The word Happiness derived from the old English word “hap” meaning “chance or fortune”; it shares the same root as the word happen. It implied that you feel at least a bit delighted in your interactions with life as it happens to you, as chance or fortune deals you its gifts. In other words, being happy is all down to how you choose to respond to life, not about what life actually brings you. You can be miserable with all the finery, company, luxury, status and entertainment in the world, and you can be happy with none of it. Some universal tricks to elicit and maintain a happy state are as follows.
Learn to live
Rather than mindlessly seeking your delight in external diversions (the pursuit of wealth, status, adoration, and so on) as if life goes on forever in this body, remember constantly that you are going to die. Though you have no idea when that moment will come, come it will and it could be at any time. When it does, the whole story of your life will seem to have shot by in a jiffy, so give thanks, each and every moment for being alive. Delight in the thrill of existence, regardless of what’s going on around you.
Stay in the present
Avoid focusing your valuable mental power on imagining the future and how good everything will be when you have sorted out this or that detail. Instead, notice and appreciate the miracle of your existence right here and right now. Similarly, rather than projecting into the future and triggering anxiety about it not working out for you, come back to now and be willing to trust life to work out even if you can’t see how yet – surrender graciously to the mystery, in other words.
Be yourself
Don’t succumb to competition anxiety, comparing yourself to those who seem to be doing, having, or being better than you. Be willing to know you have your own path, your own destiny, that has nothing to do with how anyone else is faring. The more you inject your energy into honoring your own destiny, the more abundantly your destiny will fruit for you.
Love abundantly
Aside from your wealth of stories and experience, another important aspect of your true wealth is the love you share with those close to you. There is nothing as reassuring and health as the encouraging, loving voice of a beloved friend when you are going through stiff times. Foster the love between you and those close, and be generous. Be willing to let your love radiate freely for everyone to be nurtured by, however subtly. The more love you are willing to give, and of course, to receive, the warmer and more joyful will be your world.
Connect mind, body, and spirit
Take time each day – 20 minutes is sufficient – to devote yourself entirely to some form of intelligent movement that unites body with mind and body-mind with spirit. Without daily training like this, by which you get your energy moving freely and your joints, limbs, organs and all other bits and pieces to be internally massaged back to balance, it’s impossible to be steady in your happiness.
Bear witness
To be able to delight in being alive, no matter if fortune is smiling or frowning at you, requires two more things: Firstly, an appreciation of yin and yang, the understanding that good fortune turns to bad and vice versa, so that rather than overly stress when things go against you, or overly gloat when they go for you, you can merely delight in bearing witness wherever you are on the scale. Secondly, you need to keep your heart open – keep your chest soft and your loveable to move freely so you remain connected to those around you, and sit back inside yourself as if leaning back in a comfy chair within. Breathe slowly, relax your body, bear all the above in mind at all times, and enjoy the show.
