My previous post is about finding my purpose, and I came up with a surprisingly simple and, in my opinion, profound way to find constant happiness. But what are some things I can do to achieve this purpose consistently? I am a believer in the slow, consistent, and exponential growth payoff of habits.

So, what are some habits I can develop to keep true to my purpose? I ran across an amazing talk, You Are Contagious by Vanessa Van Edward, that offers tips and assistance on this very thing.

Vanessa’s hypothesis is that we can positively affect and improve the well-being of people around us, even strangers, in surprisingly simple ways:

  1. Non-verbally: In face-to-face situations, our primary communication style is typically either verbal or written, but we can do better:

    • Using animated hand gestures emphasizes energy, passion, and excitement.
    • Using emojis in written messages is a simple and effective way to signal interest and encouragement.

  2. Verbally: Try to structure your inquiries to bring good memories to the surface, as they improve the mood immediately.

    • What is something exciting that you are working on?
    • Anything good happen lately?
    • Tell me about your last vacation.
    • Who has inspired you recently?
    • What’s a win you’re celebrating this week?
    • What’s a book, movie, or song that made you happy recently?

  3. Emotionally: Our emotions can be manipulated in ways that can be beneficial for both us and others.

    • Saying out loud that we are excited instead of nervous before doing a talk or a performance.
    • Practicing gratitude by sharing things you appreciate about someone directly with them.
    • Using affirmations to encourage both yourself and others, such as “I believe you can do this!”
    • Celebrating small victories with genuine enthusiasm to uplift the mood.
    • Reflecting joyfully on past experiences and sharing those moments with others.

Incorporating these habits into daily life aligns perfectly with my purpose of making others feel good about interacting with me. Small, intentional actions can ripple outwards, creating positive impacts in ways we might not expect. Slow and steady efforts can indeed lead to exponential growth in our ability to foster joy and connection.