Simply Building Happiness
“I am not my thoughts, emotions, sense perceptions, and experiences. I am not the content of my life. I am Life. I am the space in which all things happen. I am consciousness. I am the Now. I Am.”
- “Stillness Speaks” by Eckhart Tolle
Some people seem naturally happier than others. These affable people seem to breeze through life on a golden cloud of optimism. They see the silver lining in the darkest of clouds and fully appreciate the sunny days.
For some of us, though, long lasting happiness is a little harder to achieve. Promotions, buying something new, making a new friend, and even winning the lottery will give us only a temporary boost of happiness.
We all have a baseline level of happiness that we quickly return to. For some of us that baseline is lower than it is for others.
Pessimists naturally see the negative side of things, but we are not destined to always be pessimistic.
It is entirely possible for a pessimist to become an optimist, but changing our habitual negative harmful thought patterns to positive helpful thoughts takes some work.
Here are six exercises that can build genuine and lasting happiness when they are practiced daily:
- Gratitude
Write down three things for which you are grateful every day. Don’t worry if they seem simple or mundane, just get something down on paper. Writing gratitudes will help you identify positive aspects of even the worst days.
- Acts of Kindness
Make a conscious effort to do something nice for no reason other than to help. You might be surprised how a simple act of kindness can turn around the day for both you and the kindness recipient.
- Exercise
The positive effects of exercise are astounding. Physically active people have increased energy, superior immune systems, and a frequent sense of accomplishment. Exercise can reduce insomnia, stimulate brain growth, and even act as an anti-depressant. My Wife and I go for a 30 minute walk every morning. It is also great to get a little fresh air and sunshine as well as some exercise!
- Mindfulness Meditation
Research has linked Mindfulness Meditation with reduced anxiety and more positive emotions. Those who Meditate regularly may even permanently restructure their brains to create sustained happiness!
- Positive Journaling
Take some time to write about positive events in your life. Write about a fun day spent with family or friends, a good movie, or an activity you enjoyed. Positive journaling will get you into the habit of focusing on the positive.
- Fostering Relationships
Strong social connections are thought to be one of the most powerful influences on our mood. Those who are dedicated to spending time with friends and family show the highest levels of happiness!
If you can’t see your loved ones every day you can still send an email or make a phone call. If it feels like you never see your loved ones, schedule time that can be dedicated to them.
Negative attitudes are like flat tires, we must change them before we can move on.
“More alarming than this, overthinking can completely warp your perception of events in time, shaping your personality in ways that mean you are more risk averse, more negatively focused and less resilient. When you’re constantly tuned into Stress FM you are not actually consciously aware and available in the present moment to experience life as it is. You miss out on countless potential feelings of joy, gratitude, connection and creativity because of your relentless focus on what could go wrong, or what has gone wrong.”
- “Stop Overthinking” by Nick Trenton
In this world of dichotomy, thoughts can either be medicine or poison.
We have to recondition ourselves to see events in a more positive light.
All experiences can be learned from, and since development and learning takes place, hardships and suffering can become useful and, in a way, positive.
A storm can be seen as chaotic, depressing, and dangerous or can be seen as the bringer of water which all living things need to survive, and with this change in perspective the storm becomes amazing, beautiful, and powerful.
Changing our pessimistic attitudes is difficult at first, but the more we practice positive thinking the easier it becomes!
After all, we all want to be happy healthy humans!
Comments
Post a Comment