Creating Happiness

Life puts us in various situations and we forget to be happy. We forget in the midst of everything that the ultimate goal of everything is to be happy.

For the longest time, I have struggled with the question of how to be happy? There were so many quick fixes like making a list of things that you like to do and going back to it when you are sad. My list mostly was watching a movie, taking a walk and eating junk. It did work but it was a very temporary and superficial solution.

Recently I have stumbled upon blogging which is a constant source of happiness for me. So what I have ultimately realised are the following:

Start doing something that gives you continual happiness

Take up a hobby, pursue it seriously, or find at least one activity that gives you happiness each day. In my college days, it was walking in the evening. It was very refreshing. These days it is blogging. But realising the importance of making a conscious effort to be happy I built certain hobbies. Cultivate various hobbies that will come to your aid when you are feeling down or low.

Doing something for someone

One of the best ways to be happy is to make someone happy. It could be a family member or a friend or a spouse. Spreading happiness is as good as creating happiness. Why it is such a big deal? As you plan :

a. You get excited
b. It strengthens your relation
c. You feel a sense of accomplishment once done
d. You receive praise or appreciation

All of the above are by themselves sources of happiness, so doing something for some is like hitting the jackpot of happiness.

To know why people aren’t able to fully appreciate the efforts we put in for them read the upcoming article: Selfless-Doing something for someone The Right Way.

Enjoy your work

Apart from home, work is the place where we spent the majority of our time. If you are in a place where you don’t enjoy your work, you are definitely in the wrong place and you need to change ASAP. Work must bring a sense of achievement and fulfilment. So work can either be a source of continuous happiness or constant unhappiness. Choose a profession that genuinely makes you happy.

Do something occasionally that makes you happy

Treating yourself once in a while is a must. If you like being on your own, take some ‘Me Time’. Have a vacation schedule. Try and plan small outings and proper vacations to break the monotony and to come back with renewed enthusiasm. I don’t recommend shopping or a spa day because it is not intrinsic and provides very short-lived joy.

Celebrate the small events

Birthdays, anniversaries and other such days may seem insignificant but if you have a routine, these are days to which you would really look forward. Plan to spend these days with family or loved ones, especially those with whom you have a good time. Create memories. My mother has this amazing thing where when we got good results, one meal was all of our favourite dishes. It made me feel extremely special and has forever become a wonderful memory.

Have something to look forward to

It could be your takeout dinner or the next episode of a series you really enjoy, make them a part of your daily routine. I usually really look forward to the days on which I can spare some time for painting. With work and everything that isn’t often as a painting takes about 3 hours or more. So, I have started dividing it into two days. Having something to look forward to in the days and thinking about it helps us be in a good headspace.

Creating happiness should be a conscious effort. Filling the days and weeks with tiny things that are a constant source of happiness helps release stress and helps us be happier throughout. Whatever stage of life we are on it is definitely difficult and stressful, adding some stress busters always helps.

In this article, I tried to include those things that take time to cultivate but are definitely worth the effort. It is not about momentary happiness, it is about CREATING HAPPINESS.