Md Altaf Hussain :
We are constantly bombarded with messages about how to be happy, but are it really attainable? For thousands of years we have looked to religion, philosophy and science for the answer to that question, but perhaps it’s as simple as accepting life as it comes.
“Happiness is a delusion, it doesn’t exist,” says Brian Colbert, psychotherapist and best-selling author of The Happiness Habit and From Ordinary to Extraordinary, ‘it is not an end destination you arrive at, but something you do or don’t do. It’s realistic to put happiness as a priority in life but we’ve a right to be miserable and sad sometimes too. Life is chaotic and it’s about balancing that chaos and paying attention to what matters more often of the time.”
In other words, paying attention to our values, those needs such as connection, security and recognition, that amount to our identity and that are always being sought after either consciously or unconsciously.
“People need to feel they are progressing and evolving. Happiness isn’t a choice you make but what you do to enact certain behaviours that will lead to happiness. Even in moments of despair, adversity and negativity, the key is being able to say I’m going to redeem this situation and move forward in a more positive way.”
The best thing about being happy – or reaching as close as possible to that goal – is that we don’t worry ourselves about many things. Below are 7 things happy people don’t care for or worry about, that we should all stop caring about too:
Practice gratitude
It’s easy to get caught up in, and even addicted to, personal concerns, dramas, and defeats. Instead, focus on all the blessings of being you. Half the world lives on less than $2 per day. Most of us have cozy beds to sleep in, showers and baths, food in the fridge, cars to drive, and more stuff than we need. We live in an amazing state of freedom and our life choices abound. There are people who love you and need you. What a blessing. Remind yourself every day that your glass of life isn’t just half full, it’s flowing over.
Money
It’s really hard to ignore the fact that money runs the world today. Most of our decisions and ambitions are motivated by finances and many still hold the belief that money can buy you happiness – a notion that we’ve long established isn’t true. Happy people don’t care about the money in their bank accounts, because happiness is a state of mind that knows no monetary bounds.
Tune out negative noise
While you can’t avoid all the negative people and situations in your life, you can surely remove yourself from a lot of it. Turn off the TV, avoid hate radio like the plague, move gently away from constantly negative friends and acquaintances, and seek out more peaceful environments in your leisure time.
What other people are doing
With the growth of social media, we’re exposed to all the fun things everyone around us is doing, all the new items they’re buying, all the new places they’re visiting – but a happy person knows not to compare and knows that THEIR happiness is very different from, and not mutually exclusive to, other people’s lives.
Balance your schedule
Take a step back and evaluate the tasks and commitments that are filling your time and consider cutting out some things that don’t fulfill you. It’ll take some juggling but if you work at balancing it, you can eventually feel less overwhelmed and more satisfied with life.
Have a good laugh
Laughter does the body good: a good hearty chuckle can help stimulate circulation and help muscles relax, the Mayo Clinic notes. You breathe in more oxygen when you laugh and it can trigger an endorphin release. Laughter can also help lessen feelings of anxiety. So put on your favourite comedy show and unwind.
Think positively
Positive thoughts help breed positive outcomes. Even if those positive thoughts aren’t necessarily genuine, fake it till you make it. When a negative worrisome thought enters your mind, dismiss it and replace it with something positive. Soon, you might find yourself believing it too.
We are constantly bombarded with messages about how to be happy, but are it really attainable? For thousands of years we have looked to religion, philosophy and science for the answer to that question, but perhaps it’s as simple as accepting life as it comes.
“Happiness is a delusion, it doesn’t exist,” says Brian Colbert, psychotherapist and best-selling author of The Happiness Habit and From Ordinary to Extraordinary, ‘it is not an end destination you arrive at, but something you do or don’t do. It’s realistic to put happiness as a priority in life but we’ve a right to be miserable and sad sometimes too. Life is chaotic and it’s about balancing that chaos and paying attention to what matters more often of the time.”
In other words, paying attention to our values, those needs such as connection, security and recognition, that amount to our identity and that are always being sought after either consciously or unconsciously.
“People need to feel they are progressing and evolving. Happiness isn’t a choice you make but what you do to enact certain behaviours that will lead to happiness. Even in moments of despair, adversity and negativity, the key is being able to say I’m going to redeem this situation and move forward in a more positive way.”
The best thing about being happy – or reaching as close as possible to that goal – is that we don’t worry ourselves about many things. Below are 7 things happy people don’t care for or worry about, that we should all stop caring about too:
Practice gratitude
It’s easy to get caught up in, and even addicted to, personal concerns, dramas, and defeats. Instead, focus on all the blessings of being you. Half the world lives on less than $2 per day. Most of us have cozy beds to sleep in, showers and baths, food in the fridge, cars to drive, and more stuff than we need. We live in an amazing state of freedom and our life choices abound. There are people who love you and need you. What a blessing. Remind yourself every day that your glass of life isn’t just half full, it’s flowing over.
Money
It’s really hard to ignore the fact that money runs the world today. Most of our decisions and ambitions are motivated by finances and many still hold the belief that money can buy you happiness – a notion that we’ve long established isn’t true. Happy people don’t care about the money in their bank accounts, because happiness is a state of mind that knows no monetary bounds.
Tune out negative noise
While you can’t avoid all the negative people and situations in your life, you can surely remove yourself from a lot of it. Turn off the TV, avoid hate radio like the plague, move gently away from constantly negative friends and acquaintances, and seek out more peaceful environments in your leisure time.
What other people are doing
With the growth of social media, we’re exposed to all the fun things everyone around us is doing, all the new items they’re buying, all the new places they’re visiting – but a happy person knows not to compare and knows that THEIR happiness is very different from, and not mutually exclusive to, other people’s lives.
Balance your schedule
Take a step back and evaluate the tasks and commitments that are filling your time and consider cutting out some things that don’t fulfill you. It’ll take some juggling but if you work at balancing it, you can eventually feel less overwhelmed and more satisfied with life.
Have a good laugh
Laughter does the body good: a good hearty chuckle can help stimulate circulation and help muscles relax, the Mayo Clinic notes. You breathe in more oxygen when you laugh and it can trigger an endorphin release. Laughter can also help lessen feelings of anxiety. So put on your favourite comedy show and unwind.
Think positively
Positive thoughts help breed positive outcomes. Even if those positive thoughts aren’t necessarily genuine, fake it till you make it. When a negative worrisome thought enters your mind, dismiss it and replace it with something positive. Soon, you might find yourself believing it too.
