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Kerstin Hack

How to Get the most out of Life

An Innovative Toolkit for Doing Life Well

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Kerstin Hack: How to Get the most out of Life. An Innovative Toolkit for Doing Life Well · Quadro No. 15

Photos: photocase.com - Pippilotta* (1), vandalay (6), satin-doz (14), manun (22), froodmat (30)

How to find Joy

■ Many people long to be more joyful. For a long time, I thought that the reason was because of different personality types. Some people are just happier than others and I am one of the more lucky ones, who enjoys life more than others.

I then discovered that it wasn't just to do with the kind of person you are, but the way you think and your attitudes. Some people are so weighed down by life that they have little room to enjoy it. They suffer from their load and have never learnt how to create room for the things they enjoy.

To combat this, I decided to work out my top tips and pass them on. To help, I asked myself the following questions: Why do I enjoy my life so much? What attitudes encourage a joy-filled life? What do I do subconsciously that makes me feel so happy and content?

Joy cannot necessarily be controlled. We've all experienced someone telling us not to worry, but to be happy when we were unable. Joy cannot be generated exactly, but can be experienced when our deepest needs are fulfilled. If our basic needs are not met, for example, closeness, security and provision, we feel anxious, sorrowful and alone.

However, when our needs for freedom, connectedness and adventure are fulfilled, we experience joy. Just to reinterate, joy cannot be forced, but is a natural outcome when we create an environment where our chances of experiencing joy is increased. In order to do this, we need to be aware of what our needs are and find ways to fulfill them. We can learn to create the space we need to become more familiar with our needs and then find the right environment for that joy to be experienced. It is a bit like an aeroplane that needs a runway to land on, our joy also needs a runway.

The first part of this Quadro takes you through potential joy stealers. You will discover attitudes and thought patterns, which stifle your joy. You will also learn about creating room for joy.

The second part is about you and your uniqueness. What gives you pleasure? What gives you inner strength? What makes you feel rewarded? When do you experience the most amount of joy? What is its cause? In this section, you will discover your own parameters of joy.

The third section is full of practical tips for experiencing joy. You will discover the most important steps for creating a joyful environment.

Finally, in section four you are invited on a journey of experimentation. It is one thing to sit and read about someone else's adventures and another thing to create your own.

This quadro is complementary to the swing concept I developed (available in the Swing-Quadro). This Quadro discusses the 8 basic requirements needed for a balanced life. Joy is just one thing. Other important requirements for a successful life include creativity and calmness.

However, it is not possible to work on all the requirements at once. I am glad you are starting here.

I wish you much inspiration in discovering how to increase pleasure and delight in your life.

Love,

Kerstin Hack

■ I provide coaching on the telephone or in person (in Berlin) to encourage people to live empowered lives. Further information can be found on my website: www.kerstinhack.de

How to use this book

■ This Quadro is split into 28 chapters. You can read and apply a chapter a day over four weeks. If a chapter speaks to you in a particular way, then simply read it several times.

■ The chapters can be read consecutively or individually. You may start with the topic that interests you most.