Don’t you wish that instead learning about Ancient Mesopotamia and the speed of electrons at school, they had taught us something more practical – for example, how to be happy.

In fact, this subject is taught. Just not at high school but at Harvard University. The course is called Positive Psychology and its underlying premise is that we can learn to be happier, just as we can learn to drive a car or to speak a foreign language.

For everyone, who does not plan on applying to Harvard in the near future, below are

10 Happiness Tips from Harvard’s very-sought-after lecturer Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar:

1. Become conscious of things that make you happy

There is a great little technique to do this. Take a piece of paper and complete the following sentence: “To bring 5% more happiness into my life…”

Think of experiences, not things. It is not a million dollars that will make you happy. It is the opportunity to spend more time with your family, to travel around the world, to gain financial stability. But Dr. Tal Ben-Shahar, suggest that we start with the smaller blessings.
If you feel that you have run out of ideas, here are some things from my list.

2. Combine pleasure and meaning

Aristotle had a great concept called “golden mean”. He believed that we should look for a desirable middle between two extremes. This makes a lot of sense, but when it comes to making everyday life choices, we often forget to follow his sage advice.

Let’s take food for example…

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Do you set reminders on your iPhone or PC, so that you do not forget about work meetings, medical appointments, relatives’ birthdays and other important tasks?

And what about self-help reminders that help you to stay grounded, optimistic, creative and focused throughout the day?

I have plenty of these around my house. They might not make sense to anyone except for me, but they help me to cultivate awareness and stay focused on things I would most likely forget to do.

For example, I have a note by my laptop that says, “Remember to blink”. I put it there after I read that we tend to blink less when we look at a computer screen or a TV monitor, which makes our eyes feel tired and irritated and strained. Reminding myself to take a few minutes and just blink rapidly is one of my resolutions to keep my vision from declining again.

There is also a big poster in my bathroom that says, “The poor long for riches, the rich long for heaven, but only the wise long for tranquility”. It is hard to explain why, but this quote by Swami Rama leaves me feeling peaceful and relaxed at the end of the day.

Maybe you have such reminders around your house as well?

I recently walked into my friend’s office and saw a piece of paper attached to the wall that said, “Find a way”. Chris told me that whenever he was facing a problem or had to make an important decision, staring at the blank wall in front of him, made him feel even more stuck. Having a sign there that said “Find a way” had helped him to stay focused on possible solutions and stay more productive.

This is not as strange as it may seem at a first glace.

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Have you ever read a great quote and thought, “Why didn’t I think of that? It is so simple!”

This is the power of brilliantly said self-help quotes – they pass your through your mind and find immediate response in your heart.

It does not matter if you read them when you are 10 or 87, they will still remind and inspire you to be kinder, to dream bolder, to work harder, to forgive faster, and to love deeper without expecting anything in return.

I noticed long ago that whenever I start my day with a positive and inspiring quote it is much easier for me to stay focused on the things I prize the most and to be more patient with myself and those around me.

Today I thought maybe you too are in need of some motivation and positive energy. If this is the case, I want to share with you some carefully selected Self-Help Quotes that are very dear to my heart. I hope that they will inspire you to continue improving yourself (because that is what all great quotes are supposed to do).

1. “The best way to predict the future is to create it.”
Peter F. Drucker

2. “Believe in Yourself and there will come a day when others will have no choice but to believe with you.”
Cynthia Kersey

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