Domonique Bertolucci - 100 Days Happier: Daily Inspiration for Life-long Happiness

Contents

For Sophia and Tobias Lara and Joshua Isabelle
Mia, Noah and Stella
Elena and Daniel

If you want to learn about happiness, spend time in the company of a child.

Happiness depends upon ourselves.

ARISTOTLE

I M OFTEN ASKED, What is the secret to happiness?

Most people are looking for happiness in all the wrong places. They think its something they can achieve or acquire; theyll be happy when theyve done this or got that. Theyre looking to discover the one thing that will guarantee their happiness, so they can relax and enjoy the ride.

Many years ago, following what I call my quarter-life crisis, I made the decision to be happy. I stopped trying to be perfect, worrying what other people thought about me and let go of my need to be in control. I ended a relationship, changed career and made the commitment to being proactive about my pursuit of fulfilment.

I also changed the way I had thought about happiness up until that time. I learned that while I deserved to be happy, it wasnt something I could take for granted. I also had to do something about it.

Its been almost twenty years since I first made that empowering decision and if Ive learned anything in that time, its that you dont just choose to be happy once. Lasting happiness is something that you need to create, each and every day, through the simple choices that you make.

When I wrote The Happiness Code: Ten keys to being the best you can be, I wanted to explain to people the how of happiness: the principles you need to adopt to make happiness a way of life.

This book takes those principles and shows you how to apply them in your life by making small daily changes in the way you think and act, changes that will ultimately create a fundamental shift in the way you feel about who you are and the life you are living.

You could sit down and read this book from cover to cover, but if you really want to be happy, choose one page each day and put that idea into action. It doesnt matter if you do this in sequence or choose a random page each day. What matters is that you do it, and keep doing it, until the actions described become second nature to you.

Whats the secret to happiness? Youre holding it in your hands.

If you would like to learn more about unlocking the secret to lifelong happiness you can download a range of free resources, including The Happiness Code Workbook, from domoniquebertolucci.com.

You can download the 100 Days Happier app from your favourite app store and get daily inspiration delivered direct to your phone.

Happiness is a choice. Choose to be happy and you will be.

When you wake up each morning, take a moment to think about the kind of life you want to have.

Consciously choose to have a happy life: one that is filled with love, laughter, good health and success.

Then begin your day focused on the things you can do to make this your reality.

So many of lifes eventualities are beyond your control. Work out what things you can influence and come to a peaceful acceptance of the rest.

Sometimes everything will go your way and on other days nothing at all seems to go right.

If you are having one of those days, instead of wasting your energy raging against something you cant control, take a deep breath and accept it.

That way, even though the moment may be ruined, your day wont have to be.

Accept the past, dream of the future, but live in the moment.

Some people waste their time thinking of what might have been. Others spend all their time thinking of what could be.

If you want to get the most out of your day, make sure that today is where you focus your energy and attention.

Your expectations determine your experience. Expect the best from life and you will usually get it.

Start each day expecting nothing but good things to come your way.

Even though life may present you with all manner of ups and downs, having the right attitude will ensure your day will be a good one regardless of what you are given to work with.

Believe in yourself, believe in your dreams and believe in your right to achieve your dreams.

Before you start your day, take a minute to visualise your life as if your hopes and dreams were your reality.

Pay attention to how comfortable and natural it feels to be living this life. Then carry that feeling of quiet confidence about the future with you as you go about your day.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is, How do I hold myself back? Once you know the answer you can get out of your way.

Listen to your inner dialogue. Every time you find yourself saying but to one of your ideas, what you are really doing is putting an obstacle in your path.

Challenge yourself today to rethink your ideas as if there were no buts.

Worrying about money is one of the biggest causes of unhappiness, but no amount of money can make you happy unless you change the way you feel about it.

No matter how much money you have, it wont make you happy if youre not already happy. And no matter how much you spend, you wont be able to buy happiness either.

Remind yourself that a poverty mentality might not have a big impact on the amount of money you have in the bank in the future, but it can have a dramatic effect on your ability to appreciate the real wealth and abundance in your life today.

Being generous is not just about the decisions you make with your wallet. Being generous with your time and energy is just as important.

When life gets busy its easy to put off getting in touch with family or friends with the excuse that there are never enough hours in the day.

If you find yourself holding back from connecting with someone you love today because you dont have the time, remind yourself that you do. You just need to make a better choice about how to spend it.

Although happiness is a state of being, it usually still requires some doing if it is to be lasting in your life.

Ask yourself, What can I do today that will make me happy?

This doesnt have to be a grand gesture or lofty goal. Just come up with one simple idea each day and then go and do it!

Being the best you can be takes courage. You need to own your decisions and have the courage to see them through.

Its easy to allow yourself to drift from one thing to another without ever really taking charge of your life. But not making a decision is actually a decision in itself.