How will you define Happiness? May be getting what you want? Or fulfilling your wishes or experiencing a feeling of satisfaction. Now, look at this image. What do you see first? The not so great-looking walls or the flowerbed that you see from the window? That’s exactly how we define Happiness most of the time. We see the pretty flowers, but we complain about the walls. We wish for clean and beautiful walls.

 

 

I am feeling happy that I got what I wanted.

I am happy today because I got a raise.

I am happy because I could make others happy.

I am happy because everyone likes me and listen to me.

 

Now, I would like you to pay attention to the latter part of the sentences. In all four sentences, Happiness is dependent on something. Sometimes it is our wants or our wishes or our aspirations. This means if we don’t get what we want, we will not be happy, or if we think others are not giving us the importance, then that will make us sad, or if we believe that others don’t feel happy in our company, then we will feel bad, why our Happiness should be dependent on others. Why we see objects or others or say outside sources a yardstick to benchmark our Happiness? Happiness is a feeling, an emotion that we all have within us right from our birth. Just that with time, we forget that side of ours. 

 

Why a baby always smiles? Because their heart is pure, their mind is full of curiosity. To them, everything is new. Their curious eyes look for Happiness in everything they see. For the world outside the womb is a mystery which they try to unfold. So, does that mean we don’t have pure hearts? – No, it’s not that, but with age, our decisions are influenced by many other forces. Okay, so have we lost curiosity? Let’s be honest here. How many times have we said, “I don’t have time to learn something new.?” My friends often ask me how do I manage multiple things like regular blogging, collaborations, two podcast channels, other content creation work, exercising along with routine household chores? My answer is always the same – I am a learner. Yes, I like to learn something new every day. And once I start something, I do not leave it in the middle. I feel happy from within. It makes me content.

 

Here are my seven simple rules of Happiness

–Count your blessings: I don’t have to explain you this. This pandemic has set a perfect example that we will be forever thankful for. We are with our families, getting good food, shelter. We can’t ask for more.

 

–Happiness is not dependent on tangible objects: Tangible things can never give us permanent satisfaction and Happiness. They are temporary, so the Happiness that we get is also temporary. Our cravings for objects will never end.

 

–Challenge your thoughts: If something is making you upset, that’s the time when we have to challenge our beliefs. We have to tell our thoughts that I am not going to get angry; I am going to stay strong, I can do it.

 

–Stop complaining: We all have problems. But that doesn’t mean that we should be complaining about it all the time. Tough times are a phase, and we have to learn to handle it instead of cribbing about it.

 

–Stop comparing: Comparison always backfires. There will always be someone or other that is better than you, but that doesn’t mean that you should develop an inferiority complex. Instead, see them as a source of inspiration. This leads me to my last mantra.

 

–Be kind: Life is too short to spend in counting the rude things people said to you. Be kind. Accept the art of forgiveness. You cannot change them, but you can change the way you look at them.

Do you want to know how do I feel about the power of forgiveness?

 

–Never stop learning: I strongly believe in it. Learning open and expands our horizon. Educating ourselves is a great motivator. When we keep our mind occupied, we have no time to think of anything else.

Here are my7 steps to Happiness:


Think Less, Feel more

Frown Less, Smile More

Talk Less, Listen More

Judge less, Accept More

Watch Less, Do More

Complaint less, Appreciate More

Fear Less, Love More

 

What do you say? Is it that difficult to be happy and spread Happiness around us? I hope your answer is No. Let’s start from today.

Happiness does not depend on what you have or who you are. It solely relies on what you think.’- Buddha

This post is written for SpeakEasy Blogging Challenge by Ruchi & Dipika

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