All of us are fighting nowadays to earn some sort of happiness. The everyday charms and joy has been eroded in the winds of deadly virus. But we can still hold on to some valuable acts which can make our lives much better.
Due to uncertainty during these times, everyone is running after financial stability and high income. While it is a necessity, completely immersing oneself in such motive can result in persistent anxieties and insecurities. To ensure a balance and maintain emotional wellbeing, we should plan our routine in a way that we don’t overlook our hobbies and things we like to do. If one is unable to figure it out rightly and just feel too overwhelmed with working all day, he/she should at least find some time to talk to friends or family members that they are comfortable. Sometimes, silent reflections, doing things for yourself like investing efforts in making your breakfast yummy or even organizing your room can bring you mental peace.
Investing in awesome stuff!
By investing, I do not mean it have to be monetary and by awesome stuff I do not mean the things we want only to compete with the world out there. This investment is of your time and your efforts and awesome stuff are those things which can bring you happiness as well as happiness to others. Research shows that even when you spend your own money in helping someone as compare to spending it on yourself, you are able to sustain a long lasting happiness in the former. It is because of the phenomena of 'Hedonic adaptation' in which human brain naturally starts to lose joy in things when become accustomed to them. For example, I buy my favorite dress and I am very happing when I get it but after some time that happiness will deteriorate. On the other side, if I buy a dress and just randomly gifted to a street child. That smile, that moment will bring me happiness but the moment will last at once! I'll come home and never get to see that person again but whenever I remember that moment, It will always bring me a fresh happiness.
So, we should manage our time and resources in a way that we are happy and we also do something for others; my pet, my family, my friend, my neighbor or even someone I don’t even know!
AWESOME STUFF IS NOT THE BAROMETER SET BY SOCIETY, IT IS NOT MONEY, NOT PERFECT BODY, NOT PERFECT GRADES. But something that you feel is valuable for you! It can be little things and as small as acts we do in daily life.
We don’t always have to fight for happiness, we can create ways in which we appreciate and enjoy the things we already do. One tip is to break your act into pieces. For example, I am happiest when I eat a red velvet cake. So, in order to thwart the hedonic adaptation, I will not eat it daily or else would not it whole together at one time. If I do that, my brain will get accustomed to it and will not give me happiness anymore. Whereas, If I do the same act by breaks in between, each moment will bring me joy.
There is no perfect formula to stay happy every time, but what we can do is to make the process simple yet enjoyable.
(Notes from 'The science of well Being' Yale University)
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