Happiness Coach Presents Tips to CSU Students

Cleveland State's student chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) hosted a lecture by Jim Smith last Thursday at the Nance college of business administration. Smith titles himself as the executive happiness coach, and he came to campus for a networking event which was open to students of all majors.

"You can actually fake happiness, and create it for yourself," said Smith.

Smith, who has worked in business and human resources for more than 20 years, is an active leader in the SHRM. Smith said he began his coaching after "bad experiences" and "unhappy situations in his life."

Speaking about his experiences in his business career, Smith said, "Bad leaders create toxic cultures, and good leaders create good cultures."

Smith's presentation was interactive and involved audience participation. Throughout the 45 minute session, Smith provided simple methods anyone can use to make themselves happier, if they only knew how to do them.

A simple thing Smith told the audience to do is to "perform acts of kindness." He said that in addition to making someone else feel better, a simple act of kindness allows one to feel good about oneself as well.

One notable idea Smith provided that seems contrary to happiness is to "take your own oxygen first." He described this idea as being similar to the oxygen masks in airplanes for emergency use. Some people may view it as selfish to put your mask on before you help others with their masks, but, he went on to say, if you don't take care of yourself first, you won't be in a condition to help others.

Smith was able to get the audience involved during an exercise which showed how something as simple as posture can affect one's demeanor. He told audience members to cross their arms and legs, hunch their shoulders and look down. Smith pointed out that such posture makes one breathe more shallowly and feel tense or irritable.

When Smith directed the audience to stand with a wide stance, relaxed shoulders and head held up while breathing from just below the navel, he explained that the position was one of openness and calm that promotes good feelings.

Smith's program and methods have a scientific basis. He said that Martin Seligman, known as the father of positive psychology, applied techniques developed for "broken people" to regular people, and found the techniques to have a positive impact on their lives.

He also mentioned the nun study, in which a convent of nuns was studied. Since the nuns lived in a small society, separate from the general population, researchers found them to be a suitable group to study.

Smith said the nuns who were happier and had more positive outlooks on life lived longer than other nuns. He also said the happier nuns had less instances of Alzheimer's disease, and those who did get it developed it later on in life.

Smith concluded his presentation with a short list of simple items people could do to feel help them feel happier, and he told the audience they should try to do at least one thing each day.

For more information about Smith's happiness coaching, and some free tips, visit him at www.theexecutivehappinesscoach.com.