ARTICLES & BLOG
3 is The Magic Number
Three is a magic number. Many good things come in 3s and it is small enough for our brains to work with.
I had put a request out on LinkedIn and Facebook. I am working on a blog article related to things in 3s such as:
Mind, Body and Spirit
Heaven, Earth, Hell
Past, Present, Future
Gas, Liquid, Solid
Creator, Maintainer, Destroyer
or 3 positive words such as
Enthusiastic, Inspiring and Encouraging
Any 3s that come to mind for you that I may be able to include in the article?
What 3 virtues would you like to be remembered for?
What are 3 items of clothing that give you joy?
Three is a magic number. Remember De La Soul singing that? If you do you are from the best generation!
Watch and listen to this video by De La Soul on The Magic Number, if you remember it, turn it up, smile and sing along. If it is new to you - still do the same before reading on.
Many good things come in 3s. It is small enough for our brains to work with. This is published as we come towards the month three of the year. Published on “30/03/2023” - (how many 3s?) around 3:33pm.
I had put a request out on LinkedIn and Facebook. I am working on a blog article related to things in 3s such as:
Mind, Body and Spirit
Heaven, Earth, Hell
Past, Present, Future
Gas, Liquid, Solid
Creator, Maintainer, Destroyer
or 3 positive words such as
Enthusiastic, Inspiring and Encouraging
Any 3s that come to mind for you that I may be able to include in the article?
Here are responses…which resonate with you? What would you add?
Happy Life Habits embodies these sets of 3:
Which 3 interest you? Let me know.
The 3 domains for personal development, science of happiness and spirituality I actively nurture and continue learn in by committing to a 300 day coaching program, writing, speaking and running workshops and training; and being involved in community groups (including faith based).
What 3 virtues would you like to be remembered for?
At a recent prayer meeting for a friend who was very much part of one of the communities we belong to and who we had been on holiday with; when speeches were given by family, friends and community members; I was reminded of these 3 things which contribute to our happiness.
Connection - Our friend, Mr K, was very much about connection and relationships. Studies such as the 85 year Harvard study led by Robert Waldinger have shown that these help us life long, healthy and happy lives. His friends of more than 67 years shared how Mr K encouraged them to buy a house on the same street he was on when a house came up for sale. In this way Mr K has many of his close friends and families living on the same street over 6 or more homes.
Kindness and sharing - When Mr K went to Wembley, more that 30 mins from where he lived, to get the famous, delicious crispy bhajias from Maru Bhajia House he would order extra portions and deliver these goodies to his friends.
Service and helping make memorable experiences - we heard many stories of his contribution to service and in creating memorable experiences. Examples where writing a diary/journal for each of his daughters, helping people have a memorable experience of Madeira by taking them to places and activities which he had already done many times before.
What 3 virtues would you like to be remembered for?
For me its : Enthusiastic, Inspiring and Encouraging
Bucket List of 3
Growing up I had a bucket list or goals list with many items. Some achieved some drifted away and some still to pursue. As I learnt more about the science of happiness where the research showed that experiences rather than material things adds to our happiness my focus has shifted to experiences.
Before it was to own a Ferrari. Now it is to rent a Ferrari for a weekend or a week.
To swim with the dolphins - preferably somewhere exotic
To do a hot air balloon ride over a scenic area
One of these is planned for this year. Have you any experience of the above 3? Any suggestions or advice?
What 3 things are on your bucket list?
Triple Dipping
I was reminded of the triple dipping of a positive experience:
The planning, the anticipation, the looking forward to
The actual experience unfolding, the moment to moment joy
The savouring in the future of the past experience, reliving and retelling the experience.
A bit more about savouring in this blog article BACK TO THE FUTURE: CREATING MEMORIES TO SAVOUR.
What is an experience you can savour?
3 Jackets / Coats for the seasons of Autumn, Winter and Spring
I highly encourage investing in 3 good quality coats or jackets for the different seasons. I have one for Winter, Autumn, Spring (Rain) - each is well made, comfortable, functional, a joy to wear and feel plus having plenty of pockets for hats, gloves, pens, phone etc.
