Strategies And Tips For Living Your Most Confident And Happiest Life
Sign up for the weekly Juice
Are you feeling down? Try this
I’ve had an opportunity to read a book, although not entirely through it all, called Learned Hopefulness by my dear friend and colleague Dan Tomasulo. Dan is a clinical psychologist, so he knows a lot about how to build hope. The subtitle is The Power of Positivity to Overcome Depression, so there are some great insight tools on how to overcome depression. If you’re feeling depressed, this is the book to read.
While I was reading, Dan reminded me of some research that Martin Seligman had done, and Martin Seligman is considered the founding father of positive psychology. Dan reminded me of some research that Marty had done with his colleagues. Dan’s whole book is about how to build hope, so I want to read this great passage, and with this passage, I want to share with you some of the insights that I had that helped me tremendously;
“What this means for hope is that our very ability to detect and expect control in the future will pull us out of a slump, focusing on what can be done in the future rather than on what happened in the past creates hope. We speculate that it is expectations of a better future that most matter in treatment. Focusing on what’s happened in the past, keeps us sitting in the dark. When we concentrate on future possibilities, we can stand in the light.”
Reading this was a real ‘a-ha!’ moment for me because when I thought about why I was feeling down, it was because I could not envision my future. You see, I’m a speaker, I go to conferences, I go to corporations all across North America, I speak to audiences, live audiences and that all disappeared within a day. It was all gone. So it was tough for me to envision my future. So in the book, Dan asks you to do The Future Best Self Exercise created by Dr. Laura King. It has great evidence and considerable research behind it to suggest that if you do The Future Best Self Exercise that you will improve your wellbeing.
The Future Best Self Exercise has you think about your life in the future. What is your best life in the future? You envision that, and then you write about it for 20 minutes every day for three days in a row. Now, for me doing that Future Best Self Exercise, I couldn’t really envision my future. And that’s when I had this ‘a-ha!’ moment. I’m feeling down because I don’t feel pulled by the future like I usually do and get excited about my future like I typically do.
So, I had to re-envision a new future. Instead of five years from now, I thought of the next six months. And what I decided to do is to write that even with coronavirus, what could I do to make these next six months more fulfilling, more joyful, more meaningful? How can I transform my life to have that today to be doing that today?
I started to think about trips that I want to take because, in Canada, we can do some interprovincial travel. I can travel up North. I was trying to think of how many times I could go to the cottage. I was trying to think of different projects that I could be working on. I started to think of friends that I wanted to see and hikes that I wanted to go on and places in Ontario that I’ve never been to. And with all of this, I started to plan out these exciting things over the next six months. And these are things that I could look forward to. These are things that I could be hopeful about. And as I wrote about this new life, the hope started to rise. I could see my future again, and it felt so good to do that.
And by doing that exercise three nights in a row, it has changed my perspective and increased my hope for the future. So, try it for yourself. I’m going to put the instructions on how to do The Future Best Self Exercise below. If you’re finding that difficult, then think about redesigning the next six months. What are small things you can do every week to raise your level of hope to get you excited about the future? Give it a try. And if you are feeling depressed, this is the book to read.
The Future Best Self Exercise by Dr. Laura King
Close your eyes and envision yourself in the future (whether that is 6 months from now, a year from now or 5 years from now)…Everything has gone beautifully. Everything you have wanted for your life has come true…
What are you doing?
Who are you with?
What is your life like?
How are you feeling?
Write a description of your future self every day for 20 minutes, for three days. Please include as many details as possible.
This exercise has been proven to improve well-being and reduce depressive symptoms.
What Others Are Saying...
The workshop is very dynamic and time flies. It definitely gave me more consciousness of what I think, I feel, do and how I can do a much better job. The content is powerful and so are the exercises and resources provided. I do think that this is the first step to a happier, fulfilling life. I would love to take more workshops about this subject. Thank you Louisa so much for this opportunity. I had the best 6 weeks.
Brenda Bojorquez
Senior Manager – Scotiabank
I love your video blogs and your recent talk to entrepreneurs you have a way of distilling the science into real actionable interventions. Also the talk you did re contingent self esteem was a Wow and my clients have really benefitted from learning about it. You take the ivory tower to main street. I also really admire your authenticity and use of self. You are an exemplar.”
Phoebe Atkinson
Trainer Educator Practitioner
Thank you very much for taking the time to present to us here at Sterling Hall on Tuesday. I have had numerous teachers, parents, and administrators say what an incredible session it was. All of our brains are brimming with programming and activities we can implement both at home and at school to help our students and children realize their character strengths and use them to help build their resiliency. So, thank you again.
Erica Sprules
Manager – The Sterling Hall School
After spending years studying the roots of confidence, Louisa Jewell offers a toolkit for building and rebuilding it.
Adam Grant
Thank you for a great course! It was a wonderful class – full of useful and thought-provoking information. And, I liked the balance of classroom learning (which I love) and some exercises to apply what we talk about. You are also able to handle all sorts of questions well. I was so curious – I hope I did not bombard you with too many questions as I was loving what we discussed and wanted to learn more! Kudos to you on your continued success with all the work you do. Warm Regards and continued success – it is well-deserved.
