The golden rule of happiness is that “the more you make others happy: the happier you will be.”
Everyone tells us to “Be Happy” but what is the definition of happiness? How do we know that we are happy? Do we know what will make us happy? Can we remain happy always?
We seek answers to these questions for which answers are difficult to find. Difficult maybe, but not impossible!
First thing first, how do we define happiness?
“Happiness is the feeling that washes over you when you experience positive emotions, interactions, or events. The brain responds to positive stimuli by releasing feel-good chemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins, sometimes known as happy hormones.”
What chemical reactions take place in the body when we are happy?
It has been noticed that certain activities trigger your brain to release these hormones, like exercise, dancing, and meditation. But that boost of feel-good chemicals is situational, and it might go away when you stop that activity or leave a situation that makes you happy.
When we talk of performers or sportspersons, who experience a “high” after an intense run, resulting in a euphoric sensation that can last a few minutes to several hours.
Another aspect that increases happiness is taking risks which stimulates the amygdala, a part of the brain that releases a combination of adrenaline and endorphins when it perceives that the body is in danger. But that temporary rush of happy hormones does not lead to a happier life.
Enjoy the lyrics of a popular number:
Don’t worry
Be happy
Don’t worry, be happy
Don’t worry, Be happy
Don’t worry, be happy
Am not got no place to lay your head
Somebody came and took your bed
Don’t worry, be happy
The landlord says your rent is late
He may have to litigate
Don’t worry, be happy
(look at me, I’m happy)
These are temporary happenings for which happiness is also temporary. These give you a good high for a short period but not forever. Life satisfaction is about more than exercise and taking risks. It’s about bettering yourself long-term, discovering what you’re good at, and protecting your energy.
Here are six ways to increase your happiness:
- Take care of yourself. Chances are that many people depend on you: children, partners, parents, friends, and colleagues.
- Find hobbies that bring you joy.
- Practice mindfulness.
- Write your feelings down.
- Give back to others.
- Set goals for growth.
Life’s incidents are such that they do not let you live happily ever. You tend to feel sad and depressed and sometimes even lost on the loss of a dear one, education-related stress, relationship issues, or day-to-day activities which irk you, and add to dejection. Amidst all this, you should learn to keep calm and maintain a happiness level.
How to feel happier
- Manage your stress levels.
- Use humour and enjoy yourself.
- Boost your self-esteem.
- Have a healthy lifestyle.
- Talk and share.
- Build your resilience.
This way you will be able to create a room to adjust your habits and foster a positive mental attitude to welcome more joy into your life.
There are not only internal and external mechanisms to remain happy, science has created remarkably powerful keys to happiness and success:
- Live (or work) in the moment. Do not get stressed thinking about things you have to do later.
- Find resilience.
- Manage your energy.
- Do nothing.
- Treat yourself well.
- Venture outside your comfort zone.
- Show compassion outwardly.
But the larger question remains: where does happiness come from? Is it from a person, place, thing, or event? It can be a combination of some or a combination of all or maybe some more…
Talking about how happiness walks into our lives, it has been noticed that happiness does not come from one place, particularly because people are so different. If you ask the people around you what makes them happy, you are likely to hear a lot of different answers. Happiness as a phenomenon is a very personal thing. One thing may make you happy but another unhappy. Everyone needs to define his or her happiness. Sometimes we think, that one event will make us very happy, but when it occurs, you feel that you are not happy.
Still, some mainstays make everyone happy like birth in the family, marriage in the family, buying a new house, owning a luxury car, landing a prestigious job, or getting a promotion. Others may define it as having lots of free time to spend on their hobbies like playing squash, singing, dancing, or travelling. Someone else might argue that winning the lottery or earning loads of money would make them the happiest person in the world. But happiness goes beyond material goods. Small day-to-day experiences and gestures are most likely to make you happy.
There is another aspect which compliments – life satisfaction which is about more than exercise and taking risks. It’s about bettering yourself long-term, discovering what you’re good at, and protecting your energy. Healthy daily habits like eating a balanced diet and keeping a consistent sleep schedule are simple ways to improve your overall subjective well-being. But there are other factors that you have less control over, like your daily interactions, interpersonal relationships, and work-life balance, which are all subjective.
The good news is there’s always room to adjust your habits and foster a positive mental attitude to welcome more joy into your life.
This way you will always be HappyHo!
