Photo by Aatik Tasneem on Unsplash
Life is never as complicated as it seems. We have to shift the focus and shift the gear from "being complicated" to "being uncomplicated." The clearer we are, the happier we are... isn't it true? Stop figuring out the definition of happiness. Create your definition. It is an emotion that can be experienced every hour. The word happiness is talked about a lot these days. It's not the same for everyone. This is a tricky situation because happiness isn't just one state of being... it's a mindset. It's the ability to take what life has given you and find the positive in that situation. The untold formula is that for every situation in our life, we must be capable of framing a positive story. This is the only solution for being happy always.
Consider a problem that is currently bothering you. A real problem or find something that makes you unhappy and worried about. Choose to stay fully in charge of yourself. Social media certainly gives us a false impression that everyone else is happier than you. Our struggles in life have more to do with social. Stop cribbing about how life has been so unfair to you. It will just make you more miserable. We want too much in one go and this results in sufferings and disappointments. It is about understanding that every experience is teaching us something; accepting all emotions equally. One could change it by being happy by choice and time. We don't see anything good happening in our life. We are always desperately looking for the happiness. "Where is my happiness?" "How can I get it?" We blame society, our struggles, up and downs of our lives.
Happiness never leaves us. It always walks alongside. We just fail to hold its hand because of our own idea of happiness. Let all the expectations and apprehensions go. In fact we fail to acknowledge that it lies in small things. Happiness is when we wake up, watching nature, enjoying the rain, our parent's care, our kids smiling faces, the innocence of an infant, reading a book, drawing, holding a crayon, counting our blessings, and feeling grateful for all we have. People are not poor, their state of mind is. The poverty of happiness is the real problem of our lives. Happiness is a decision and a matter of perspective.
It comes from within not from outside. That's why it is not the same for everyone. There are no objective measures for it available. But there are some key signs of how happy we are. Experiencing gratitude; feeling positive more than negative; satisfaction with your life; being open to new ideas; going with the flow; practicing self-care etc. Don't chase happiness. The more we strive for happiness, the less happy we really become. Chasing happiness lets us focus more on what we don't have, causing dissatisfaction and frustration. It's important to understand that happiness is incredibly important. We can feel this emotion more realistically in our day to day. It takes self-reflection.
Jobs are important. Promotions are important. Status is important. But understanding that they don't always lead to happiness, is even more important. We don't have to earn it. We just have to practice. Happiness should not be our goal, not an end state but a way of being. People often believe that happiness will be achieved once they reach a certain milestone, find a perfect partner or earning a particular salary. If we take time to write down all the activities that add happiness to our life, we will see that our list will most likely have nothing to do with money, power and success. Start to understand the importance of little things; our values. Some days it's okay to feel jealous, sad, angry about the things we don't have. It's normal. But don't lose sight of who you are, what truly matters. Spare time for reflection, reassessment and inner work every day. People who live in the moment tend to be happier. Be more present by practising mindfulness and enjoying inner peace. Eliminating the ones that don't make us feel good. Avoid the situations that are extremely burdening you. Learn to say NO. Happiness is a combination of three things: life satisfaction, the frequency and degree of positive emotions and the absence of negative emotions. Have you ever wonder how much control do we have over our own happiness? Is our happiness a choice? The answer differs for every individual.
Social condition and inequality plays a major role. One can minimize the role of social forces. Knowing how to manage our emotions is also key to happiness. Happiness is a feeling that is created within us and by us. No one else can construct it and hand it to us. This a deeply personal and ongoing journey. This can be nurtured through intentions, practices and lifestyle choices. The major key to happiness is knowing we have the power to choose what to accept and what to let go. One of the first steps to happiness is deciding that you want to be happy and knowing what that means. Although we may be familiar with the concept of happiness, the rate of depression is still off the charts.
So, rather than trying to find a universal definition of happiness, we need to find one that is specific to us and that fits us. Keep life simple. Simplicity is easy to understand. Happiness is a choice, so choose it! Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. That's right, a choice. Not an accident, not a charitable gift from the universe. It's not an easy choice all the time. The idea that happiness is a choice serves as a guiding principle that can transform our outlook on life. With practice and a change in perspective, happiness is a choice and can become our daily mantra. It is a path that leads to the most rewarding and meaningful life. Are we ready to make that choice today?