Transcripts

Amanda Dickson:
It's true that I am but I haven't always been. I do know what it's like to live in a dark place where you wake up and you can't find a reason to get out of bed - I know that place, I don't want to live there.

Amanda Dickson is author of the book Wake Up to a Happier Life, and she says anyone can do what she does and it starts by appreciating what you do have.

Ok, I do have a job and I'm grateful that it pays the bills. I have a car, it's a pain in the butt commute but at least I have a car. You start with gratitude and then whatever it is that you want you give away. So you want appreciation at work then the way to have that is to appreciate the contributions of your co-workers, what your boss goes through, whatever you can find - give away that quality that you seek. And I think there is some truth to that universal rule that it comes back on the other side.

Like most people you're probably skeptical because Amanda says…

People have asked me before, "Are you telling me it's just as easy as changing my attitude, I just need to be happier?" And I hear where the question is coming from because there is that reluctance. But it is yes, just in the same way that the way to quit smoking is to not put the smoke in your mouth. And the way to be happy is to say, "I'm going to be happy right now" - because this is a gift I give my children, my co-workers, myself.

At somethingyoushouldknow.net I'm Mike Carruthers and that's Something You Should Know.