A few years ago I started a quest… the quest for inner happiness, and for a sense of well being and balance that would come from within. I wanted to be happy  independently of external events and  superficial success. I have read all the books about the subject of happiness I have found, listened to videos and attended all kind of courses. I have also tried different practices and I can say… it has been worth it.

I am now seriously convinced that we can learn to be happy and to make the best of our lives. It is a journey , a personal choice and a commitment. And it is really worth going for it!

If you are interested in making the choice to be happier here I share 10 of my favorite videos on  the subject.

Please share and let us know of any other video or resource on happiness you may know. I will add them to the list.

The surprising Science of Happiness

Dan Gilbert, author of “Stumbling on Happiness,” challenges the idea that we’ll be miserable if we don’t get what we want. Our “psychological immune system” lets us feel truly happy even when things don’t go as planned. About Dan Gilbert

The Science of Happiness – An Experiment in Gratitude

What makes you happy? Have you ever wondered why? Join us as we take an experimental approach on what makes people happier. Behind the Scenes of the episode!

The happiness habits. Matthieu Ricard

What is happiness, and how can we all get some? Buddhist monk, photographer and author Matthieu Ricard has devoted his life to these questions, and his answer is influenced by his faith as well as by his scientific turn of mind: We can train our minds in habits of happiness. Interwoven with his talk are stunning photographs of the Himalayas and of his spiritual community.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi: Flow, the secret to happiness

Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi asks, “What makes a life worth living?” Noting that money cannot make us happy, he looks to those who find pleasure and lasting satisfaction in activities that bring about a state of “flow.”

Happiness 101 with Tal Ben-Shahar

Tal Ben-Shahar teaches  Positive Psychology or “how to get happy” at Harvard University. He claims that you can be a “learned optimist” too. Just simplify. These are Ben-Shahar’s 6 Tips for Happiness:

1. Give yourself permission to be human
2. Happiness lies at the intersection between pleasure and meaning
3. Keep in mind that happiness is mostly dependent on our state of mind, not on our status or the state of our bank account
4. Simplify
5. Remember the mind-body connection
6. Express gratitude

Martin Seligman ‘Flourishing – a new understanding of wellbeing

Brene Brown: The power of vulnerability

In order for connection to happen, we have to allow ourselves to be seen — really seen.” ~ Brené Brown

Brene Brown studies human connection — our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk at TEDxHouston, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peyC2A9uuXA

Compassion: The Art of Happiness

Public talk given by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in Budapest, Hungary, on September 19th, 2010. His Holiness speaks in English followed by Hungarian translation. (www.dalailama.com)

 

Chade-Meng Tan: “Search Inside Yourself”, Authors at Google

Search Inside Yourself reveals how to calm your mind on demand and return it to a natural state of happiness, deepen self-awareness in a way that fosters self-confidence, harness empathy and compassion into outstanding leadership, and build highly productive collaborations based on trust and transparent communication. In other words, Search Inside Yourself shows you how to grow inner joy while succeeding at your work. Meng writes: “Some people buy books that teach them to be liked; others buy books that teach them to be successful. This book teaches you both. You are so lucky.”

Kabat Zinn

How can mindfulness change your life