- HubPages»
- Health»
- Mental Health»
- Emotions»
- Happiness
How to Become Happy in Life
1. Introduction
An entire landscape of health and well-being consists of physical, emotional, spiritual, mental, nutritional and environmental factors. For optimum health the vicissitudes of life, its scars and bumps should be embraced bravely as a part of living.
All are aware of the basic concepts of life and know what to do for healthy living, like losing weight, increasing the energy levels and ultimately leading a more meaningful, productive and invigorated life full of warmth and effulgence.
But there is a wide gulf between knowing and the doing, because a wide range of ups and downs in life, the ebb and flow between ease and struggle continues perennially throughout the life in one way or the other. But this is the wonderful and the fascinating aspect of life.
The various studies have proved that the happiness has little to do with material prosperity or achievements in life. Happiness is the outlook about life, the quality of relationships, the basic amenities in life, the good governance, the community resources and health.
2. Quit Negativity and be Happy
Stop complaining like a hypocrite and shun all cynicism and sarcasm, because these are the negative feelings.
The stress and emotional strain severally affect the well-being and the health. The emotional health is necessary because a chronically unhappy and stressed person cannot fully achieve the wellness. Cultivate the holistic approach with a focus on the connection of mind and body.
It does not mean to be completely sprightly and ebullient all the time. Feeling sad and down occasionally, and then coming out of these feelings is a natural human experience.
One should not become a sadist and start taking pleasure in negativity and cynicism, as a shelter for the comfort zone. Try to change the approach and make sincere endeavors to come out of it at the earliest, so that these feelings may not get deeply entrenched and create stress in life.
Leaving the home down-spirited with a scowl, a frown on face and stress on mind will not earn many smiles or much warmth outside in return. When a person silently curses someone for hurting or annoying him and glares in retribution, he only digs himself deeper into the comfort zone of negativity; and worse, that negative energy certainly gets returned. What you exude is what you get back in return.
3. How to Boost up the Self Worth
Yoga and meditation. The daily practice of yoga keeps the person calm and centered in an otherwise shaky turbulent storm of life.Follow the style or technique of meditation which suits you. Rise up early and give the gift of a clear mind and clean thoughts to your own self. Always begin the day with a smile on face and assign the purpose of happiness to life. Soon the aesthetic level of calm from the practice of meditation descend.
Eat for nourishment and not for craving. Always eat an organic and raw food. For the optimal health and development of physical prowess, just think that, whether the food that has been eaten will provide health or disease. Eat only to satisfy hunger and to give nourishment to the body. Make a meal plan according to physical activity and self-care for the coming week, like a strategic plan for work in life.
Keep a journal of record of health and emotional triggers. Record the things which cause negative effects on your physical, emotional and mental health.It will help to discover the tentative food sensitivities, influences on eating habits and the type of foods which give you energy.
Discover a passion in life and chase it. Explore the things which create purposefulness and the sense of being alive in you. Devise the means and follow the ways to chase your passion. Spare a little time for personal passions and enjoy them.
Find the positive and like-minded people. Such people assuage the feelings and shield you from all provocations and unnecessary clashes. Until the inevitable death, try to spend maximum time in positive thinking. Keep yourself surrounded by the positive thinking people.
Always enjoy the journey of life with a light, playful, non-judgmental and unbiased frame of mind.
4. Choose to be Happy
Sometimes life puts forth more obstacles to be handled but even such challenging circumstances, one can choose to be happy by following these hints.
Respect yourself in every circumstance. A person is of no use to anyone else, if as a priority, he fails to take care of his own physical and emotional needs.
Forget and forgive all, for everything, either too big or so small.It is well said that forgiveness is divine.It is a gift which you give to no other, but t your own self. The stress is generated in life by getting angry at something and someone, but this negative burden could be removed by forgiveness and forgetting. Granting forgiveness is optional, but internalizing the forgiveness is gives joy in life. Besides, forgive yourself for everything. Don't punish yourself or regret permanently for having done or undone something. After all, we all are human beings full of passions and weaknesses.
Be grateful and thankful to the life. Like forgiveness, the gratitude is also a gift which you give to no other, but t your own self. Make it a habit of saying, thank you, because it develops great inter-personal relationships. The power of gratitude lies in internalizing the thankfulness for life in general and for existence in particular. Be grateful for everything that has ever occurred or not occurred in your own life.
