As professor of psychology — Sonja Lyubomirsky says, you can control 40% of your happiness.

“This much happiness — up to 40% — is within our power to change.”

Sonja Lyubomirsky

Understanding why you’re not 40 percent happier

This 40 percent of your happiness that’s within your control can be improved through intentional activities.

Lyubomirsky and others in positive psychology say that 50% of your happiness — your happiness set point, is based on genetics. It is sort of like whether or not you’ll have trouble managing your weight or cholesterol. The other 10% is based on your circumstances —  environment, opportunities, and experiences.

A pie chart illustrating how obtaining happiness is 10% life circumstances, 50% your genetic set point, and 40% intentional activities.
Sonja Lyubomirsky and the how of happiness by Ed Batista

Empower your mental health recovery

On the New Normal Big Life Blog, using science-based, principles and activities, you’ll learn how to create your new normal around areas of health and fitness, relationships, and career to live as big a life as you can envision.

What makes the New Normal Big Life Blog different from all other self-help blogs, books, and speeches is science and lived experience.

Scientifically-proven depression philosophy

About eight-years-ago, after serving 11-years in the United States army, Antoinette Lee Toscano was so debilitated from a broken back, traumatic brain injury, a severely dislocated shoulder, and post-traumatic stress (PTS), that she had become agoraphobic afraid to leave her home. She needed the assistance of a walker to get around and help from a service dog and caregiver.

Using Cognitive behavioral therapy, the principles of positive psychology, and recreational therapy Antoinette took her health into her own hands.

First, she realized that she was never getting her old life back.

So, Antoinette needed to create her new normal.

And she wanted to live a big life.

And she did just that. Today, Antoinette is an all-around adventure sportswoman. She’s ditched her walker, her service dog is now just the family pet, and she is living an amazingly big life as a sponsored adventure sports athlete.

Badfish SUP Brand Ambassador Antoinette Lee Toscano on the Cache la Poudre River standing next to a Badfish stand up paddleboard
Badfish SUP Brand Ambassador Antoinette Lee Toscano on the Cache la Poudre River standing next to a Badfish stand up paddleboard. Photo Credit: Matthew James Berrafato MBerrafato_Images

Doing the same in your own life is within your reach.

Three hush-hush strategies to start your new normal big life

  1. Mourn your old life.
  2. Determine what your new normal will be.
  3. And set out to live the biggest life you can envision.

You can find inspiring stories from celebrities and people like yourself on New Normal Big LifeTV.

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