I think the first thing that comes on my mind is: Do what you love. But beside this there are other things you can do to become happier or just happy. This is your path and your destination and the lock down moment is a great opportunity to think about yourself and life, relationships, friends, family and love. If you feel you are not where you would like to be, then you have just one choice: move. At the beginning it will be complicated, in the middle a mess, but at the end you will be the great winner. Start now!
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Find your most golden stuff
Picture happiness. What do you see? A peaceful soul sitting in a field of daisies appreciating the moment? That kind of passive, pleasure-oriented—hedonic—contentment is definitely a component of overall happiness. The positive emotion accompanying thoughts that are directed toward meaningful goals is one of the most enduring components of well-being. It seems obvious, but actually it is not. There are many people who really don’t know what is happiness to them, or what makes them really happy. Th key is to find this out as soon as possibile!
Design your life to bring joy
It may seem obvious, but people don’t devote enough time to thinking seriously about how they spend their life and how much of it they actually enjoy. Analyzing one’s life isn’t necessarily easy and may require questioning long-held assumptions. A high-powered career might, in fact, turn out to be unfulfilling; a committed relationship once longed for could end up being irritating with all the compromising that comes with having a partner. Dreams can be hard to abandon, even when they’ve turned sour. Fortunately, changes don’t have to be big ones to tip the joy in your favour. Taking action is key.
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Avoid “if only” fantasies
If only I get a better job…find a man…lose the weight…life will be perfect. Happy people don’t buy into this kind of thinking. The latest research shows that we’re surprisingly bad at predicting what will make us happy. The other argument against “if only” fantasies has to do with “hedonic adaptation”—the brain’s natural dimming effect, which guarantees that a new house won’t generate the same pleasure a year after its purchase and the thrill of having a boyfriend will ebb as you get used to being part of a couple. Happy people are wise to this, which is why they keep their lives full of novelty, even if it’s just trying a new activity (diving, yoga) or putting a new spin on an old favorite (kundalini instead of vinyasa).
Put best friends first
It’s no surprise that social engagement is one of the most important contributors to happiness. What’s news is that the nature of the relationship counts. Love comes and goes, but friendship remains. i think this is a great moment to think about your friends, send postcards and letters, write e-mails and make long telephone calls. A good friend is a good listener, so try to talk less and listen more. And yes, be present, this is a very important key to happiness.
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Photo: Zen
Allow yourself to be happy
As much as we all think we want it, many of us are convinced, deep down, that it’s wrong to be happy (or too happy). Whether the belief comes from religion, culture, or the family you were raised in, it usually leaves you feeling guilty if you’re having fun. Not just that you really deserve to be happy, happiness is always the way it’s meant to be. So, for any die-hard pessimist who still needs persuading, just think of how much more you can help the world if you allow a little happiness into your life.
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