Happiness is the sole purpose of our living existence. We all know what it feels like when we are happy. When I am happy, a smile is tattooed on my face, my heart is dancing in my chest and the reason for my happiness is on replay in my head, playing again and again. It’s wonderful to be happy.
You will agree with me when I say happiness means different things to each one of us. A baby’s smile, working hard, sitting idle, travelling, painting or writing. Anything could bring delight to our hearts.
But first, let’s rule out what’s not happiness. Money has got nothing to do with being happy. It’s just a means to an end. Furthermore, happiness walks along with us in our journey of life. It’s not something we achieve after checking on a tick-list and is waiting for us at the destination.
In today’s modern, digital world and having a busy, demanding life, we find less time to relax and enjoy. It’s difficult to discover true happiness.
Happiness is the positive state of being satisfied and contented. But is it possible to stay in this mode 24/7? Definitely not. Things and people around us affect our mood and circumstances, because of which our happiness quotient surely keeps fluctuating.
Nonetheless, where there’s a will, there’s a way. If you are determined to be happy, nobody and nothing can stop you from achieving your goal. If you can’t stay happy all the time, neither can you be gloomy and grumpy all day long. We need to act smart and wisely balance our inner self so that we can experience the state of being happy most of the time and in anything that we do.
How Do We Pursue Happiness?
The million-dollar question: How do we do that?
It’s important to stay socially connected and build quality relationships. Certainly, you understand that I’m not talking about increasing your FB and Insta followers. It’s all about bridging the gap between you and your real friends and family. Happy memories come from time spent with them. For once, forget how many likes you get on social media.
Job obligation is a compulsion. You are doing that to bring the bacon home. But otherwise, do what you really love to do. Pursue your hobbies. Believe me; you’ll never have the time if you don’t just dive into it. It’s today and now or never.
Let me give you a peek into myself. I’ve always been very timid when it comes to talking. Afraid to voice out my thoughts. But I love writing. So without caring for what others might think, I just put pen to paper and here I am. Truth be told, I’m living the best phase of my life.
Count your blessings and write them down. You’ll surprise yourself; it will turn out to be much more than you imagined. Practice gratitude and you are sure to find peace in yourself. We sometimes purposely don’t want to acknowledge that we are far more fortunate than many others around us.
Look after yourself physically. Exercise, sleep well, eat right. Good thoughts and happy feelings come in a healthy body.
Don’t compare yourself to others. Each one has a unique story to tell and we all have walked a different path in life. Remember the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence and you never know what goes on behind closed doors. So jealousy is nothing but an utter waste of time and energy.
Be yourself. Pretence or trying to copy someone else will only lead to distress. Don’t worry about acceptance. People who truly love and care for you will accept you for who you are and as you are. A mask of what you are not becomes suffocating after a while. Breathe fresh air and be proud of yourself.
Were any of us born happy? Ironically when the nurse first pulled you out and brought you into this world, she smacked your bottom and made you cry simply to make sure you were alive. Nevertheless, the main objective of life is to be happy.
There are thousands of quotes on Google about happiness. But this one is my favourite.
“Be crazy, be stupid, be silly, be weird. Be whatever because life is too short to be anything but happy.”
Happily yours,
Shamim Merchant