Happiness is not a job, not a destination, not a person, not a place, not your career, and not even a journey to your purpose. Happiness is NOW. According to me, happiness is just about staying in the present, enjoying what is on your plate, and not worrying about anything else.
If you think that you will be happy once you reach your career goal, or when you buy your dream home – well, let me tell you, that is just not how it works. You need to be happy now, to be happy in the future.
Similarly, if your happiness depends on a specific person, you will never be truly happy. It is simple, if you are happy alone, you will be happy together, and vice versa. But this attitude is not what will come to you at once. You need to practice it. Everyday. Let me tell you how!
1. Be Grateful
Thank God for what is happening right now, irrespective of whether it is good or bad. There are always more reasons to be happy than to sulk. You see, Life is a gift, and if you don’t intend to waste it, it is important you acknowledge how grateful you are for it.
Ancient history says, the likelihood of being born human is one in 400 trillion, you are more likely to win the lottery 7 times in your life. Isn’t that enough reason to be grateful for?
Well, here is a daily gratitude practice. Either after waking up or before going to bed, write a gratitude journal and list down the things you are grateful for, every day. I don’t know whether it will change your life or not, but it will surely make you joyful.
2. Stop Complaining and cribbing
If you are grateful, I am sure you have already stopped complaining about little things in life. But, if you haven’t, let me tell you: it’s the most toxic habit that ruins your mental peace.
Most of us tend to complain when things are not happening as we planned them. But here is the thing: the universe has bigger plans for you which will show up eventually. So, instead of feeling disappointed, be mindful of things that are happening around you. Mindfulness is the simple practice of being in the moment and seeing them the way they are and not from where you are and how it affects you.
For instance, if you are stuck in the traffic for your dream job interview, where you don’t want to be late, it is very easy to complain. But if you look at the situation as just being stuck in traffic, and not connect it to your job interview, it will prevent you from sulking. I know, it’s easier said than done, but once you learn to practice it, the rewards are plenty!
3. Start Working out
Well, your happiness has a lot to do with your mental wellbeing, but your physical well being is not far behind either. Among the million benefits of regular exercises, most of them are validated by science.
Biologically, after an intense workout session in the gym, your body tends to secrete hormones called endorphins, also known as happy hormones which are responsible to make you feel joyous. Remember, working out does not necessarily mean you need to hit the gym, you can also play your favorite sport, do Yoga, or even attend a Zumba session.
4. Explore Spirituality
We have already discussed how important it is to stay in the present if you want to stay happy. In a similar fashion, spirituality also promotes mindfulness.
Spirituality does not have a fixed definition and it means different things to different people. If you want to explore your definition, you can start with practicing meditation daily or visiting a church. That being said, if you are in or around Melbourne, you definitely cannot miss Planetshakers Church Melbourne.
Over to you…
This was our guide on how you can become happier, day by day. But you see, happiness is such a broad term, it cannot be summarized in any guide, no matter how big it is. It all comes down to one thing, that is, you. Practice what brings you joy, whether or not it is on our list!