There has been a lot of talk about happiness in the press of late. And this is due in no small part to the mention of this word in parliament. Coincidentally, I attended a seminar on happiness today, at least a part of it. It was by chance . Here are some thoughts of what happiness is, based on the seminar, my experience and my reflections.
1. In order to achieve happiness, we must want it. To want it , we must believe that it is a good thing to have, we must believe that it is attainable and we must believe that we deserve it. To beleive that we deserve it, we must feel good about ourselves. We must have a certain sense of self worth. We must love ourselves.
2. Happiness is not something that we strive for merely as an end in itself. In fact it is an ongoing process. It is not merely a destination but also a journey. The journey to that holy grail is more important than the holy grail itself. Therefore it is not about what is to come but really it is about the present and the now. We must stop talking about attaining that state of happiness when...."I finish schooling, when I complete my course or when I retire". Happiness should begin in the NOW. Decide now. Take the first step now. Do not procrastinate futher for we do not know what lies ahead nor how long more is left of the journey- life.
3. Happiness is about myself. It begins and ends with me. We must not depend on others or circumstances to dictate whether we will be happy or otherwise. It is a conscious effort. It is ceaseless and is ongoing. It is a pursuit and a quest. We must work at it until it becomes natural, a habit.
4. Happiness is attainable. It is not an illusion. It is not Shangri La. It is possible here, right here where we are. It is not as difficult to get it as it is made out to be. All we need to do is to work on our perceptions, on our assumptions, on our views, our perspectives on the world, the people and the circumstances around us. It is all in the mind- a state of mind.
5. Behaviour/Traits that help us be happy
- smiling
- laughing (includes at one's own self)
- clapping as hard as you can
- singing
- appreciating beauty- a person, a scenery, a picture, a piece of music, etc
- forgiveness
- compassion
- love (includes one's own self; one can never love too much)
- exercise (mind and body)
- adequate sleep
- praying, meditating
- playing
- appreciating nature
- eating good food (chocolates included)
- shopping
Ok. No time to waste. The clock is ticking. Let's get going.
