Happiness is a
skill that can be mastered. It is not abstract and unreachable. Happiness is a
personal thing. Your happiness way is not the way of others. It is a
verb. It’s not stagnant. Ask these
questions of yourself: “How happy am I?” and “How happy am I with my life?”
The happiness that we all want involves both private and
public happiness. Private happiness belongs to a particular individual while
public happiness involves the happiness of society as a whole. We need to learn
ways that will allow us to attain private happiness, and understand public
happiness by maintaining harmony between the two. There are seven Principles in The Way of Happiness:
Don’t Fall for
the “If-Then” Trap Don’t fall for the “if-then” or
“when-then” traps … “I’ll be happy if I get that job,” “I’ll be happy when I
get that house,” “I’ll be happy if I get that relationship.” It’s easy to
put your happiness “out there” instead of “right here.” The effective strategy
is to enjoy the journey. Find your happiness now, here, with what you’ve
got, from where you are. You can choose what you focus on. Focus on
the things in your life that lift you. That’s the happiness way. Most
importantly, remember that it’s the journey and the destination, and sometimes
the journey is all we’ve got, so make the most of it.
Drive from
Happiness This is where you have to look
inside, and answer the tough questions. What do you like to do?
What makes you happy? What do you want to do more of? It’s very easy to
keep doing the things that we think others expect from us, or want for us.
Instead, look inside and find the things that really do make you happy, and do
more of that.
Focus on
Fulfillment When you live a meaningful life, you
make your actions, your choices, and your moments count. You achieve this
by deciding who you want to be, and what experiences do you want to create. A
simple strategy to focus on fulfillment is to focus on “the greater good” and
give your best where you have your best to give. It’s about playing to
your unique strengths, and sharing your gifts with the world. This will
help you rise above the trials of daily living, and help you find a higher
ground. Do more meaningful things, by making meaning in the things that you
already do, and choose to do. You are the most significant meaning maker
in your life. A simple way to add more meaning is to identify a passion
you believe in.
Point Your
Camera on Purpose You’re the director of your
life. Point your camera at the things that you want more of. Is it pain
or pleasure? You get what you focus on. It’s a powerful choice and
metaphor. It’s easy to test. Simply start pointing your camera at better
scenes each day, and watch what unfolds in yourself, and the world around you. Best
wishes on discovering you path of happiness your way.
Raise Your
Frustration Tolerance The beauty of
this insight is that it works in an instant. All you have to do is decide
not to be frustrated by all the little things that don’t go your way on a daily
basis. There are so many things that can cause frustration in your day if
you allow them. Don’t get mad at the tree go around it. Don’t get
frustrated by the traffic, leave earlier. If it happens, it
happens. Focus on what you control, and let the rest go.
Find the humor in it. Find the lesson. If you raise
your frustration tolerance, you can instantly raise your overall happiness
level on a daily basis. Too many things in your day could set you back. The key
is to practice selective intolerance, so you can live your life at a higher
qualify. Deal with the setbacks, and go with the flow while living your vision,
mission, and values.
Set Your Own
Happiness Level We each have our own happiness
level. Some people have an overall happiness of 8 or 9 out of 10.
For others, it’s more like a 5 or 6. Embrace it, and start from where you
are. One of the best things you can do is find simple ways to gradually improve
your overall happiness level. One of the worst things you can do is
compare your happiness level to others, or beat yourself up for not being a
sparkly, happy person. As simple as it sounds, people that lead happier lives
don’t worry about whether they are happy every waking moment. They focus
more on living their values, and focusing on fulfillment. Happiness
happens along the way and at more frequent doses now. Sometimes, people
just have to appreciate what they have.
Spend More Time
in Your Values Living your values is a simple way
to add more happiness to every day. If you spend a lot of time at work,
the best way to make the most of it, is to connect your work to your
values. For example, if you like to learn, then master your craft.
If you like to help others, find a way to contribute and give back, using your
skills, experience, and knowledge. If you value excellence, then make
your work about excellence. When you spend more time in your values, you enjoy
the journey more, regardless of the destination.
“Happiness and freedom begin
with a clear understanding of one principle: Some things are within our
control, and some things are not.” (Epictetus)[i]
[i] Sources used:
·
“7 Ways to Bake Happiness into Your Life” By J.D. Meier
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