| As mentioned in my previous post What Is Real | | | | gym, jogging, swimming, yoga, aerobics, Pilates, and |
| Happiness, there are paradoxes surrounding wealth | | | | anything that works your body and gets you perspiring. |
| and happiness, which drive everyone to its pursuit. The | | | | Sound minds reside in sound bodies. Read my post |
| reality is, there are sufficient evidences to show a | | | | "Why I Wake Up At 6 am Every Morning" on my |
| significant disconnect between wealth and well-being. | | | | experiences benefiting from daily morning run. |
| Based on the research findings, you will know that | | | | Have Enough Rest. Happy people live active vigorous |
| happiness can be elusive and yet attainable. | | | | lives yet reserve time for renewing sleep and solitude. |
| The following are suggestions on how you can | | | | Many people suffer from sleep deficiency, with |
| increase your happiness: | | | | resulting fatigue, diminished alertness, and gloomy |
| Realize That Wealth Does Not Create Permanent | | | | moods. If insomnia is the cause, try to restore balance |
| Happiness. People adapt to changing | | | | in life, exercise regularly, have proper diet, get a |
| circumstances-even to wealth or a disability. Thus | | | | massage, practice yoga and meditation. |
| wealth is like health: Its utter absence breeds misery, | | | | Give Priority to Close Relationships. Intimate friendships |
| but having it (or any circumstance we long for) doesn't | | | | with those who care deeply about you can help you |
| guarantee happiness. | | | | weather difficult times. Confiding is good for soul and |
| - "The mind of every man, in a longer or shorter time, | | | | body. Resolve to nurture your closest relationships: to |
| returns to its natural and usual state of tranquillity. In | | | | not take those closest to you for granted, to display to |
| prosperity, after a certain time, it falls back to that | | | | them the sort of kindness that you display to others, to |
| state; in adversity, after a certain time, it rises up to it." | | | | affirm them, to play together and share together. |
| - Adam Smith, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, 1759 | | | | Focus Beyond Self. Reach out to those in need. |
| Be Your Own Time Master. Happy people are master | | | | Happiness increases helpfulness (those who feel good |
| of time management, and hence often feel in control | | | | do good). As true as the saying "what goes around |
| of their lives. It helps to set goals and break them into | | | | comes around", doing good also makes one feel good. |
| daily aims. Although we often overestimate how much | | | | Being opened to the needs of surrounding people also |
| we will accomplish in any given day (leaving us | | | | help you avoid dwelling in your own misery. |
| frustrated), we generally underestimate how much we | | | | Be Grateful. People who keep a gratitude journal-who |
| can accomplish in a year, given just a little progress | | | | pause each day to reflect on some positive aspect of |
| every day. | | | | their lives (their health, friends, family, freedom, |
| Be Happy, Even Deliberately. We can deliberately put | | | | education, senses, natural surroundings, and so on.) |
| ourselves into a frame of mind by starting it with | | | | experience heightened well-being. |
| physical action. When you feel moody, look at the | | | | - "I cried because I had no shoes," states a Persian |
| mirror and put on a bright smile to yourself. It ignites the | | | | saying, "until I met a man who had no feet." |
| energy of joyful emotion, which makes you feel better | | | | Learn Not To Compare. Most of the misery of people |
| and trigger subsequent positive moods. When you | | | | comes from comparing with others who are better or |
| meet people outside, your energy can be felt by | | | | have more. This is the definite source of discontent |
| people and brings forth mutually contagious effect. So | | | | and a perpetual sense of lack. It may continue to drive |
| put on a happy face. Talk like someone with high | | | | you to achieve more, but for the wrong reasons. It is |
| self-esteem, optimistic, and outgoing. Once you go | | | | like the rat on the treadmill, constantly chasing its tail |
| through the motions, it can trigger the emotions. As | | | | until exhaustion. It puts a person on over-drive without |
| Mary Kay said: "Fake it until you make it" | | | | any sense of fulfillment. If there is any happiness from |
| Align Work with Passion. As mentioned in my previous | | | | achieving, it is often fleeting. When you stop comparing |
| post Experiencing Flow State, happy people often are | | | | with others, you get started on the path of freedom. |
| in a psychological state called "in the zone" called "in | | | | - "Our poverty became a reality. Not because of our |
| the flow" - when one is completely absorbed in a task | | | | having less, but by our neighbors having more." |
| that challenges them yet without overwhelming them. | | | | - Will Campbell, Brother to a Dragonfly, 1977 |
| Most of the expensive forms of leisure (such as sitting | | | | Nurture Your Spiritual Self. For many people, faith |
| on a yacht) provide less flow experience than | | | | provides a support community, a reason to focus |
| gardening, playing musical instruments, painting, keeping | | | | beyond self, and a sense of purpose and hope. Study |
| fish, socializing, or craftwork. | | | | after study finds that actively religious people are |
| Be Physically Active. It has become a known fact the | | | | happier and that they cope better with crises. |
| exercise not only promotes health and energy, it is also | | | | May you live a life of pure and permanent happiness! |
| an antidote for mild depression and anxiety. Go for | | | | |