Happiness seems to be the butterfly that each one of us is chasing. It is the ultimate goal behind all goals.
Happiness doesn’t have to be elusive. All it takes is to make a decision to be happy and progressively work towards it. John Stuart Mill proposed that in measuring happiness, consideration has to be given both to the quality and quantity of pleasure. While it is debatable if happiness can be quantified, listed below are five ways that could you increase your happiness quotient:
1. Free Yourself From The Opinion Of Others:
The need for constant approval from others might be a factor in diminishing your sense of self worth and therefore your happiness. Remember no one else outside of you is walking in your shoes. Dr. Wayne W. Dyer has dedicated an entire chapter to this aspect called “You Don’t Need Their Approval”. He writes that needing approval is tantamount to saying, ‘Your view of me is more important than my own opinion of myself.’ You need to let go of what others think of you and trust your own judgment because only you know what is best for you. And once you achieve that, you get back the control of your life in your own hands.
2. Positive Self Talk:
Develop the habit of giving yourself a pep talk every now and then. Recall all your previous successes and achievements and tell yourself that you are worthy and capable of excelling in whatever it is that you choose to do. A positive self talk will boost your confidence and propel you towards greater success. Barbara L. Fredrickson says that experiencing a positive emotion leads to states of mind and to modes of behavior that indirectly prepare an individual for later hard times. In her broaden-and-build theory, she proposes that the positive emotions broaden an individual’s momentary mindset, and by doing so help to build enduring personal resources.
3. Meditate:
The benefits of meditation cannot be overstated. All it takes is a few minutes every day when you sit down in a comfortable position and quiet your mind. Jerry and Esther Hicks in their book Ask and It Is Given explain that it is easier for most people to clear their minds and have no thoughts than it is for them to think pure positive thoughts. A quiet mind is refreshed and filled with fresh new ideas to embark upon the tasks at hand.
4. Spend Time Doing Things That Please You:
Do the things that you love and that bring you joy. Dr. John Gray says that anything that makes you feel good is always going to be drawing in more. So pet your cat, take a walk in nature, climb that mountain that you’ve been wanting to. Do anything that makes you feel good because that’s what life is all about.
“Joy, love, freedom, happiness, laughter. That’s what it is. And if you experience joy sitting there and meditating for an hour, by golly, do that. If you experience joy eating a salami sandwich then do that!”
-Neale Donald Walsch
5. Cultivate A Set Of Positive Habits:
Author, Gretchen Rubin talks about how she spent a year building a set of habits that she believed would increase her happiness. Cultivating positive habits and sticking to them could be a source of immense happiness because building habits takes discipline and will power. And every once in a while you can look back at the effort that you had put in to cultivate the right ones and get a big kick out of it!
Happiness means different things to different people. If you pick the ones that suit you best and stick to them, the next time you flex your happiness muscles, they’ll be strong and sturdy.
“Being happy is the cornerstone of all that you are. Nothing is more important than that you feel good.”
-Abraham Hicks