What are 3 items of clothing that give you joy?
Gratitude to the power of 3
In our gratitude workshops and gratitude journaling training we share Robert Emmons insight about Gratitude to the power of 3. Gratitude has the power to :
Heal
Help us when we feel deflated / down, to energise us
Give us Hope for the future
3 good things
A popular happiness practice that I have as part of my daily routine is the 3 Good Things practice. It is one of the 5 positive psychology based practices in the Happiness Journal ( The 5 Minute Journal) that we supply, use and teach how to use. The practice counters the negative bias that is in the world by purposefully finding 3 good things that happened in the day. A focus on positivity, optimism and goodness. In the last week or so many good things happened. I’ll share 3 here.
Was on the receiving end of The Gratitude Letter Activity that we do in the 30 Day Gratitude and Journal Habit Immersion Training Course. Heard stories of others experiences and how they have adapted which is creating ripples further a field.
Celebrated International Day of Happiness with two Happiness Booster sessions where we used the gratitude cards. Great energising session combined with a wonderful sense of connection with familiar faces and strangers.
A focused, uplifting and knowledge sharing Master Mind Group Session where we continued to share with other the practices we are doing and the impact they are making. Plus shared the Law of the Garbage Truck. The story was shared to the Happy Life Habits Community and a member messaged to share their personal experience of applying the ideas from the story when they had been in an accident.
In addition to reading this blog article …What 3 good things happened to you this week?
The Happy Life Habits Pay it Forward Fund
Enables those who currently at this moment in time not be able to financially take part in the Happy Life Habits services to do so. It has been contributed to by generous people who believe in the services that Happy Life Habits provides.
During the last year we have been able to support 3 people.
Giving the Happiness Journal to a course attendee let them continue their practice one year after they had completed the 30 Day Gratitude and Journal Habit Immersion Training Course.
Provided partial funding to two people of the 30 Day Gratitude and Journal Habit Immersion Training Course.
Get in touch if you would like to pay it forward or if you would like to use the funds.
3 ways of staying connected to Happy Life Habits
We will be less active on social media using WhatsApp Community, email mailing list and sessions (virtual and in person) to enhance connection, community and coaching.
Join the new WhatsApp Community group that replaces the HLH Broadcast list. Stay informed about Happy Life Habits activities plus add value information such as events, offers, articles, videos, quotes plus dedicated HLH groups. Positively Impacting Happiness and Wellbeing Levels to go from theory to practice to mastery.
Average 2 messages a week.
Join the WhatsApp Happy Life Habits Community at https://chat.whatsapp.com/FJ4vetMGbEIEd2hH5BRfU2
Only admins will be able to see your name, number and message. No other members of the community will be able to contact you.
Join the HLH mailing list - see bottom of this page.
Attend a HLH session: talk, workshop, training course - virtual or in person.
3 ways of helping Happy Life Habits positively impacting happiness and wellbeing levels
Join a training course, workshop or service
Let people at your workplace, company, organisation, community group : HR, wellbeing officers and leaders know that Happy Life Habits can do talks, workshops and training that make a difference.
Help others know about HLH who may benefit from what we offer. You could help them positively change their life.
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day. We help you move out of the comfort zone and into the learning/growth zones. Our products and services help develop habits and continuous personal development.
If you want to receive articles, information on events and support Happy Life Habits sign up to the join the email list.
Facebook Group, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube etc links can be found at https://linktr.ee/HappyLifeHabits
Shaileen Shah is a Happiness Coach, Speaker and Trainer. Previously having been in finance technology for the investment banking arm of RBS during the RBS takeover of Natwest, the RBS takeover of ABN Ambro and the financial crisis he has experienced the challenges brought by uncertainty, change and stress. He is certified in The Science of Happiness and shares through Happy Life Habits. Happy Life Habits Positively Impacts Happiness & Well Being Levels by creatively and uniquely combining Personal Development + The Science of Happiness + Spirituality. A business for Good. For more information see HappyLifeHabits.co.uk.
