If you look at life from a bird’s-eye view, you come to realize how all of us are ultimately seeking the same emotion – happiness. Happiness has been defined, redefined, studied and analyzed by psychologists for centuries.
What does it take to make someone truly happy? How different is the concept of happiness from one person to the other? Is there a standard set of objects or situations that make people happy?
The list of questions attached to the concept of happiness is almost endless because as much as we seek it, it also baffles us. Happiness, we concur, is a rather subjective thing. What makes person A happy doesn’t necessarily have to make person B feel the same.
Now, before we move on to the topic of happiness, we’re focusing more on a medium that could possibly lead to happiness – Mindfulness.
What does being mindful entail?
In simple terms, being mindful means to be fully present and aware of the current situation, the here and the now. If you’re in a particular surrounding, being mindful will make you observant and deductive. Being mindful will also heighten your senses and quicken your responses. And yes, focus and concentration play a big role in this as well.
The human mind is complex, but being mindful gives us more control over it. The Kybalion offers a window into the phenomenal power of a well-ordered, mindful mind. If you’re not familiar with it, take a minute to read the Wealth Creation Mastermind’s overview of the Kybalion and learn more about the power of a mindful, present, conscious mind.
So, how does one try to be mindful?
1. Use your senses:
There are five basic senses that we’ve been gifted with, it’s important to use them all. When you see, hear, taste, smell or touch something, there could be little details that you’re missing out on because your mind is preoccupied.
However, if you pay close attention when one or more of your senses are stimulated, you’ll realize how and when attention to detail is such a vital thing.
2. Tuning the mind:
A majority of the population is inclined towards music, and yes, music can be an important stimulant for the mind.
In fact, the reason why each of us loves music, albeit whatever genre it is, is because of the mental reaction and flow of happy hormones in the body. If you’re trying to focus on something, listening to music could actually aid with the process.
3. Channeling energy:
We’re not talking about physical energy here. Mental energy is a force to be reckoned with! It’s what fuels our inner strength, our emotions, different parts of the brain and, of course, our behavior and mindset. Meditation is a great way to channel your energy and also leverage it.
Mindfulness requires a certain amount of composure and calmness, which cannot be achieved if you’re stressed, overwhelmed, disturbed or just simply not in a controlled state of mind. People all over the world believe that meditation is the key to regaining control over an estranged mind, and this does work, to a certain extent.
4. Expression:
The cluttering of too many thoughts and emotions at the end of a tiring day leads to mental fatigue and, more often than not, this fatigue carries over to the next day. The result is a lack of proper sleep, body aches, lack of concentration and motivation, and also a general absence of mindfulness.
Hence, to de-clutter your mind, expressing yourself is necessary. Whether you let it out through a hobby, by writing it, by talking to someone you trust or any other way, it’s vital for you to express yourself. This creates a healthy mental environment and also allows you to be mindful.
After understanding a few simple ways that you can be mindful, let’s trace a few steps backward and go back to the analysis of happiness.
To be happy, one has to be self-aware. To be happy, one also needs to be at peace and have a calm and relaxed state of mind. And this is where we draw the connection between mindfulness and happiness.
Someone who is mindful is more likely to be happy than someone who isn’t. Happiness is obviously a positive emotion, and it struggles to thrive in a mind that is plagued by negativity. And negativity can exist through a host of emotions, whether it’s anger, remorse, disappointment, and so on.
No, we’re not saying that mindfulness eliminates these emotions because life is a combination of the good and the bad. Although, we do believe that mindfulness helps one with tackling negative emotions in a much more productive manner. So, the road to happiness becomes less tedious.
There are several roads to happiness, and none of them are exactly the same for two people. We all have different paths and preferences, but the core essence of the way we articulate thoughts remains the same.
So yes, mindfulness is certainly one of the roads to happiness, with fewer bumps along the way. It helps with building personality and maturity and also broadens one’s perspective of physical and non-physical elements around them.
The journey to happiness is a continuous one. Whatever pace you might be traveling at, you’re bound to find it at the checkpoints along the way!
All the best……
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