“Happiness is when what you think, what you say and what you do are in harmony.” – Mahatma Gandhi
I have often wondered in the past, “Is there such a thing as true happiness?”
There was a time when I had turned to shopping, expensive hobbies, and eating gourmet food for happiness.
While they provided instant gratification, that’s exactly what they were, instant gratification.
This temporary happiness lasted for a maximum of a week, and then I was back to square one, looking for it on the outside.
Google executive Mo Gawdat, talks about happiness.(1) While he lost his son suddenly on a holiday, he says that “Happiness is not about what the world gives you, it’s about what you think the world gives you.”
He could have chosen to stay closeted all his life and cry for his loss, what he chose to do though was ‘accept the harsh reality of what was, as it is.’
For me though things got bad to worse and I was always on the look out for happiness, trying to push myself harder in the hope of attaining it.
The result was only frustration and stress as I could not manage to attain permanent happiness and the peace of mind, most people crave for.
It was only after I attended the EFT Seminar in Mumbai, that I realized I was looking for happiness in all the wrong places.
Motivational speaker Jay Shetty says, “Let’s not make happiness and success about the size of our homes. Let’s redefine happiness as to the size of our hearts. Let’s not make it about gratification, but about gratitude.” (2)
We have put together 7 quintessential keys to happiness below.
It helped me realize that true happiness and inner peace only can come from within, and no amount of external circumstances or gratification could quench my thirst for happiness.
The 7 keys to happiness
1. Accept what is – This is probably one of the most difficult thing to do. Situations happen all the time. While it is sometimes human nature to fight what is happening, at times even denying the absolute truth.
The only way to be happy is to accept what is happening. I found it really difficult at first however tapping with EFT really helped me.
If you don’t have the tapping sequence, you can download a free Booklet here.
2. Live in the present – Your past may have had hurt, un-forgiveness and pain, the future may be equally daunting.
While it may be not easy, the trick is to live in the present moment and not have the urge to rush through to the next.
In his book, The Power of Now, Eckhart Tolle gives a very simple message that living in the now is the truest path to happiness and enlightenment.(3)
When I attended The Journey Seminar I also learnt how staying in the ‘now’ is what also helps in experiencing total and complete freedom. To download a free booklet on A Journey to healing, click here
3. Do what makes you happy- This is a very important step, as sometimes we tend to ignore our own personal needs, possibly because we put the needs of others before ours. This step also requires a lot of contemplation as you really need to think deeply about what truly makes you happy. And then just do it.
Just imagine if money or other resources were not an issue, what would you truly love to do?
4. Write a happiness journal – Keeping a daily happiness journal can be one of the best exercises possible, because writing down your happy or peaceful moments can constantly re – condition your mind to be happy. Not just that, when you are really down and low, you can simply read a page and instantly raise the vibration of that moment.
5. Get to the root of unhappiness – It is a proven theory that change happens from within. In such situations it is really important to get to the root of unhappiness and root it out from there. EFT is one method that helps you get to the root of the issue, with as little trauma as possible.
Sometimes there may even be secondary gain and you may be unconsciously accepting this state of unhappiness. I realized this when I attended the Breakthrough Coaching with NLP Seminar in Mumbai, and I was able to uncover my secondary gains associated my emotional conflicts.
See below to download a free booklet on the 7 steps to creating the life you want.(4)
6. Understand the others point of view – Most often than not, unhappiness also results from stress and fights in our relationships.
Fights often happen because we are more focussed on getting our point of view through than understanding the person in front of us.
The best way is just to stop for a moment and try to decode what message the person is trying to give us.
No two people are the same and this could be a very important step to bring back the happiness in life. it is only through this understanding you are able to resolve conflicts within yourself and the relationships around you.
When I attended Breakthrough Coaching with NLP, there was this profound process, that enabled be to step into the other persons shoes and actually feel what the other person is feeling inside.
I was really shocked to discover that it’s not always, that someone is trying to exert force on you, sometimes it’s just their soul calling out for help. Letting you know, that they’re insecure and need a shoulder.
7. Exercise daily – Exercising daily is proven to release endorphins that make you happy. So even if it is just a 10 minute walk daily, exercise. To know how you can exercise your mind, check out our last blog. How important is energy? 3 daily exercises to boost yours. This will keep your energy levels high and also help you stay happy.
In conclusion, while the keys given above might seem difficult at first, regular practice can bring about that much needed happiness and inner peace. The more we understand how we function emotionally and build a better relationship with ourselves, the happier we will be
Love Donita & Team Vitality
References
1 Channel 4 news. An algorithm for happiness
2 Redefining Happiness – Street Philosophy with Jay Shetty
3 The Power of Now: A guide to spiritual enlightenment by Eckhart Tolle.
4 Free booklet on 7 steps to creating the life you want
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The next EFT Trainings are in Delhi, Mumbai, Pune and Bangalore.
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