Five Pathways to a Happy Life

Michael Eales, psychologist, writer, and leadership coach for 27 years, is one of the leading figures in Humanistic Psychology. He has been facilitating with Skyros holidays for a number of years in Skyros Island, Greece; Thailand and Cambodia.

Here he gives his top five tips on following the path of happiness. If you are considering a Life Choices course in Skyros, Greece, this season; read on for more, and get a good feel for what the inspiring Life Choices courses entail…

There are five key pathways that make it more likely than not that we will feel more happy and fulfilled.

1) Discover your sense of purpose. Perhaps you’ve done it once already... The family has grown up and left the nest, the business is a success. So, what now? What are your dreams? What do you hope for? Whether family, work, friends, or something completely new, discover your sense of purpose.

2) Engage with others. Do you spend enough time with the friends who really support you? One of the things people often come to regret is not giving enough time for, or losing touch with family and friends.  So get a diary, and be sure to pencil to quality time together.

3) Enjoy the little things in life. When was the last time you really tasted a meal rather than rushing around or eating in front of the TV? When did you last sit down, alone, and listen to your favourite music? When did you last laugh until your belly hurt? Set some time aside for something you really enjoy, and let your inner child run free.

4) Emotional resilience. When we are ‘just surviving’ we often become reactive, despondent, and judgemental. To protect ourselves we often hide within our comfort zone. Part of the answer is to manage our stress, to keep fit and eat healthily. Another important part is to get support, to talk things through, which often means finding ways to walk toward our fears rather than running away.

5) Live for right now. Don’t dwell on negatives of past and future. Take a moment, sit comfortably, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. When your mind wanders, stop! Concentrate on your breathing. Let your worries and stresses, filter away.

These five pathways to happiness are key to a Skyros Holiday: Reflect on your life and rethink your direction, with expert support. Meet like minded people, swim in the sea, eat good food, dance, sing and be creative. With quality listening and emotional support, you can slow down, learn to meditate, practice yoga, or just relax and read a book by the sea.

You can join Michael in Skyros this September for his course ‘The Path of Happiness,’ where he will help you to transform blocks and fears so you can learn to live life with more strength and resourcefulness. You can also join Michael in Thailand and Cambodia to kick start 2013 in style. See www.skyros.com for more. Do something good for yourself this year. It’s time to laugh until your belly hurts.