Asking Alexa About Happiness

The other day I asked Alexa what the key to happiness is, and Alexa said, “I’m sorry I don’t have an answer for that.”

I’m not sure I have an answer either, but there are two things that had that occurred to me that are extremely important for having a happy life.

One is to be in the moment, to be present and mindful of what’s happening right in the moment that keeps other thoughts at bay, and often times when we’re thinking about the past, particularly disappointments or things we can’t control in the future, we get anxious or upset about that, and so by staying focused on what’s happening right in the moment, we stay more connected to what’s right there in front of us.

And that relates to the second point, which is being grateful for the things that we have. For me, I do a gratitude exercise each day where I try to think of on my way out to my car, all the things I’m grateful for starting with health and just feeling okay physically, and move on from that to the people in my life that I am grateful for. When you stay focused on the moment and think about what you’re grateful for every day, I think that goes a long way to feeling happy in life.

Here are two simple “assignments” you can try this week to put these ideas into practice:

• Mindfulness Homework: Choose one routine activity—your morning coffee, a daily commute, or a walk between meetings—and commit to doing it mindfully. That means no multitasking, no distractions—just notice what you see, hear, and feel in that moment. (To help, you might try to “count” the number of moves or actions it takes to make your coffee, for example, or look for three new things you hadn’t noticed before on the morning commute.) After a few days, reflect on whether that small shift helped you feel calmer or more present during the rest of your day.
• “Three Good Things” Homework: At the end of each day this week, write down three good things that happened and why they happened. It could be a colleague’s help, a small win, or simply how it felt to look outside at the sunrise. This habit not only boosts your mood, it also helps you lead with perspective and appreciation. Here’s an excellent video of Penn professor Martin Seligman explaining the exercise: https://www.coursera.org/lecture/positive-psychology-visionary-science/try-this-at-home-building-the-skill-of-gratitude-suggested-exercise-what-went-GU2fd

Happiness may not be in Alexa’s database —but staying present and practicing gratitude gives us something solid to return to every day.