Know Your Real Happiness
“Happiness is the richest thing we will ever own”, said Donald Duck.
“Now, think of the happiest things. It’s the same as having wings.” said Peter Pan.
Introduction: If there was something that every human being would want all the time, it would be happiness and we all search for it and strive for it every day. But have we ever wondered, why we want to be happy? The answer is simple, we only live once and when life is so precious and short, we have to make the most of it by being happy.
Happiness means different things for different people; for a baby, happiness is a chocolate; for a child it is a new cycle; for a mother, it is the smile on her children’s faces; for a teacher, it is the success of his students; for a sportsperson, it is the team effort, and the list goes on. Happiness is simple, it is going out into the garden, soaking the sunshine, watching the clouds glide and birds chirp, and smiling that we can experience such beautiful creations.
Happiness is complex, when we are totally tired after a day’s work, yet we are happy that we worked towards our goal. It is an easy feeling to have, yet at the same time, is a slippery fish that tends to escape. It is something we all strive for, on a daily basis. From cartoons, comics, movies to historical stories, happiness is a key ingredient in all of them.
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Modern Meaning of Happiness:
In the present generation, the meaning of happiness has unfortunately taken a different sense from the above. People focus a lot on the material aspects and external validation to feel happy. The food served in the restaurant is not tasty enough unless it is posted on Instagram. The trip with family is not happy enough unless the photos are shared via WhatsApp. The quotation, “When shared, happiness doubles and sorrows dwindle”, stands true even today. Sharing is an essential part of attaining happiness.
We share food with our friends, achievements with our loved ones, and a joke or two to laugh, all these are critical to being happy. But when the happiness depends on the number of likes, shares or comments we get on our post from strangers, we need to question ourselves, is it really true happiness? The same stands true for material things too. Of course, we are happy when we buy an ice cream or an expensive car, but if we totally depend on buying stuff to derive our happiness from it, we need to ask ourselves again, is this real happiness? As we move on, let us take a look as to how to be truly happy and spread it in the world, because happiness is a dish that tastes best when shared.
Knowing Real Happiness and Achieving It:
According to the Bhagavad Gita, the people who understand themselves are always joyful. They no longer look to the outside world for happiness since they have discovered inner delight and fulfilment. Scientifically, happiness is the feeling we experience when something positive happens and the brain releases feel good hormones like dopamine, endorphins and serotonin which are also known as fee-good- hormones.
Following both the meanings, when we really understand who we are and strive to achieve it what we want, we will be happy. As an example, when we understand what is important to us, for some it is family, for some it is work, for some it is food, and once we understand that, we must strive to achieve it. A very important thing to be remembered here is that we never compare ourselves to others. It is the villain that takes all our joy away from us. Keeping these basics in mind, lets us see a few tips and practices to know and achieve happiness:
- Happiness is a state of bliss, calm and joy. It can be achieved by calmly sitting and meditating or vigorously working to win a championship.
- One of the simplest, yet effective methods is to take care of yourself. Exercising, meditation, a skincare routine, can make you both healthy and happy.
- Being mindful is another crucial practice. The brain gets attracted to the negative very easily. It is our duty to attract positive thoughts. Consciously cutting down on over thinking and being present in the moment are powerful tools to being mindful.
- Follow your passion! Our hearts are the happiest when we do something we love. Even in the busy schedules of the day, find time to do what makes you happy. It can be singing, painting, running, or even watching a movie.
- Along with this, pick up a hobby and practice it. The sense of learning something new and challenging your brain is a sure way to be rewarded with the happy hormones.
- Gratitude – Practicing gratitude is the core of happiness. If we are content with what we have and are grateful for it, we are happy. The logic here is to be content with what we have, and yet have the hunger to get more. Only having a thirst for more and more, will be greed and breed feelings of jealousy. But being thankful and continuing to work for more will give the feeling of joy.
- Many times, we are overwhelmed with many thoughts and the best way to sort them out and solve them is to write them down. The effect of journaling has been showcased to us by many successful people. Writing leads to organization of our thoughts, which helps in prioritization, which in turn helps in taking action and ultimately help us in achieving it and being happy.
- The best kind of happiness is found in service. Engage in giving back to the society and planet. Help the poor and needy, be kind with animals and the warmth you receive from them will fill your heart with pure joy.
- Apart from this, small things like praying and making it a point to be optimistic will do wonders to your lives.
J.K. Rowling, via her character Albus Dumbledore in Harry Potter, said that “Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, if one remembers to turn on the light”. So, focus on yourself, your dreams and your loved ones, that is the real treasure in life and make your life joyful.