Steffi Black
Life/Career Coach & Kindness Advocate for Schools - Steffi Black Coaching
I loved Louisa Jewell’s Flourishing 101 workshop series. I learned so much about happiness, positivity and how to increase both. I have so many new tools to use and am able to refer to them whenever I need to. It’s been extremely useful and I recommend it to anyone!
Kristy S. Simpson
The flourishing 101 course was an eye opener. When you look for the positive around you, guess what you actually find more of the positive. It?s the power of intention. I discovered how I could use my top strengths to create more success in my personal life and career. Sometimes what we are naturally good at we take for granted. This course will change how you interact with others and bring more positivity
Sarah Clark
CPC Health Coach - Sesa Coaching
Thank you again so much for the excellent session! It is so valuable and pertinent and, as I mentioned at the beginning, theoretically grounded and also practical – a rare and wonderful combination.
Valerie Ward
Co-Developer and Owner - Employment Readiness Scale
Thank you again for another great webinar. You and Shannon are both so engaging. It is rare in a webinar to actually feel that we are all in the room together. Somehow you both pull it off with your deep knowledge, warmth and energy. Your sessions offer a lot of value. The content is clear and compelling, and the exercises are highly relevant and immediately useful. I’m really enjoying taking the time to immerse myself in this more fully. I have taken webinar courses from other organizations and they could learn a thing or two from you and Shannon about effective webinars! You are doing important work. Nicely done.
Carolyn Meacher
Innovation Leadership Coach
Louisa has the unique ability to engage a diverse audience with her expertise, humour and engaging style. As our key note speaker she enlightened the audience on the science of happiness and how happiness effects our well-being. The feedback was overwhelmingly positive; guests were inspired and delighted to listen to such a knowledgeable professional about a topic that everyone craves to know more about. I would recommend Louisa as a key note speaker, she is truly one of a kind!
Roz Baker
Project Director, Signature Events
Let me just say WOW, WOW, WOW!!! You are a pleasure and a joy! Everybody loved your presentation, your warmth, kindness, approachability, and collaborative approach! Thank you so much for a phenomenal conference. The afternoon portion was also fantastic and more intimate which was really lovely, and it got all of us to breathe and connect more with one another. I cannot wait until our next opportunity to meet again, it was a very moving and concrete presentation, you are a natural and your delivery is so very genuine!
Annalise Iten
Director Job Search Program
Plain and simply speaking, you were a hit! Your morning keynote address set a meaningful, happy, and upbeat tone for the rest of the conference. Our staff responded to your presentation style and message because it is what we needed to hear and feel at this time. We are a great College, with great staff, and May is the end of a full and active year of classes and programs, successes and challenges. Thank you for helping to make our conference a great success.
Brian Benn, M. Ed.
Associate Director, Organizational Development
Louisa was my instructor for The Flourishing Center’s CAPP (Certificate in Applied Positive Psychology) course held in Toronto Canada. She was excellent in her delivery and included many different approaches to teaching and learning which helped me retain the information better than any other course I have taken. Her enthusiasm and commitment to her work is an inspiration and she is brilliant at what she does. Thank you Louisa for opening up the world to brand new possibilities for me. You are a gem in the world of positive psychology and beyond!!!!
Barbara Santen
Registered Midwife & Relationship Coach
You can’t help but feel better about yourself after spending some time with Louisa. Her energy and enthusiasm is infectious, mix that with her engaging teaching style and you have the ideal learning environment for anyone interested in positive psychology. I have been blessed to learn from Louisa in a classroom and conference setting and I can honestly say that she has changed my life.
Glendale Reyes
Bboy League
Timely and well-written, Jewell helps translate complex research into a book that is understandable, practical, and vital for not just surviving the modern world, but remaking it. Amidst all the competition, demands upon our time, and societal pressure, Jewell provides a clear path forward, not only for you but for girls and women everywhere striving to define success and worth for themselves.
Shawn Achor
NYTimes bestselling author of The Happiness Advantage
#1 NY Times bestselling author, Happy for No Reason and Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul
Wire Your Brain for Confidence offers a practical step-by-step guide to achieving goals for anyone who has struggled with self-doubt. Louisa Jewell demystifies the science behind action-oriented confidence and makes it accessible to all. This book will empower you to go for your dreams and live your happiest life.
Marci Shimoff
On our path towards a happier life, there may be no more important journey than the one from self-doubt to self-confidence. In Wire Your Brain for Confidence, Louisa Jewell provides an easy-to-use yet well-researched map that you can use for this important journey.
Tal Ben-Shahar
New York Times bestselling author of Happier
#1 New York Times bestselling author of How Full is Your Bucket?, StrengthsFinder 2.0, Eat Move Sleep & Are You Fully Charged?
Louisa Jewell has written a brilliant book that is steeped in research, filled with novel ideas, and memorable stories. I learned things from this book that I will use for years to come.