Inner Cheerleader instead of Inner Critic
Inner Cheerleader instead of Inner Critic
2, 4, 6 8 Who Do We Appreciate?
Do you sometimes amaze yourself?
We often succumb to the inner critic we all have who tells us we can't do it, we not worthy, we are not good enough, it's going to fail etc.
I believe we have an Inner Cheerleader too.
Inner Cheerleader instead of Inner Critic
2, 4, 6 8 Who Do We Appreciate?
Do you sometimes amaze yourself?
We often succumb to the inner critic we all have who tells us we can't do it, we not worthy, we are not good enough, it's going to fail etc.
I believe we have an Inner Cheerleader too. I amazed myself yesterday. I went for a walk and chose to listen to the People on Purpose podcast by David Roberts which released the episode I am in on 1st Feb. We had recorded it end of last year so I had forgotten some of what we have covered.
It's bloody brilliant if I humbly say so myself, so rich in content, David has asked questions which give breadth and depth covering so much in 60 mins about life, happiness, wellbeing, stress, work life balance, habits, routines, practices, planning, my journey, personal development, science of happiness and spirituality.
Here are the show notes:
For this episode, David is joined by Shaileen Shah who is a happiness coach. He is the founder of Happy Life Habits. A business that helps people, communities, and companies to be happier, kinder, and more effective, and to respond in a meaningful way to the challenges that life and indeed wider society throws at us on a daily basis. Shaileen shares his own learning journey. Explaining how he explored the science of happiness and sharing some of these experiments and the results. Shaileen explains how to develop habits that naturally release the happy chemicals and flush away the stress chemicals. Something that automatically makes you feel happier as well as benefiting your health and improving the balance in your life.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Shaileen´s approach is informed by scientific studies into happiness as well as by cultural practices. Doing the things that naturally release the happy chemicals in your body is powerful. Hedonic happiness is fleeting. Eudaimonic happiness goes far deeper. Pro-social practices contribute massively to happiness. Acknowledge negative emotions like anger, but don't dwell on them. You have to actively counter society's negative bias. Shaileen shares several ways to do this. Connection with others is really important. Be aware of what you have achieved in the past year. It can be used as fuel to take you further. Take stock 4 or 5 times a year. Life is short, make the absolute most of it.
BEST MOMENTS
‘With that timeout, I revisited and really looked at the things which were important to me, I reflected, I looked at my values again,’ ‘Happiness is not just a fleeting emotion, it's bigger than that.’ ‘There is flex in my planning, if an opportunity comes along, which I hadn't planned for, but it feels right … I say yes to this’
It is 60 mins, take 10 minutes and listen today, if you like what you hear listen to another 10 today or tomorrow and repeat. (use link in original post or one shared in comments)
What's your Inner Cheerleader cheering you on about?
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day. We help you move out of the comfort zone and into the learning/growth zones. Our products and services help develop habits and continuous personal development.
If you want to receive articles, information on events and support Happy Life Habits sign up to the join the email list.
Facebook Group, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube etc links can be found at https://linktr.ee/HappyLifeHabits
Shaileen Shah is a Happiness Coach, Speaker and Trainer. Previously having been in finance technology for the investment banking arm of RBS during the RBS takeover of Natwest, the RBS takeover of ABN Ambro and the financial crisis he has experienced the challenges brought by uncertainty, change and stress. He is certified in The Science of Happiness and shares through Happy Life Habits. Happy Life Habits Positively Impacts Happiness & Well Being Levels by creatively and uniquely combining Personal Development + The Science of Happiness + Spirituality. A business for Good. For more information see HappyLifeHabits.co.uk.
