Live a Happier Life
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” ― Aristotle
More than anything, everyone wants to be happy. If you are like me, though, your definition of happiness may be vague. You may not be entirely certain of where your happy place is. Happiness is a very personal thing, it is a personal decision and it is based on your own values and dreams. Just as no one else can define success for you, no one besides yourself can define happiness for you. Your happiness is your responsibility and your choice.
“I am a happy camper so I guess I’m doing something right. Happiness is like a butterfly; the more you chase it, the more it will elude you, but if you turn your attention to other things, it will come and sit softly on your shoulder.” ― Henry David Thoreau
Happiness is not only a feeling, it is, in many respects a virtue.
- Positive, happy people are well-liked people, they get hired for jobs over pessimistic people and they have more friends than negative people.
- Happy people make better decisions because they accept greater challenges and have clear thinking.
- Happy people are more physically and emotionally fit than unhappy people.
“You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.”― Albert Camus
The pursuit of happiness may actually be a deterrent to happiness, so it is best not to pursue happiness as a goal, it is better to do things you love and love yourself and others. Accepting yourself, volunteering, being kind, doing things for other people, having good relationships and having pets are all ways to increase your levels of happiness. Accepting yourself is one of the greatest factors in achieving happiness. If you can accept yourself, you are well on the road to leading a happy life. Be kind and forgiving to yourself, be mindful, and maintain your self-esteem. Believe in yourself!
“If you want happiness for an hour – take a nap.’ If you want happiness for a day – go fishing. If you want happiness for a year – inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime – help someone else.” —Chinese Proverb
Relationships are an important factor in happiness and friends play a major role in personal happiness. Aristotle said there are three types of friendships:
- Utility friendships where each person benefits in some way from the other
- Pleasure friendships, based on personalities, fun, and common interests
- Virtuous or Goodness friendships based on admiration, shared values, and striving together for the greater good
Not surprisingly, virtue-based friendships last the longest and bring the most happiness to those in the relationship. If you want to find happiness, find friends that share your values, who support you, and make you feel good. Sex and affection are key ingredients in the happiness formula as are good relationships with other people.
It follows that extroverts are often happier than introverts. There is added research showing that extroverts are nostalgic about the past, looking back on memories with fondness and focusing on the positive as opposed to the negative. My recommendations – start having more sex and remembering the good old days.
“The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts.” ― Marcus Aurelius
No surprise, but positive thinking and gratitude are major factors in happiness. Think positive, be grateful, and you are more likely to be happy. Pets make people happy. I know mine have made me happy. They have been proven not only to help extend lives but they actually increase self-esteem! I am a dog and cat lover – tried the fish route but to be honest, they ate each other as did my hamsters so from my personal experience, I would recommend getting a dog or cat. Some people, though, really bond with snakes, mice, rats, birds, or guinea pigs. If you are sitting on the fence about getting a pet, you might want to reconsider.
“Happiness is not something readymade. It comes from your own actions.” ― Dalai Lama XIV
Active people are happier, people that attend cultural and sports events and exercise are happier than couch potatoes. Motivate yourself to get out there and enjoy your community!
“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.” ― William James
Recent studies have shown that one of the most important factors in happiness and success is helping others.
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson
- Helping others can help you help yourself, providing access to social and psychological resources that counter negative moods.
- Helping others makes you feel good, actually triggering feelings of reward in the brain and feel-good chemicals.
- Helping others can boost your self-esteem and well-being. The more you help others, the more confidence you are likely to have.
- Helping friends creates stronger friendships and creates positive relationship dynamics.
- Helping others boosts your mood, makes you more optimistic and positive, and grateful.
- Helping others is empowering, it gives you a sense of purpose and a stronger sense of self.
- Helping others provides a sense of belonging and can reduce loneliness and isolation.
- Helping others will give you a higher level of inner peace and reduce your stress.
- Helping others is contagious. It encourages other people to help others and results in “pay it forward” behaviours.
Happiness and helping go hand in hand, the more you help others, the happier you will be. Take the time to volunteer, to help people less fortunate than yourself, to help family and friends. Not only is the pay-off great but the actual act of helping is good for your mind and your body.
Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy.” – Buddha
You hold the keys to your own happiness. Lifting up other people, helping others, has been a proven path to happiness over the ages. Confucius, Buddha, Aristotle, Lao Tzu, great religious and philosophical leaders have similar ideas as to what the true path to happiness is. It always comes back to kindness and gratitude. Happiness is born of being true to oneself, of living a life that is based on strong values and love.
“Folks are usually about as happy as they make their minds up to be.” ― Abraham Lincoln
The steps of the Noble Eightfold Path provide a good guideline for happiness and fulfilment in life.
- Right Understanding
- Right Thought
- Right Speech
- Right Action
- Right Livelihood
- Right Effort
- Right Mindfulness
- Right Concentration
Happiness and success are both born in each individual and how one measures them is a personal choice.
“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.” ― Mahatma Gandhi
There are several things you can do that will increase your happiness quotient:
- Accept yourself and love yourself – take care of your emotional health, be self-aware, be mindful, be self-compassionate.
- Be compassionate and understanding, kind, generous and helpful – do things for others.
- Foster and build good relationships. Be compassionate and understanding.
- Take care of your health and your body with exercise, good diet, and good habits.
- Live in an “attitude of gratitude”. Practice gratitude daily.
- Be enthusiastic – get involved, learn new things, do things you are passionate about.
- Have a vision, goals that you want to achieve that have a higher purpose and commit to that vision.
- Be positive and optimistic.
- Engage with the world around you. Make a difference.
- Practice meditation, religion, spirituality, whatever brings you personal peace and joy, find your inner place of peace.
True happiness consists of the ability to enjoy yourself and the world around you, to enjoy the here and now. The happiest people are those that are content with what they have, who they are, and what they are doing. Happiness is rooted in seeing, being and doing the little things and the big that touch your heart, make you smile, making your life and the lives you touch warmer and richer.
“True happiness is to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future, not to amuse ourselves with either hopes or fears but to rest satisfied with what we have, which is sufficient, for he that is so wants nothing. The greatest blessings of mankind are within us and within our reach. A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.” ― Seneca
Happiness is a choice – you have the power to make that choice! Choose happiness for your life however you define it. It’s fairly simple. You know what makes you happy and what doesn’t. You know who makes you happy and who doesn’t. Know also, that your happiness radiates from within – let it shine for you.
SEEBEDO Your Happiness
SEE happiness around you and within you. See the light of love and kindness emanating from you and around you.
BE happy, be mindful be accepting of others and yourself, be loving, be grateful. Live in the moment.
DO what you love. Do the things required to make yourself and others happy, do things for others, do things for yourself. Embrace life.
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