via How to have happy relationships | Luisa Dillner | Life and style | The Guardian.

via Marc B. Levin: Does Your Mind Impact Your Health?.

via Joel & Michelle Levey: Understanding The Science Of Gratitude.

Workplace culture and job satisfaction have a big impact on wellbeing and absence. OH practitioners should address this, argues Anna Harrington.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) recognises mental health as a state of wellbeing in which “every individual realises his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community” (Oct, 2009).

The choices that people make and the behaviours they exhibit are often influenced by the context in which they find themselves. Those behaviours may or may not enhance wellbeing. The context will overtly or covertly place rules and guidance on attitudes and behaviours. Within the workplace this is often referred to as the organisational culture.

via Organisational culture influences employee wellbeing.

via HR Magazine – Ways to be level-headed about stress.

When talking about resilience we often tend to focus on behaviour particularly in relation to those things that are outside of ourselves. So in a work situation, for example, we might look at the influence of resources, control, work/life balance, job security etc as drains on our wellbeing.

However, the reason why we emphasize the inner dimensions is the realization that although outer conditions are important contributors to our wellbeing or suffering, in the end the mind can override that.

You can retain inner strength and wellbeing in very difficult situations. Who hasn’t been faced with a big challenge, when everything is going pear-shaped, and through sheer strength of will, drawn the situation to a successful conclusion?

Alternatively there are times when we have been a total wreck when everything seems to be perfect to the outside world..

When you know this, then it’s important to learn what inner conditions can build resilience that leads back to wellbeing and how to develop them. Here are 8 inner dimensions, drawn from our Wellbeing Wheel, that can develop to improve wellbeing and resilience>

1. A sense of self worth, self esteem and self confidence. This is the ‘ground’ of wellbeing as without this we are not in balance to start with.

2. Finding the quiet space within in order to get out of the mental agitation that goes along with being knocked out of balance.

3. Harnessing the power of our emotions rather than being driven by them.

4. Have a sense of identity, purpose and direction – when we bounce back it’s good to have something to bounce back to.

5. The ability to nurture the self; to health and strengthen those parts of us that feel threatened and teach ourselves how to restore balance.

6. The ability to lead one’s life; to be ‘at cause’ rather than ‘at effect’.

7. To know and have access to your inner and outer resources to provide the courage needed for right action.

8. Have a sense of vitality and enthusiasm for your life and to be deeply engaged.

When we learn to develop these inner conditions then we are much stronger to deal with life’s inevitable changes and challenges.

Find out more at Wellbeing Journey

Research now suggests companies that try to make employees happy could benefit from improved levels of productivity. Where Sloughs most famous office manager leads, eminent economists follow. David Brents declaration that he wanted to be remembered as “the man who put a smile on the face of all who he met” may once have been dismissed as management mumbo jumbo.

But it appears the Brentmeister General may have been on to something. A team of economists has now produced research that suggests there are clear links between workers happiness and their productivity.

via Happy people really do work harder | Science | The Observer.

David Rand: The more friends you have that are content with their lives, the more likely you are to become content. And the more friends you have that are discontent, the more likely you are to become discontent.

via Happiness and Sadness Are Contagious: An Interview With David Rand | Fast Company.

“But some psychologists are quick to point out that more is not always better.  Too much happiness can make someone exceedingly obnoxious and difficult to relate to.  Too much optimism can lead us to make poor decisions and to lose touch with reality.  And even strengths in an exaggerated form can become a weakness (as confidence becomes arrogance, honesty becomes brutal, curiosity becomes nosiness, etc.)”

via Mental Yoga: Why Psychological Flexibility is the Key to Your Wellbeing | The Psychology of Wellbeing.