Back to the Future: Creating memories to Savour
The word savour (savor in American English) is an interesting word, it is a verb. It has at least 2 meanings in the dictionary:
To fully enjoy the taste or smell of something
To fully enjoy a time or experience
Back to the Future The Musical
The word savour (savor in American English) is an interesting word, it is a verb. It has at least 2 meanings in the dictionary:
To fully enjoy the taste or smell of something
To fully enjoy a time or experience
I feel the first definition is limited to taste and smell when I feel it should be all the senses. Another definition I feel encompasses the sentiment better :
to enjoy food or an experience slowly, in order to enjoy it as much as possible
This extends to one more which is the one we will use in this article:
attempt to fully feel, enjoy, and extend our positive experiences
The practice of savouring leads to more happiness. We can savour all three tenses of time: Past, Present and Future. I have enjoyed this practice. I share a few examples here.
Savouring the Past
Recently I enjoyed reminiscing about a convention that I co-led 20 years ago for Young Jains, a faith organisation I volunteer for. The experience 20 years ago was amazing, creative, high energy and innovative with wonderful team work. Individually I enjoyed seeing some photos, reading a souvenir magazine and listening to music from the event. We hosted a 20 Year catch up and some people who had attended 20 years ago joined sharing their experiences and memories. This led to a feel good energy, re-living the positive experiences and memories and a sense of community and connection. A benefit of savouring the past positive experiences is you get to live them again and create new memories.
Another example is Facebook popping up a memory from 2018 when we took part in a volunteering programme in India with the Jain school that we are part of. It brought back many good memories and associated with it good feelings.
What is a past experience that you savour?
Savouring the Future
I enjoy planning for the future, having events and activities scheduled in the diary to look forward to. These may be a holiday, trip away, catch-up with family/friends, visit to theatre etc. The anticipation and looking forward to generating positive emotions and good feelings as much as the actual event. An example of this is booking tickets for the Back To the Future musical months in advance of chosen visit date. Back To the Future is a classic film I grew up with so we are already onto a winner. Again looking forward to the actual day with much enthusiasm was wonderful. The musical did not disappoint; great sets, acting, humour, music and a De Lorean. It was a shared experience with my family. We created a memory that we can relish and savour in the future.
What is a future experience you can schedule to later savour?
Savouring in the Present
A key to savouring the past or the future is to be fully present in the present. To be mindful, engaged in the moment, aware and enjoy it. Some examples I have experienced are:
A few years ago I took part in a retreat where the meal at lunch time was in silence. I ate mindfully, chewing slowly, observing and enjoying each bite and chew. Savouring the taste, experience and textures.
During a full packed day with my wife visiting London we enjoyed St Paul’s Cathedral with a tour, boat trip on the Thames, lovely vegan meal, Mama Mia the Musical with a walk across Waterloo bridge at night time. Each of those moments I experienced being in the moment, enjoying it and not thinking about the experience before or coming after. This led to deeper enjoyment of each moment.
Ways to Savour
Journaling
The Happiness Journal (the 5 minute journal) we supply and use in the Happy Life Habits 30 Day Gratitude & Journal Habit Immersion Training Course helps capture some savouring across the past, present and future with sections on gratitude, what would make today great and what was amazing about today.
Facebook memories
Capture memories in Facebook on your timeline and enjoy savouring when Facebook pops up the memory on it’s anniversary
Google Photos
Capture your digital photos and store them in google photos letting it pop up the memories on your phone. I enjoyed seeing memories from 14 years ago.
Create memories to savour
Book, schedule experiences and activities. Even better if you can book them with someone else to create shared memories.
Take photos / videos. My son recently turned 18. A great idea would have been to take a photo of him on each birthday and capture it in an album. Likewise for anniversaries.
Happy Life Habits events, talks, workshops and training are a great opportunity to create positive memories and emotions. The waiting list for the 30 Day Gratitude and Journal Habit Immersion Training Course is open.
We enjoy celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and World Days… see below.
Happy Life Habits us supporting World Values Day 20th October
Have a Great Day
There goes another day of your life. How did you live it?
What did you choose?
Happy Life Habits is celebrating the following upcoming World Days.