Tom Rath
Louisa delivered a fantastic workshop on the topic of personal resilience and learning to embrace failure. Her session was refreshing, entertaining and very pertinent to our work with students.
The strategies she provided are ones we can apply right away. Our time with her simply flew by! I highly recommend Louisa as she is both an expert on and shining example of the power of positive psychology.
Jen Tigno
Manager, Advising & Learning Skills Services, Academic Advising & Career Centre
It would have taken me months of independent study to learn what I have learnt in just six short weeks. The classes were lively, engaging and down to earth. The practical examples and stories made the research come alive.
I especially loved the home happiness boosters turned my A-ha Moments into easy action steps with big impact. Flourishing 101 made a positive impact on my life and has given me powerful resources that I will continue to use daily.
Louisa is as generous as she is knowledgeable. If you want to be happier, don’t miss this chance to learn the secrets of flourishing from a leader in the field of Positive Psychology!
Shirin Khamisa
Career counsellor & Certified ICF Coach – Careers by Design
The Watercooler sessions that you offer have meant the world to me during this most challenging time in our lives. From the coronavirus to the Black Lives Matter movement, to political unrest, this is an unprecedented time in history. I am so thankful for your generosity and your teachings. You truly are a gift! Your sessions have kept me grounded and working towards being resilient, with a new awareness around the importance of well-being in everyday life and in the most trying of times. The tools you share and the way you explain them and then allow us to practice them, has been invaluable. What you’ve taught me, I’ve passed along to friends and family and in turn, helped them too. So your teachings are multiplied and touch more people than you know! A heartfelt thank you to you, Louisa!
Diane Pincus
I had long struggled with my lack of motivation and my fear of the world. I didn’t have enough confidence in myself to start conversations with strangers or to try new things. I was unhappy with the small and empty way I was living my life and I wanted to make a change, but I didn’t know how or if I could. I found the answers I was looking for in this course.
It opened my eyes to the traps I was falling into and it gave me the knowledge and more importantly, the strategies I needed to overcome them. Once I started to apply some of those strategies and to do the exercises, I started to have a more positive outlook. With that new attitude, I embraced the findings and philosophies the workshop presented and gained the courage I needed to grow into a more productive and resilient person. Now I feel more in control of my life and hopeful for my future. Friends and family have told me I’m lighter and more confident. I have mended bad relationships and accomplished long-term goals. I feel like I’ve finally left my state of arrested development behind and entered adulthood. I owe that to Louisa and Flourishing 101.
Collette Johns
The Resilience for High Performance seminar delivered by Louisa Jewell to our sales and services teams at Patient News was interesting, entertaining and highly effective. Louisa clearly has full command of the subject. She delivered the content, true to the theme of her book, with total confidence, wit and rigor. Leading up to the session, Louisa took the time to really get to know our company, team and objectives and brilliantly structured the afternoon to meet our specific needs. From individual character strength identification to uncovering the 6 pillars of wellness, the content really engaged and I received many overwhelmingly positive comments from session participants. What really resonated were the “actual tools” Louisa introduced to help attendees incorporate the learnings into real practice. I even heard one of our senior sales executives on the phone with a prospective client saying “I work with an amazing organization that really cares about people. We recently had an expert in Positive Phycology here to coach us on how to been more effective, productive and happy. She was fantastic”. I highly recommend Louisa Jewell to any organization wanting to enhance the performance and interconnectedness of their teams. The Resilience for High Performance program is for you!
Karen Galley
President, Patient News
1) I felt that the PD with Louisa Jewell really had an effect on me in a very positive way. I could not stop talking and thinking about her discussions for a week or more after. It had such an impact on me that I spoke to my friends about that PD. I feel that our school needs these kinds of reminders in order to put ourselves on track and keep us conscious about our behaviors. I would love to continue to have her and listen to her and work. The best speaker and the most interesting topic I can remember.
2) I loved this PD session – more than any other previous PD. What made it unique was the universal applicability to all facets of life – family, work & personal. Ultimately, all of us working on personal growth and self-awareness will make us better role models, teachers, friends, parents, staff
Helen Gin
Middle School Principal
Southlake Regional Health Centre
Louisa was asked to present a full day workshop to our leadership group on Building Resiliency.
Louisa’s professionalism, expertise, engaging and interactive style, together with a unique sense of humor made the day not only very enjoyable and worthwhile, but very informative. I had many leaders express gratitude and appreciation for the learnings Louisa provided. In addition, prior to the workshop Louisa was very accommodating and flexible, working behind the scenes to help make the day productive. If you are looking to educate staff or leaders on the topic of building resiliency, I would definitely not hesitate in recommending using Louisa as your facilitator. You will not be disappointed.
Christopher Cecchini
Vice President, Employee Experience and Chief Human Resources Officer
Sign Up For The Weekly Juice
Get practical strategies to boost your wellbeing delivered straight to your inbox
© 2023 Louisa Jewell. All Rights Reserved.
Designed by simplywebs.in
Hi Louisa,
Thank you for your wisdom and gentle, encouraging manner. Your openness is so refreshing This simple exercise is such a good idea and I look forward to trying it and recommending it to my clients.