughts, beliefs, habits, past experiences) interferes and the emotion is tangled in a web of negative feelings.

Happiness is your natural state of being, but it gets buried under layers of stress, anxiety, fear, anger, and perhaps even depression.

The key to finding happiness and staying happy is therefore to understand these blocks to happiness and work on removing them.

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Day 2: "Fulfilling Physical, Psychological, and Spiritual Needs”

The second day of the course is all about holistic well-being. We'll explore how nurturing your physical health, psychological well-being, and spiritual fulfillment are integral to your overall happiness.

It’s a huge topic that’s impossible to cover, but the key is to once again increase awareness. Once you understand, that you are not your body, you are not your mind, and you are not your spirit, but an entity that’s comprised of all of these facets, you can work on your well-being holistically.

The different facets, body, mind, and spirit, all have different in-built needs that must be addressed if you want to live a happy life.

The body needs nutrition, water, rest, clean air, exercise, and shelter from the elements.

The mind needs to be challenged to stay active. It needs creative thinking. Psychologically, you need connections with others, feelings of security, and a life that has a purpose and makes sense.

Spiritually you crave a connection with the divine (whatever this may mean to you). Spiritual needs are about being something bigger than you and contributing to the world as a whole.

The more you have unmet needs on each level, the more negative thoughts, feelings, and behavior you will experience in your life. Depression may very well be a symptom of having unmet psychological (and physical or spiritual) needs.

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Day 3: "Positive Thinking, Mindfulness, and Gratitude”

Day three will introduce you to the transformative power of positive thinking, mindfulness, and gratitude.

Since happiness is an innate emotion, it can be cultivated by peeling away the layers of negative thoughts and beliefs. These practices will help you catch your negative thought patterns and focus on the positive instead.

Positive thinking can be made a habit once you learn to become aware of what you are thinking each moment. Mindfulness is a great practice that can help with this. It brings your attention to the moment, focusing on the thoughts and feelings you are experiencing.

Perhaps the most powerful practice of all is gratitude. You might think that gratitude is something that comes naturally when we feel good, but research shows that it’s the other way around; practicing gratitude leads to feeling good.

Studies indicate that people who practice gratitude report higher levels of well-being than those who don’t and that gratitude is essential for happiness.

I know many people love journaling, and gratitude journaling might be the most beneficial practice that you can have.

I suggest picking up a ready-made gratitude journal or crafting your own and writing down some things each day.

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Day 4: "A Life of Meaning and Purpose”

On day four, we discover the profound connection between a life of meaning and happiness.

Having meaning and purpose in life is a fundamental need you will want to fulfill.

Meaning and purpose in life provide a clear direction and focus, answering the fundamental question of “why” we do what we do. It serves as a powerful motivator, helping you face daily challenges with determination and resilience.

Living with purpose offers a multitude of benefits. These include enhanced mental health, improved emotional well-being, stress reduction, increased motivation, better physical health, and potentially a longer life.

Purpose does not have to be anything grand or never before seen. What we are talking about is your purpose and the way you choose to express this purpose. It does not have to touch every living person on this planet, it is enough that you find what’s meaningful to you.

Usually though, in the process of living your purpose, you will touch the lives of others in a profoundly amazing way.

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Day 5: "Freedom, the Ultimate Form of Happiness”

On day five, we'll explore how personal freedom and the choices you make can be the ultimate sources of happiness. You'll learn how the freedom to make choices impacts your happiness, and learn an important lesson about another type of freedom: Emotional freedom.

Autonomy or freedom is critical to your happiness. The more freedom you have to make choices about your life, the happier you are likely to be.

Conversely, limited freedom often leads to less happiness. This core concept highlights the significance of personal agency and control over your life as a key contributor to overall well-being.

The module also delves into the concept of emotional freedom, emphasizing its importance for personal autonomy and happiness. Emotional freedom involves recognizing, expressing, and regulating your emotions authentically and without restraint.

Understanding and healthily dealing with emotions is crucial for leading a happy and fulfilling life. Because repressed or ignored emotions tend to “pile up” and twist into their unhealthy versions: Jealousy, rage, possessiveness, depression, and panic.

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Day 6: “The Secret of Lasting Happiness”

This day is all about the power of your beliefs and subconscious mind. You will discover how changing your beliefs can be the ultimate path to happiness that endures. We’ll talk about hypnotherapy, creative visualization, and self-hypnosis to reshape your mindset and transform your life.

It’s impossible to measure accurately, but it is believed that up to 90% of the decisions we make each day are predetermined by our subconscious mind.

Our beliefs, particularly the ones stored in our subconscious mind, have a significant impact on our thoughts, feelings, actions, and overall health. Having positive beliefs can enhance our happiness and resilience, while negative or restrictive beliefs can obstruct our path to happiness.

Belief-dependent realism is the concept that what we believe to be true becomes our reality. If we hold positive beliefs about ourselves, the world, and our potential for happiness, we are more likely to experience happiness. In essence, a positive outlook becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Change your beliefs, change your life.

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Day 7 “More Money = More Happiness?”

On our final day, we'll explore how money impacts our happiness and well-being. Uncover the truth that while money can't buy happiness, the lack of it can lead to significant stress and anxiety. This insightful session will help you strike a balance between financial stability and the pursuit of lasting happiness.

Understanding the significance of money in relation to happiness goes beyond your bank account balance. Money plays a pivotal role in securing basic needs and forming the foundation for a happy life. Moreover, money serves as a facilitator of freedom and autonomy. It may not directly buy happiness, but it provides the means to make choices aligned with personal values, passions, and aspirations.

Rather than viewing money as the ultimate source of fulfillment, it can be seen as a tool for enhancing happiness. Money can be harnessed to invest in personal development, nurture relationships, and contribute to the community. When used for meaningful and altruistic purposes, it can lead to a more content and fulfilled life.

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Of course, these topics will be covered in-depth in the course.

There will also be a workbook with exercises and practices that you can do at your own pace, to help integrate these concepts into your daily life.

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I really like how the conclusion of the latest blog post turned out, so I’ll end this newsletter with it as well:

So, as you take your next steps, remember that happiness is not a destination, but a companion for the road. Embrace it, nurture it, and share it with others.

Allow happiness to guide you through the peaks and valleys, lighting up your life in beautiful, unexpected ways.

As you embark on your ongoing journey toward happiness, know that you have the knowledge and power within you to experience life’s full spectrum, savoring the highs and enduring the lows.

Through it all, may your heart be open, your spirit resilient, and your pursuit of happiness unceasing.

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And as always,

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Think happy thoughts!

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- Atte

Happiness On Demand

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P.S. Whether you are a beginner in the pursuit of happiness or you have been seeking ways to enhance your well-being throughout your life, this guide is here to assist you in discovering the essential principles of happiness.​

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