World Mindfulness Day : Monday 12th September
World Gratitude Day (Also International Day of Peace) : Wednesday 21st September
Shaileen Shah's Birthday : Monday 26th September
World Values Day : Thursday 20th October
World Kindness Day : Sunday 13th November
We hold dear Mindfulness, Gratitude, Kindness, Values and Birthdays as reminders of the things important in our life and essential for our happiness, wellbeing and a good life. An opportunity to celebrate, reflect, re-enforce and connect.
If you would like a passionate, enthusiastic, inspiring and encouraging talk or workshop on these topics during the World Day or the week the World Day falls in then look no further than Happy Life Habits. This is what we believe in and live by : Positively Impacting Happiness and Wellbeing Levels (every day)!
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day.
We help you move out of the comfort zone and into the learning/growth zones. Our products and services help develop habits and continuous personal development.
These include the 30 Day Gratitude and Journaling Habit Immersion Training Course and the monthly MasterMind Group sessions
Great investments that produce outstanding results - guaranteed!
The Happiness Journal used by Tim Ferris, Emma Watson and Shaileen Shah (pretty much every day for the last 6.5 years) is a great starter tool to shift your mood and develop morning routines. For a DIY option the journal is available for £27 (£30 inc p&p in UK, international please enquire. Order 2 or more journals at £25 each).
This is a perfect, unique and life changing gift that can be gifted for:
teachers at the end of the year as a thank you
Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings
graduations, new job
staff / employees
In fact it has been well received as a corporate gift by staff, clients and suppliers when given by my clients. (Enquire for bulk orders and add value workshops). A journal workshop and 30 Day gratitude & journal habit immersion training course (running for the last 2 years) are also available.
Contact Shaileen@HappyLifeHabits.co.uk for any enquiries.
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day. We help you move out of the comfort zone and into the learning/growth zones. Our products and services help develop habits and continuous personal development.
If you want to receive articles, information on events and support Happy Life Habits sign up to the join the email list.
Facebook Group, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube etc links can be found at https://linktr.ee/HappyLifeHabits
Shaileen Shah is a Happiness Coach, Speaker and Trainer. Previously having been in finance technology for the investment banking arm of RBS during the RBS takeover of Natwest, the RBS takeover of ABN Ambro and the financial crisis he has experienced the challenges brought by uncertainty, change and stress. He is certified in The Science of Happiness and shares through Happy Life Habits. Happy Life Habits Positively Impacts Happiness & Well Being Levels by creatively and uniquely combining Personal Development + The Science of Happiness + Spirituality. A business for Good. For more information see HappyLifeHabits.co.uk.
What strategies do you use to keep calm through challenging situations?
On the Happy Life Habits Community Facebook Group we regularly share quotes, reflective / thought provoking questions, articles and events. We recently asked “What strategies do you use to keep calm through challenging situations?” and have a good response to it.
May prove to be useful this month as students get their “A” Level and “GCSE” results.
On the Happy Life Habits Community Facebook Group we regularly share quotes, reflective / thought provoking questions, articles and events. The below we asked recently and have a good response to it.
May prove to be useful this month as students get their “A” Level and “GCSE” results.
My friend Deepa shared a whole series of useful ideas many of which resonate with the Self care ideas we have shared in the past:
Wow, so many strategies to help re-set:
1. Movement - walk, workout, trampoline, yogasanas, garba!
2. Sing - usually devotional music, raises my vibrational frequency!
3. Talk to friends, seek guidance, especially if it's new challenges.
4. Rest, give my nervous system a chance to feel, heal. Guided yoga nidra is great.
5. Go out into nature, tap into the natural healing components of the sun, the greenery, water, earth, air.
6. Listen to relevant podcasts/clips which help inform so can take the next steps with more awareness.
7. Just be, take time to pause, to just be. It's not as easy if the mind is on overdrive. But needs to be trained, cultivated so that you have access to do this.
