Friday, October 29, 2010

Be as Happy as You Want to Be

A lot of people must have heard the song 'Don't Worry, Be Happy' by Bobby McFerrin at one time or another. The song has a catchy way of conveying its message to everyone about being happy. Bobby McFerrin’s simple message surely motivated a lot of people by telling them not to worry.

Living a happy, resilient, and optimistic life is wonderful, and it is also good for your health. Being happy actually protects you from all the stress in your life. That’s good because stress is linked to top causes of death such as heart disease, cancer, and stroke.

One of the best things ever said is – “The only thing in life that will always remain the same is change”. In our lives we have the power to make the necessary changes if we want to. Even if we find ourselves in an unbearable situation, we can always find solace in the knowledge that it too would change.

Social networks or relationships are essential to happiness. People are different, so accept people for whom or what they are and avoid clashes and constant arguments. Also, let go of all kinds of resentments. If arguments seem unavoidable, still try and make an effort to understand the situation, and you might just get along with well with it.

Happiness is actually found in everyone, so increasing it is a way to make life more wonderful and healthier.

Being happy is relatively easy. Just decide to be a happy person. Abraham Lincoln observed that most people most of the time can choose how happy or stressed, how relaxed or troubled, or how bright or dull their outlook will be. The choice is simple really, so choose to be happy.

There are several ways which you can do this.

Being grateful is a great attitude. We have so much to be thankful for. Thank the taxi driver for bringing you home safely. Thank the cook for a wonderful dinner. Even thank the guy who cleans your windows. Also, thank the mailman for bringing you your mail, thank the policeman for making your place safe, and thank God for being alive.

News is stressful. Get less of it. Some people just can't start their day without their daily dose of news. Try and think about it, 99% of the news we hear or read is bad news. Starting the day with bad news does not seem to be a sensible thing to do.

A religious connection is also recommended. Being part of a religious group with its singing, sacraments, chanting, prayers, and meditations foster inner peace.

Manage your time. Time is invaluable and is too important to waste. Time management can be viewed as a list of rules that involves scheduling, setting goals, planning, creating lists of things to do, and prioritizing. These are the core basics of time management that should be understood to develop an efficient personal time management skill. These basic skills can be fine tuned further to include the finer points of each skill that can give you that extra reserve to make the results you desire.

Laugh and laugh heartily everyday. Heard a good joke? Tell your friends or family about it. As they also say – “Laughter is the best medicine”.

Express your feelings, affections, friendship, and passion to people around you. They will most likely reciprocate your actions. Try not to keep built-up anger or frustrations as this is bad for your health. Instead, find ways of expressing them in a way that will not cause more injury or hurt to anyone.

Working hard brings tremendous personal satisfaction. It gives a feeling of being competent in finishing our tasks. Accomplishments are necessary for all of us. They give us a sense of value. Work on things that you feel are worthy of your time.

Learning is a joyful exercise. Try and learn something new everyday. Learning also helps us expand and broaden our horizons and could also give us more opportunities in the future.

Run, jog, walk, and do other things that your body was made for! Feel alive!

Avoid exposure to negative elements like loud noises, toxins, and hazardous places.

These are the few simple things you can do everyday to be happy.

Finally, always remember the quote from Abraham Lincoln. "Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be."

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