| Dr. Barbara Becker Holstein, a nationally known | | | | through our looks. To be truly happy, every woman |
| positive psychologist, is quoted in the October | | | | needs a life that supports the inner voice that |
| November 2007 issue of Heart and Soul magazine. | | | | sustains her hopes and dreams." |
| The article, titled "What is Happy?", discusses seven | | | | HERE'S HOW |
| ways to happiness, with quotes by Dr. Holstein | | | | LAY YOUR FOUNDATION |
| throughout. A few of the quotes: | | | | .... (Mattie Miller) ....I learned to project happiness, and |
| THE CULTURE CRISIS | | | | sometimes I think that helped me get it in return. I |
| ...The answer (to the pursuit of happiness for black | | | | made a conscious decision to have a good life." |
| women), says positive psychology expert Barbara | | | | That determination, says Becker-Holstein, author of |
| Becker Holstein*, is to discover and love your | | | | The Enchanted Self: A Positive Therapy, is an |
| authentic self-a skill many black women may already | | | | important part of building a happy life. "Be assertive, |
| possess. | | | | get an education, decide on a profession, protect |
| FINDING OUR JOY | | | | yourself economically. Take responsibility for |
| "All women need genuine connections to | | | | establishing the life you want." |
| themselves," says Becker-Holstein, who has | | | | GIVE OF YOURSELF |
| dedicated her career to creating a positive | | | | "Positive action and good deeds matter," |
| psychology for women. "But society tries to break | | | | Becker-Holstein says, "Forgive, be helpful, smile at |
| that connection early in life. In America, by age 13, | | | | people-it's all the more likely", as Miller learned, "that |
| girls are already getting external messages to copy | | | | your happiness will be returned." |
| celebrities and give up their little girl treasures. We've | | | | No matter where you are in life, "almost all of us are |
| been defined as a second-class culture and had our | | | | capable of being happy," Becker-Holstein continues, "if |
| self-esteem suppressed with messages about | | | | we can learn to truly bring pleasure, replenishment |
| marrying men with money and valuing ourselves | | | | and self-care into our lives. |