Nearly 70 years ago, a psychologist Theodor Reik said, “In order to be happy oneself, it is necessary to make at least one other person happy.” What Dr. Reik is saying is that we humans do not have the capacity within our individual selves to make us happy. Rather, we have to reach out to others and touch them in ways that make them happy before we can be happy. This means that if we focus on making others happy, our own happiness will take care of itself. And the more people we make happy, the happier we’ll be. So, take the time to reach out to those around you and touch them in ways that make them happy: smile, say something that brightens their day, hand them a flower, give them a hug, or pay them a compliment. If you do this, you’ll quickly find that Dr. Reik knew what he was talking about!

One Sentence Wisdom

• “The greatest happiness in the world is to make others happy.” — Luther Burbank
• “Give what you want to receive. If you want happiness, make others happy.” — Russell Simmons

If you know of someone who you think would enjoy reading my Reminder, please forward it to them. Also, feel free to use this content in your own publications—newsletters, blogs, etc.