8. Give myself a chance to process the heightened emotions. Often in times of stillness, usually first thing in the morning or last thing at night - poetry comes out! Sometimes in the middle of the night too, when I wake up! (Journalling and gratitude also effective)
9. Continuous practice of meditation and prayer. So much inner power there.
10. Connect - find what works best for you to connect back to your real truth/soul centre, any of the above may help.
11. Sometimes watching funny shows, just gives you a light-hearted needed distraction!
12. Pranic healing.
13. Reminding myself of certain quotes, eg 'life happens for us not to us'. For our growth and evolution.
Oh I should write, I do a lot of venting out too I find that helpful, rather than bottling up.
Oh and also crying if your system allows, so healthy and releasing.
2 Things you can help us with…
We are asking for your help on 2 activities for Happy Life Habits to grow and sustain positively impacting Happiness & Wellbeing Levels
(1) Help on renaming Happy Life Habits YoutTube channel
I'll be sharing some videos on YouTube which won't necessarily be immediately shared on Facebook, Instagram or LinkedIn.
Asking for a favour, if you subscribe to the Happy Life Habits YouTube Channel you will get the videos first and not miss any. Plus if we get 100 subscribers I can rename the channel from a random link name to Happy Life Habits. Really appreciate if you are able to subscribe to the YouTube channel and help us rename the link. After we have renamed, if the find the content not useful feel free to unsubscribe.
Here is the current link https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCxIVX_KsPU_1i_7GXZg1uBQ
(2) Opportunities to take part in podcasts, webinars, lives etc
If you know any podcasters please share this with them.
If you host a podcast, webinar or lives I'm currently available as a podcast guest.
I'm a Happiness Coach, Speaker and Trainer trained in the Science of Happiness rewiring hearts and minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day.
See the poster for topics and here for past recordings of podcasts/webinars.
Been in corporate world experiencing work related stress, grief, mental health, work life balance challenges and have developed habits for positivity, happiness, resilience and productivity.
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day.
We help you move out of the comfort zone and into the learning/growth zones. Our products and services help develop habits and continuous personal development.
These include the 30 Day Gratitude and Journaling Habit Immersion Training Course and the monthly MasterMind Group sessions
Great investments that produce outstanding results - guaranteed!
The Happiness Journal used by Tim Ferris, Emma Watson and Shaileen Shah (pretty much every day for the last 6.5 years) is a great starter tool to shift your mood and develop morning routines. For a DIY option the journal is available for £27 (£30 inc p&p in UK, international please enquire. Order 2 or more journals at £25 each).
This is a perfect, unique and life changing gift that can be gifted for:
teachers at the end of the year as a thank you
Birthdays, anniversaries, weddings
graduations, new job
staff / employees
In fact it has been well received as a corporate gift by staff, clients and suppliers when given by my clients. (Enquire for bulk orders and add value workshops). A journal workshop and 30 Day gratitude & journal habit immersion training course (running for the last 2 years) are also available.
Contact Shaileen@HappyLifeHabits.co.uk for any enquiries.
Happy Life Habits rewires hearts & minds for better productivity, happiness and wellbeing in 10 minutes a day. We help you move out of the comfort zone and into the learning/growth zones. Our products and services help develop habits and continuous personal development.
If you want to receive articles, information on events and support Happy Life Habits sign up to the join the email list.
Facebook Group, Instagram, LinkedIn, Youtube etc links can be found at https://linktr.ee/HappyLifeHabits
Shaileen Shah is a Happiness Coach, Speaker and Trainer. Previously having been in finance technology for the investment banking arm of RBS during the RBS takeover of Natwest, the RBS takeover of ABN Ambro and the financial crisis he has experienced the challenges brought by uncertainty, change and stress. He is certified in The Science of Happiness and shares through Happy Life Habits. Happy Life Habits Positively Impacts Happiness & Well Being Levels by creatively and uniquely combining Personal Development + The Science of Happiness + Spirituality. A business for Good. For more information see HappyLifeHabits.co.uk.