There are many positive emotions and positive feelings you have in a day and happy is just one of them. I believe that you are more happy than you even know. Why? Because there are 86,400 seconds in a day and if you really reflect on how you feel throughout the day you will find fleeting moments of happiness, delight and joy which come and go. Unfortunately you are so busy that you didn’t even know you are experiencing some form of happiness. So often we are all are just rushing around – that we can miss recognizing the positive emotions we have in our lives.
Little bits of happy all day long
Reflecting on my day yesterday, I realized that finishing a project that was two weeks over due imparted a sense of relief in my mind, which was reassuring and empowering. I accomplished a task completely and that made me feel wonderful.
Simply preparing and eating a healthy breakfast, I felt satiated and energized and able to power through my work in the morning, another moment of success.
Taking a moment to organize my wardrobe, bringing my clothes to the dry cleaners and my pants hemmed, the feeling of taking care of myself, my appearance – another moment of self-care and a tiny hit of happiness.
Sometimes it’s the journey to joy
It’s the doing things that you enjoy that keep you going. Not everything you like to do has to be so significant and grand. You might like to dance, draw, knit, paint, read, strum the guitar – not to perform at Carnegie hall – but simply for the relaxing way it makes you feel. Find what brings you a bit of joy each day and do some of that.
It’s important to know what makes you happy. Your life is your life, know it while you have it.
Taking ownership over your happiness starts with mastering your mind and body.
Not every little thing that happens to you needs your attention. You don’t need to treat everything like a precious decision. However, if you can, you must set yourself up, stage the day and do what will increase your chances of being happier. You are responsible for your feelings.
“I own my physical wellbeing so I sleep well, stay fit, eat sensibly and hold my body in an alert, engaged and present state. I am responsible for my feelings and I know the destructive impact of fear, anger, sadness and craving. Thus, I seek and stimulate the emotions of calm, passion, kindness, contentment and joy. I know that I am not my thoughts. I watch and challenge my thinking making effort to step back, explore different explanations, respect the perspective of others and stay fully present to the moment with an attitude of realistic optimism.” From The Resilience Institute
Different definitions of happiness & its fleeting nature.
It’s the definition of happiness that screws things up. Happiness is like a biorhythm, it gauges up or down. It ascends to high peaks and then flutters down to lower levels. When you say “I am not happy” you are letting your mind determine a condition in your situation that may not be true. People have different definitions of happiness and different conditions for chasing and staying happy.
Aristotle said there were four different levels of happiness:
- Happiness from material things, like a new pair of shoes or car.
- Happiness from feeling victorious, more accomplished than the rest.
- Happiness from doing good for others and making the world a better place.
- Happiness from feeling deeply connected to everything and everyone.
Understanding your approach to happiness.
Gratitude is the first approach. Being happy with what you have. The hedonic approach, seeking pleasure and avoiding pain; and the eudaimonic approach, which focuses on the meaning you give life and self-realization.
Life is not easy, it can be very difficult. One moment everything is going your way and then the next, you have problem – a friend is angry with you, your stomach hurts, you have a headache, your tooth is loose, you can’t find your keys, your phone, your wallet.
You need to enjoy and savor the small, delightful experiences and march on through the tough times – determined and willful.
Remember, suffering is self-induced (you get to choose what bothers you) and worsened by a dysfunctional society that places the trappings of material success above peace of mind.
Just thinking about being sad, will make you sadder.
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