Give respect to your mental faculties. Observe intently, pay great attention, weigh the pros and cons, and choose with intention, because of the faith though powerful, is no substitute for diligence and care. There is no freedom or real happiness without conscious choice which is always your own.
Make plans for future and try to shape or design it. One should not be a passive spectator of life subject to its mercy. Have a vision for the future you desire and then proceed to create it. You may often fail but try again with doubled zeal and vigor. Do not procrastinate, but rather begin today.Don't wait for formal beginning as there is no better time than today. The obstacles may stop you, but devise new ways to achieve the goals.
Provide service to others. To be of some use to others is one of the greatest plans for happiness which one gets in return. The greatest service to others is as a person you are, and not the tasks accomplished during the service. Gift happiness to others and set an example of happiness to others as a source radiating happiness.
Romance and dance with life, because the life is not a serious enterprise. One is born, commits mistakes, feels regrets in turn and eventually dies. So why to worry and be in hurry.The real happiness lies in dancing to the tunes of life and laughing at the odds.
Discover the unity with spirit and get connected to it to achieve the strength, happiness and serene calm from the eternal and infinite source. So meditate and do yoga.
5. Mood Boosting Nutrients
Certain foods boost the mood, while the processed and addictive sort of foods depresses the person. So both the food and the mood are interrelated. The present age is an epoch of mood disorders where the people are found to be tired, exhausted and moody. The people are kept on antidepressants. The depression is directly related to the food we eat.Add some nutrients which are natural mood boosters and see how happiness follows the suit.
Take healthy fats.
The body relishes essential fatty acids, out of which the omega-3 is best for the health of the brain. It nourishes the brain and reduces the body inflammation. Because inflammation is the major cause of mood disorder.
The fatty acids boost the mood, provide alertness and improve the cognitive functions. Take fish at least thrice every week, while the vegetarians can take flax seeds, hemp seeds, pumpkin, walnuts, krill oil or coconut oil as a substitute.
Fermented foods.
Most of us know that the low serotonin levels lead to depression, while the most of the serotonin in the body is produced in the gut. The friendly bacteria in intestines should work properly for the health of intestines. The fermented foods supply this healthy bacteria into our digestive system. Eat fermented foods in the form of raw sauerkraut (not canned), kimchi, tempeh, yogurt, dairy kefir, and miso. The fermented drinks are kombucha tea, coconut kefir, and water or milk kefir.
Decrease the toxic load from the body by avoiding nasty chemicals and by a seasonal cleanse of the body. The gut and liver get clogged due to excessive drinking, sugar intake and by the toxic load. The body then struggles to generate serotonin in the gut, which is known as a feel-good hormone. Take a daily dose of probiotics for the health of the gut.
Vitamin B.
Depression is caused by low levels of folate, B6, and B12.The brown rice, nuts, legumes, oats, yeast, dark green vegetables etc., are the best sources of B vitamins. The low-fat animal products like fish dairy contain the B12 vitamin. Another option is B complex, but sugar, alcohol, nicotine, and caffeine destroy the B vitamins in the body.
Vitamin D.
The micronutrient, vitamin D is associated with depression. Just 15 minutes sunshine per day gives enough dose of vitamin D.
Fish oil.
Take about 2 to 3 grams of fish oil daily.
6. Natural Mood Boosters
Reduce the caffeine products like coffee, sodas, energy drinks etc. Adrenaline present in caffeine affects the mood and when stressed or depressed it can have drastic effects.
Drastically cut the intake of processed and packaged foods, because they are inflammatory and have a negative effect on mood. They cause long term ill effects on health.
Don't take artificial sweeteners as aspartame has been found to be linked with mood disorders.
Take proteins, complex carbohydrates, and good fats, because these macro-nutrients stabilize the blood sugar level. The mood drops with the corresponding decrease in the level of blood sugar. The good fats and complex carbohydrates make hormones and neurotransmitters in the body which boost the mood.
Decrease the intake of alcohol as it is associated with several mood disorders.
Take enough rather more water, as the dehydration causes cause fatigue, depression, and agitation.
Lift the mood with regular exercises.
Give some time to yourself, because the mood stoops very low when a person is either stressed or overwhelmed.
Take at least 8 hours sleep to repair the system and to become happier.
The mood disorder can be tackled by acupuncture too.
Laughing releases the feel-good hormone and makes the person happy.
© 2013 Sanjay Sharma