What Makes You Happy?
Are you Dissatisfied at Work?

What makes you happy? If you're feeling dissatisfied at work and think a bigger paycheck is your key to happiness, you better think again.

According to studies done by the Templeton Foundation in England, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the U.S., and the University of Illinois, once your basic needs are met, having more money does little to make you more satisfied with your life.

What does make most people happiest? Spending time with family and friends, and contributing to the lives of others.

The two biggest things that lower people's happiness levels? Losing a spouse, and losing a job.

If you're feeling low, here are five steps you can take to lift your mood:

  1. Be thankful for the things that bring you joy. Make a list, and add to it continuously. Include insignificant things (a delicious cup of coffee in the morning) and important things (a parent's recovery from an illness).

  2. Be kind. I've seen this on a bumper sticker: "Practice Random Acts of Kindness." Include both random and planned acts of kindness. Whether it's helping a stranger to pick up a bag of dropped groceries, or treating a friend to lunch, it'll make you feel good to be kind to others.

  3. Thank someone. Whether their deed was big or small, show gratitude when someone has helped you. It'll make you feel good to say them, and make them feel good to hear them--the two magic words, "Thank you!" (Of course, it goes without saying that you should thank people after a job interview, right? See the article, "Thoughtful Thank-Yous," below.)

  4. Get rid of the grudge. It's impossible to go through life and never get your feelings hurt. But becoming angry, holding a grudge or dwelling on feelings of resentment only make things worse. Think about it--do you enjoy feeling angry or upset? Even if the person who wronged you never apologizes, forgive him/her. Get over it and move on.

  5. Spend more time with family and friends. As previously mentioned, this is what makes most of us happiest. (I think you can count pets in this category, as well.) You've probably heard that a man on his deathbed will not be thinking, "I wish I'd spent more time at work." Get your priorities straight and you'll be much happier. So will your family and friends!

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Additional Job Interview Q&A; Info

For even more information about job interview questions and how to answer them, consider the "Job Interview Success System."

One of the 5 key components of this system is a 31-page report entitled "How to Give Job-Winning Answers to Interview Questions." In addition to giving more tips and strategies on general answering techniques, it lists 45 of the easiest, toughest, silliest and most common job interview questions as well as how to respond to them.


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