I\’ve always being intrigued by Happiness. How some people can be happy regardless the situation they\’re passing through and how some people cannot be happy even if they seem to have their lives resolved?
And this may actually be the key. As someone who was born and raised in a \»third world\» country and then moved to the \»first world\», I have always been surprised by how happy people in my hometown seem to be, compared to the people in Montreal. I have noticed that, in general, people are happier when they are with other people, when they\’re focused on an activity, or focus on their loved ones. The key seems to be being Present, enjoy the moment, enjoy themselves, enjoy the life and blessings they\’ve received.
Thinking about the blessings we have had through our lives brings us satisfaction, while thinking of what we don\’t have yet will bring us dissatisfaction. Notice how different is to say: I\’m glad I\’m …. vs. I wish I were…
When we\’re kids, we\’re naturally present. We enjoy the moment or we express our discomfort openly and we naturally try to be happy. We make an effort to obtain what will make us happy or we move on.
Later on in life, when we are not able to be happy, we tend to hold grudges, and as we\’re unhappy, we tend to need drugs and anti-depressants. We\’re not able to move on. We tend to keep our eyes on the negative things.
If you have a conversation with a co-worker and praise her work for 5 minutes, then tell her 1 single little thing that she could do to improve, and all she will think will be that \»negative\» comment.
If we keep focusing on the negative things we perceive or are afraid of, we may soon enter in a mood of sadness, anxiety or anger, which, in turn may have an impact on everything else we \»experience\», as emotions change the way we perceive or remember things.
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If you want to have a happier life, we can:
1. Surround ourselves with positive people. Build a circle of friends to share the joy with us. From what I have seen, in North America, people tend to be isolated. When we have a group of close friends and we feel taken care of, we feel supported and loved.
2. Be grateful. Count our blessings. You cannot be thankful and sad at the same time. We just need to remember that we came into this world naked and without anything. Everything that we have now is a blessing!
3. Be active. Regular physical activity keeps the body healthy and makes the spirit happy. Daily walks raise the level of happiness, the brain works better and so our bodies, so it\’s a win-win situation.
4. Help other people. John A. Schindler wrote, “Live as a giving person. Those who give are happier than those who only take. Those who give to others discover the beauty in the world.” There are studies that prove that people who help other people feel better.
5. Take time to rest. Get enough sleep, relax. Scientific research shows that relaxed people think more positively and are happier. Every hour of sleep missed lowers the positivity one can experience during the day.
6. Start our day with gratefulness, purpose and a positive attitude. I have noticed that the way I start the day, is the way the day goes. Gandhi said that he used to count his blessings for half an hour every morning. If we focus on the positive things that surround us, we will notice more positive things. If we have a purpose for the day, we will be more present and it will be more likely that we accomplish what we want.
7. Take ourselves less seriously. People who feel entitled to something, people who easily feel offended, and people who take themselves and the rest of the world very seriously won\’t be as happy as people who can laugh about themselves. Add some good humor to your life, see cheerful films, laugh often.
Do you have any other advice that can help us to be happier? Please, share it in the comments section and share the joy with more people.
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