Serene Nuggets - Happiness and Joy

Happiness? Look at me I'm watching this wonderful movie, I am so happy, yayy....right? RIGHT?

Haha I am glad to see that! Seeing you happy makes me happy :)

But if we really think about our daily lives, are we really happy? In this strenuous, fast paced world where everyone is juggling so many responsibilities on a daily basis, be it family, career stress and what not, happiness seems to have become so much of an afterthought.

Think about it? When was the last time we allowed ourselves to feel unconditional happiness? In this stressful world, which rewards merit and excellence, human beings have become so habituated to associating happiness with achievement or the big important moments in life, that we have collectively forgotten to look at the bigger picture!

We are always trying to pursue happiness, thinking of it as an end state we have to reach, rather than actually being happy!

This is so important, I want you to really focus on this and read it twice.

Wait, isn't that like, normal? Why should I be happy if I have achieved nothing?

Great, thanks for bringing this point up! We say to ourselves,

"just let me get this job, I'll be happy", or

"just let me save up and take that big vacation abroad, and I'll be happy" or

"just let my kid get to an Ivy league, then I'll be happy"

But it does not have to be this way! Think about it, even without these big events in your life, there is so much to be happy about! The very fact that you exist on this planet, that you have this wonderful human life, filled with affectionate friends and family, aren't these enough reasons to be happy?

Think about the last time you went on an amazing nature hike. The singing birds, the lush green trees, perhaps a sparkling river flowing by the side, don't these bring so much joy? :)

We have forgotten that it is our birthright to be happy! Happiness is an intrinsic state of mind, we can choose to be happy, if we so wish! There is an abundance of joy and fulfillment to be found within us, we do not have to go looking for it in the external pleasures of life!

Hmm, I don't think I can feel this way though, it's just too hard! Isn't there a way to feel all this?

Remember, happiness is an attitude, a skill which we can train our minds to be better at over time! We can do this through positive reinforcement, focusing our minds to focus on the positive things in our life.

Let me share with you some tips on how you can start feeling happier, today!

1. Think about all that's good in your life!

Firstly, realize that happiness is to be found everywhere around us! Like I illustrated above there's so much we have to be happy about, our family and friends, the wonderful nature, our very own existence, the food that we eat, just think and you'll find so much to be happy about in an instant! :) So the next time anxiety starts to take root, just take a deep breath and start to count your blessings, you'll feel happy instantly!

2. Do pleasurable activities in nature!

Go for that hike you've been putting off for so long! Hell it doesn't have to be that complicated, simply going out for a walk in your nearby park on a lovely day could do the trick as well! There's something about the simplicity of lush green nature, the cool air brushing ever so slowly past your face, perhaps a fountain in the distance that will make you feel connected to the present moment and make you happy in a jiffy.

3. Do something you like!

Yes, sometimes it can be that simple. Want to take that vacation to Europe. Go for it! Have a hobby, like singing, painting or dancing. Do those! Whatever it takes to bring happiness to that awesome self, do it now! :D Doing something you love connects you to the present moment and provides a level of happiness and satisfaction which few other things can!

4. Connect with your friends, family and the community!

Pretty obvious, but hey an amazing tip, right? Being social actually makes us feel happier! When you connect with your friends and family, the social experiences you share can make for some amazing happy memories that can last a lifetime. I would even say go a step further and connect with the community! This could take the form of going to meetups where people do an activity like going to a concert, a movie, perhaps a game. Meetup - https://www.meetup.com/apps/ is great for this.

Bonus tip, serve the community! Look for volunteering opportunities in your area! There's something really fulfilling about giving to the community, you'll feel your happiness multiply instantly!

5. Laughter!

They say laughter is the best medicine, and boy is this true! So, put that pesky laptop aside and go watch that latest run of the Saturday Night Live, buy tickets to that standup comedy show you've been thinking about for a long time. Hell, just catch it on Netflix with your pajamas on and coffee by the side! I love watching Hasan Minaj, Trevor Noah and Vir Das. What about you guys? Feel free to drop your favorite standup comedians in the chatbox! Connect with me please, I'd love to talk to my awesome readers! :D

6. Changing your attitude towards negative situations

This is subtle, yet powerful. Note that majority of our unhappiness comes, not from the negative situations themselves, but from how we react to them! We can focus on the positive when a negative situation presents itself and be much happier! Try practicing this the next time you come across something negative, you may surprise yourself just how flexible our minds can be!

7. Happiness meditation!

Oh yes, this is an amazing tool for those moments when the stress and anxiety really seems to take over. I will cover an amazing happiness meditation in the next post. Stay tuned!

Video time?

Oh yes, how can I forget! here is an awesome one by Buddhism in English

Here's another one. This provides some amazing insights from a psychology point of view by Therapy in a Nutshell. A highly awesome channel, I recommend you check out if you haven't already.

Stay tuned for my next post! :D