908 words of content including seven POSITIVE Leadership Addictions (and a bonus video). Approximate reading time: 3.92 minutes. And isn't your Happiness worth it?

Welcome to my e-newsletter, which focuses on defining and applying the Principles of Happiness and Positive Emotion in your life and work.

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1. What Are Your Addictions
2. In the Workplace: Positive Leadership Addictions
3. About the Coach

To view this month's main article in a 3-minute video format, click here.

Or visit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iiQ12wIRu70. Video run time 3:02.

I attended a coach training/retreat in the Rocky Mountains earlier this month. To prepare for a week of thin air at 8,700 feet above sea level, my instructors suggested reducing caffeine. So I decided, on the spot, to stop drinking coffee.

Four days later, after suffering an endless headache that I was sure signaled a world-class sinus infection, I sat next to a colleague with a steaming cup of Starbucks' best and... it hit me. I was in caffeine withdrawal. That's how addicted I'd become to coffee!

And that addiction was invisible to me, until I tried to let it go. What else, I wondered, is driving my behavior (which is what addictions do)?

A week later I was driving up a series of treacherous, ice-covered hairpin turns as I made my way across a mountain range at 12,000 feet. I knew that as soon as I crossed the pass, I was going to be off the grid (the technology grid, that is) for a week. Even as my knuckles turned white from fear of falling off the mountain, I noticed a different sort of anxiety screaming for attention.

Off the grid. No email. No web browsing. No status updates. For a week. Yikes!

"Omigosh," I groaned in the moment. I'm addicted to email!

This got me thinking about addictions and the power they have over us. Addictions are those habits you have that often cause you to run on autopilot even when the behavior is not in your best interest. For example:

• Eating when you don't need to eat.
• Obsessive email checking, instead of having conversation.
• Driving discussions beyond the point of resolution simply because you're addicted to being right, or to having the last word.
• Telling yourself over and again, "You'll never be good enough."
• Taking class after class, reading book after book, but never having the time to apply and use any of the learning.
• Plopping on the couch with the TV remote even as your body screams, "please, exercise me!"
• Saying Yes to every request, even when you want to or should say No.

These are just a few of thousands of examples of behaviors and thinking patterns that can get in the way of living a happier, less-stressed life. There's nothing wrong with habits - many of your habits sustain you, and allow you to live your life without having to think constantly of the basics (like brushing your teeth, driving your car, dressing yourself, writing memos, interacting with others, etc).

The question is, are you AWARE of your habits? And more importantly, when they don't serve you, do you realize you have the choice to let them go? Do you have power over your addictions, or do they control you?

Awareness is the first step to letting go of an addiction. Next, experiment. If one of your habits is not serving you, try this:

Let it go for just one day or one week. Not forever - just long enough to notice what happens when you choose differently. What shows up in the space when you are not on autopilot?

Happiness Principle #9 says, "Pay Attention." So, pay attention to something in a different way, and you'll open up new territory for happiness, joy, and satisfaction.

The 13 Principles of Happiness provide a framework for living a happier life. Download a copy to post at your desk or on your fridge at home.

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Good leaders understand they have addictions, and work to stop the ones that don't serve them, while developing new habits that produce better outcomes (shameless plug: that's what coaches help you do!)

Here are some GOOD addictions you might consider adopting to create a more positive workplace

1. Offer Appreciation Daily - It costs nothing and the benefits are priceless.
2. Respect Everyone - People want to be paid what they're worth, treated like adults, and rewarded for their good work.
3. Trust Others - As a boss, you have to trust first in order to be trusted.
4. Help Them Grow - Employees want the opportunity to grow and learn on the job. Help them to reach their full potential.
5. Know Them Personally - People don't leave companies, they leave bosses.
6. Build Compatible Teams - When you hire, consider the other team members, not just you. Employees like to work with people they get along with well, with whom they can laugh, and who share a sense of pride in the work they do together.
7. Provide a Sense of Purpose - Employees want to understand how their efforts contribute to the success of the business and want to feel that they are making a difference to their team, department, and the company.

If you want to know more about what makes employees happy just take a look at yourself for the answers. What makes you happy about your job? Don't you find that when you are happy and enjoy the work you do, you actually do better work, your energy level is high, and you have a greater sense of accomplishment?

Those are good addictions to have!

Remember, Leadership is not about a title: Anyone can be a leader who nurtures habits that feed the positive and spread a little appreciation and joy every day.

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Hi, I'm Jim Smith, PCC, The Executive Happiness Coach^®. I work with smart, successful people like you, who secretly struggle with stress and overwhelm as you strive to succeed at the next level. I help you become a better leader AND dump the stress.

I have helped thousands of leaders and business owners just like you to increase effectiveness at work AND live a happier, more balanced life. Contact me to learn how you can create a less-stress leadership presence.

If you received this from a friend, SUBSCRIBE now to get your own copy in the future, plus you'll get a valuable leadership report!

All things Happiness Coach:

Blog: www.LifeWithHappiness.com. Connect on LinkedIn, Facebook.

             

View past editions at http://www.TheExecutiveHappinessCoach.com/newsletter/archives.cfm.

Copyright © 2012, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction for publication is encouraged, with the following attribution: "From HAPPINESS@THESPEEDOFLIFE, by Jim Smith, PCC, The Executive Happiness Coach®. For more tips on Leading with Less Stress, visit www.TheExecutiveHappinessCoach.com." If you choose to do otherwise, I will be very unhappy.

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