“The Future Depends on What You Do Today”

Is it possible to be happy?

Best wishes for an amazing 2022!

Most (if not all!) people will tell you that they would like to be happy, yet many will confirm that they don’t feel all that happy. What is happiness? And is it possible to be truly happy?

Many people think of happiness as a destination. Once you have passed the exam, you will be happy. Once you have received the promotion, you will be happy. When you find the right friend or partner, you will be happy. So often when you then find what you think is the source of happiness, you experience happiness, but it is short-lived.

Perhaps one of the first steps is to think of happiness as a current achievable state and driver, as opposed to a destination. While happiness has many different definitions, it is generally linked to experiencing more positive feelings than negative.

What can you do to become happy and happier?

  1. Physical exercise

Research has found that physical exercise, even as little as five to ten minutes a day, will improve happiness. Much have been written about the correlation between a healthy body and a healthy mind/spirit. It is unquestionably true. When you do physical exercises, your brain produces feel-good hormones that make you feel good and happy.

A good exercise routine does not necessarily mean that you need to become a member of a gym or club. It is the small things that count: taking the stairs as opposed to the lift, getting up from your desk and spend time outside during your lunch break, playing with the kids or the pets, and many more.

If you can do your exercises outside, even better. Sunlight remains one of the key ingredients for a healthy body and mind.

  1. Get enough sleep

We know that sleep helps our body recover from the day and repair itself. It also helps us to focus and be more productive. Science has proven that enough sleep also impacts on your overall happiness. In general, negative stimuli get processed by the amygdala, while positive and neutral memories get processed by the hippocampus. A lack of good sleep inhibits the hippocampus. The result is that sleep-deprived people fail to recall pleasant memories yet they can recall negative memories just fine.

  1. Surround yourself with family and friends

Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you do need to interact with people in order to feel happy. I am not implying that you attend big parties and events to be happy, but rather that you engage with people, laugh with them and interchange stories. These interactions give you a sense of belonging and in doing so, it makes you feel happier.

  1. Stop comparing yourself to others

Unfortunately, we are wired to compare ourselves only with those that are (in our mind) better off than us. This results in feelings like unworthiness or not being good enough that impacts directly on your happiness. Stop the comparison! We all have our own life and journey and comparing ourselves with others is not going to make it better.

  1. Meditation

Meditation literally clears your mind and calms you down. A clear and calm mind is the fertile soil for a happier life. Start by practising simply techniques, like focusing your mind on your breathing or a good thought. As your attention and awareness of the moment grows, the more it calms and clears the mind.

You can even try this while having lunch. When last have you truly, and with all your senses, focused on your lunch? It will do you wonders.

  1. Gratitude

There are lots of ways to practice gratitude: keeping a journal of things you are grateful for, sharing a few good things that happen each day with a friend or your partner, or going out of your way to show gratitude when others help you. Gratitude shifts our thoughts from what you don’t have to what you have and the end result is a happier life.

  1. Helping others

Helping others enrich our lives. Think of something as simple as buying someone a gift; it is more enjoyable to buy someone else a gift that buying something for yourself.

True helping comes with giving your time. I often see people giving huge amounts of money, yet they never get involved in the actual practice of giving. Giving your time is true giving and will leave you with a sense of worthiness and happiness.

 

I am sure you can add many more practices that will enhance your happiness. My challenge to you is to start today by making small adjustments to your life. You will be surprised by the happy benefits that you will reap over time.

The true purpose of our lives is happiness.