by Dr Andy Cope
If I told you that you could have 30% more energy and 27% more happiness, you’d be interested, right? If I told you this energy was clean, green and renewable, I’d have your undivided attention. If I threw in the fact that this extra energy/happiness combo is totally free – you’d be like, where do I sign?
I’ve been studying the science of happiness for the last 15 years (I’m an actual doctor of it. YES really!) and I’ve discovered that too many people are counting down to their weekends, next holiday, or retirement, accidentally falling into the trap of wishing their lives away.
But there a few outliers – people who are bursting with energy and enthusiasm – folk whose happiness and positivity leak out into the people around them. They’re the ones I’ve been studying.
Brace yourself for some big thoughts. As we go through life we accumulate experiences and add layers of who we think we should be. We’re striving to be a good parent or a good employee, partner, lover and carer, whilst also keeping on top of our emails. There’s certain etiquette about how we think we should behave in certain situations. And, to be frank, life can get a bit serious. We learn that Mondays are bad and Fridays are good. We become mummified under layers and layers who we think we’re supposed to be.
But what if all those layers means we sometimes forget who we really are? What if we all have that joyful abundance bubbling inside but it gets covered over? And therefore what if the secret to eternal happiness isn’t to learn a whole load of new stuff? What if the secret to being our best self is to peel back some of the layers to reveal who you truly are when you’re being your best self. It’s more than self-improvement. I call it ‘self-remembering’.
And ‘self-remembering’ becomes super-important in the career you’ve chosen. Working with little people is great fun, but also physically and emotionally draining. Because it’s underpaid and undervalued, you can fall into the trap of being a bit, you know, mediocre.
But what if true wealth isn’t just about pay. What if it’s about creating value for society and making a dent in the universe. Setting up the next generation for a lifetime of learning is a pretty cool job. It’s what you do. Day in, day out.
It’s quite focusing to realise that when the kids get home, they role play being YOU!
The question is therefore, what kind of person do you want them to be role playing?
The chances are you are that person on a Friday. My advice is to quit waiting. It’s time to fall in love with Mondays.
Dr Andy Cope
Qualified teacher, best-selling author, happiness expert and recovering academic.
