Is Happiness Really Elusive?
|We live in tough times today. I’m not saying that life wasn’t tough in the past – just a different kind of toughness. These days the million dollar question is “how does one find happiness”? Money? Relationships? Career success? Happiness is a ‘now you feel it, now you don’t’ emotion. This is something which a lot of people don’t think about. The challenge is to maximise it.
One of the ways the internet has suggested is to create a ‘happy’ moment. When you live the experience of ‘happy’ your mind and body will remember. Feel the happiness in all parts of you, expand this feeling if need be. This is done by enjoying and accessing the present moment. Case in point – when you are watching a comedy skit.
Another ‘out of the box’ idea is to invite friends over for some play time. It sounds childish, but don’t be quick to discount it. After all, don’t you see that play time brings joy to children? If you have children, you can just join them. Organise paper, crayons, paint, and coloured pencils, whatever you can think of and do some drawings or paintings.
Another way to recharge your soul is to spend time with nature – go for a walk down the beach or park, observe wildlife in your area or visit a plant nursery. Notice your mood when in nature. Of course, this does not work with every single person, but hey it might just work for you, as it helps you forget about things in a while.
You should also spend some time alone. At times, it is the people around us who cause us angst. Even if you’re extroverted, a bit of alone time will do you a world of good. Take something with you that gives you great pleasure such as a book, journal or music player and sit and ‘Be’ under the canopies of trees for a few hours.
Bored and understimulated? Learn something totally new such as another language or pick up another hobby. For some people it is volunteering. For others it can be dance, pottery or artistic pursuits such as painting. You’re only ever limited by your own imagination, and the law of your land of course. When you do feel joy, etch that in your memory by living the experience.
Another thing you should consider is the five senses. Include to memory your experience colours, smells, sounds and tastes – all the better for remembering your happy time with. Remember that the key to a happy life begins with remembering who you are, knowing what gives you enjoyment, being present, and know that regardless of your circumstances no–one can take away your thoughts or dreams, they are yours to keep for as long as you wish.
But is it really that simple? I would be lying if I said yes. The answer is no, but what is definite is that if you take proper self-care and put intentional effort into being happy, you will get better at it. Problems will not go away, but you will learn how to manage them. You won’t be happy all the time, but you need a starting point and build on it. All the best!
Check these out:
Disclaimer: This site still has affiliate links, i.e., we get a commission if you buy from us. However, we removed them as of 2023 :)