Broadcasting Happiness Summary & Discussion

Author: Michelle Gielan

Synopsis
Broadcasting Happiness (2015) is a guide to creating positive mindsets that can change the ways in which we communicate with each other. Through positive communication, we can broadcast happiness in our community, in relationships, and the workplace.
broadcasting happiness
Source: amazon.com

Detail Explanation of Broadcasting Happiness Summary

Michelle Gielan is an engineer who just wanted to raise to fame and broadcast in something that would lead her to screen but this pursuit led her to chase happiness. In Happiness Broadcasted, she presents the idea that not only news and tv shows are things that are broadcasted humans broadcast their messages too.

When two people communicate, they need to understand the importance of their conversation. It has the potential to stir up negatively or positively. In Broadcasting Happiness, you will learn how to present bad news in a positive way, make your communication effective and bring positivity to society.

Broadcasting Happiness Summary Key Points

Happiness is the basic necessity of all mankind. Spreading happiness among people is the toughest task. As whenever you try to spread happiness there are always some people who let you down. The author has penned down the importance of happiness through communication.

And for that, he came up with the idea to broadcast happiness through news, tv shows, as well as human conversation, to spread positivity. He also tells some ways to overcome negativity through positivity which is the main aspect of human life.

You can check out another book summary by hitting the link below.

What the Eyes Don’t See Summary.

Flash memories Create our Perceptions

Each word in our brain is wired by a memory either recent or old. We tend to associate words with the experiences we have faced with them. For example, the word “Jam” may remind you of a specific jam you used to love and had every day during one summer of your childhood.

Maybe you might remember that you have always hated jam or it might bring up that you saw a variety of jams while doing groceries the other day. Positive words usually bring up positive memories.

 Now that we know that flash memories play a great role in determining what we think of something we can use it to our advantage. Experiences determine our memories right? So let us try to create positive experiences so whenever relevant words spring up in a conversation, our flash memory is positive and happy.

This is exactly what Dr. Richard Cole, a superintended did. His school had a low graduation rate so he decided to create positive experiences that could uplift the spirits of children and teachers. He shared and displayed success stories everywhere around the school.

In a short time, the graduation rate went up to 89% and the graduating students described their time at school as something they would cherish forever.

Listening to Happy Stories can boost your Health

Sounds too easy right? But according to Harvard professor Dr. Ellen Langer, it is true. She held a retreat where 75 years old male pretended to be just 55 years old. They shared their positive stories regularly and did activities together.

After the retreat, the results showed that their memory and strength had gotten better even their eyesight had improved by 10%!  Similarly, you might have noticed that most of us do not enjoy listening to live broadcasts and news. They make us feel pessimistic and depressed. It is also worse for tv channels as depressing news drives the audience away.

The author Michelle Gielan wanted to create a way in which even bad news can be strategically delivered to the audience without disheartening them. If you sugar-coat and lie on news telling people that everything around the world is good, there are no wars about to break, and no climate change or economic crisis; it would be a lie.

So, the author presented another approach. In CBS’s Happy Week, the author collaborated with Dr. Martin Seligman to describe ways in which the news can be delivered in a more hopeful way. She emphasized the importance of presenting solutions along with the news.

So that it would sound less disappointing and the people are able to learn something from it. Bad weather in your city? Not a biggie! Here are ten things that you can do to keep yourself protected from the scorching heat! Remember there is always a more positive way to deliver something that is disappointing.

Share your Happiness so that it Multiplies

If we have bad news; we go on lamenting about it for days. Hell, sometimes even for weeks! We share it with our spouses, friends, and family. But how often do we share the good news? Well, hardly if we compare it to the times we share bad news.

Sometimes we think that it isn’t that big of a deal why bother telling people about it? Or we see someone else happier over something bigger and decide that the thing we are happy about is just minor and people would not bother much even if we do not share.

But Michelle Gielan, advises all of us to share positive and happy things that happen to us. Think about it. If employees start telling each other about the happy moments they have experienced at the company they might be able to let the other person see good things at the workplace that did not catch their attention.

Happiness is intoxicating. It does not get less when we share it. So share the happy moments with your spouse, and do not wait for the anniversary so that you can reminisce about the goodness in your relationship. Do it now. Broadcast your happiness! Share it with everyone!!

Broadcasting Happiness Quotes

“After returning home from a long day at work, start your evening off with your spouse (the second you walk through the door) with a positive part of your day or ask about something positive that happened in theirs.” –Michelle Gielan

Broadcasting Happiness Summary Review

Broadcasting Happiness will teach you how to become happier. It will help you to become happier not only for yourself but it teaches ways in which you can share that happiness among the people around you. You can learn how to create happy memories that you will cherish forever through this book.

Overall, it is a good and light read for days when you do not want to pick up a heavy thick book but at the same time want to read something knowledgeable.

To Whom I Would Recommend Broadcasting Happiness Summary

  • To the eighteen-year-old who feels down often.
  • Anchors and broadcasters who have the ability to share happiness with millions of people.
  • And to anyone who wants to help others around them happy and blissful.

Link: https://amzn.to/3JjnAD8