We often confuse Happiness with these sudden surges of delights. Although we often think things like “Buying this will make me happy”, we almost always end up growing out of such happiness. Therefore, what is the definition of happiness? Well, happiness is a continuous flow of illumination rather than sudden bursts of blinding lights. And when we can harness that kind of happiness, statistics show that our efficiency in everything that we do can increase exponentially. So let us check out five important habits that can boost our happiness.
1. Surround Yourself With Positive People
We do not need to take a painstaking look at our survival instincts to realize that we love our own selves the most. Ironically, when it comes to opinions, we consider everyone else’s first. Being honest about our own opinions is the best way to avoid this issue, but only a few people can do that. For those of us who cannot, cutting off people with negative attitudes and opinions from our lives is the better solution. Of course, if these negative people stem from places of necessity, for instance, workplaces, there is not much we can do about it. What we can do is fill up the remainder of our times with positive people that project positive ideas, ambitions, qualities or any other thoughts upon us.
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.”
― Jim Rohn
2. Do NOT Leave Yourself Unexpressed
Although most of us do not have any problem expressing our positive feelings, we often bottle up our negative ones for the sake of self-control. Problem is, such suppression and their frequency can be as harmful as continuously expressing negativity. Any feeling that compromises our inner positivity must be expressed for the sake of clarity and eventually happiness. Again, we cannot immediately express our frustration, anger and similar feelings generating from places of necessities, but what we can do is channeling it. You can always call a close person to whom you can explain and express these feelings; make use of that. Another sure way to express the unexpressed is to participate in sports and activities that require the application of focus, speed and stamina simultaneously. Sprinting and boxing are good examples.
"There is no stress in the world, only people thinking stressful thoughts and then acting on them."
―Wayne Dyer
3. Be More Decisive
Indecision can often ruin our most moderate experiences. The sense of perfection often compels us to invest too much emotionality into a single decision. This in turn overwhelms our brain by unnecessarily creating sub-decisions. Such practices almost always influence disappointment and negative impulses. To avoid this, rather than going for the “perfect” go for the “good enough”. A good-enough goal is more practical and much easier to achieve, which would lead to wish fulfillment and contentment. Any decision, regardless of its gravity, can motivate unhappiness if it verges too close to perfection and impracticality.
"I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions."
―Stephen Covey
4. Meditate And Express Gratitude Regularly
Happiness sprouts when clarity and calmness set root in our hearts, and one of the surest ways to do that is by meditating right after waking up in the morning. Developing this habit gives us the tranquility of mind that guides us through the daily mayhem and to continual calm and happiness. Meditating daily for about 5 to 7 minutes right after waking up is enough. But remember, this is not a miracle cure and does take some time, depending on your commitment, to set in.
"Gratitude turns what we have into enough and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity ... it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."
―Melody Beattie
5. Help and Empower Others
Although it is normal to think that other people’s discontentment is the last thing we want to deal with while we are not happy ourselves, helping others in need without a focus on personal gain actually build-up our own contentment at the subconscious level. We all know from personal experiences that receiving honest gratitude from others can be really heartwarming and fills us with a sense of goodness. If we can turn this into a routine, or at least, somewhat regular, part of our lives, such goodness will work toward sustainable and perpetual happiness. So make it a habit to, genuinely, offer your help to empower those around you.
"We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give."
―Winston Churchill
The important take away
The aforementioned five are just a few of many healthy habits that can boost our happiness. But no matter how you wish to approach it, always remember that it is actually a choice and choosing happiness is always the better answer.
