mk’s Universe
Better than reality.Archive for happiness
MKism: Keys to Happiness
In order to have be truly be happy, I believe you need the following:
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A healthy respect for the self.
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A sense of purpose. (the present)
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Something positive to look forward to. (the future)
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Gratitude for everything you have, had, and are going to have.
It’s not much of a list at the moment. I hope to add to it in the future.
While a healthy appreciation for your past experiences may be beneficial, I don’t feel that it’s an essential prerequisite for happiness. For example, if you’ve had a less than fortunate upbringing, you may prevail, not because of it, but in spite of it.
On a related note, I believe the following inhibit your joy:
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Viewing life as a competition.
Feeling down? My best advice to you is exercise. There’s plenty documented benefits to exercise, including the release of endorphins. I always feel most optimistic and creative after a session of exercise. To quote self-help guru, Tony Robbins:
Emotion comes from motion.
Look at it this way: Death = stillness; Life = motion. If you want to feel alive, move!
A friendly universe.
Today I turned on the television looking for something inspirational, and Joel Osteen’s program was on. (My friend, Rajiv Ramdeo, would label that as synchronicity.) I used to watch his show every week but regrettably have not for over a year. I really enjoy his sermons, and I recommend it to anyone of any religious faith since his sermons are less like traditional Bible-based sermons and more like life lessons that anyone can take away from.
Today’s program reminded me of something I’ve been thinking about recently. I have come to realize that life is such an ongoing battle of influences. We are constantly being influenced by others, particularly our peers. We may like to think of ourselves as self-reliant, but the truth is the actions and attitudes of our peers directly affect us on a day to day basis. We begin to share, we begin to open ourselves to their values and their beliefs. Once you understand that, then it becomes quite clear: Life is an uphill battle.
Gratitude and appreciation.
Hey, bloggers! I want to share a revelation I had yesterday. 
Remember to appreciate those that appreciate you.
Let me explain how I came to this. I think a lot of people can relate when I say I have a fear of not making the most out of life, of not being “carpe diem” enough, of not doing what I should be doing, of not living life at 100% capacity. Because time moves by so, so fast. When we were young, it felt like a year’s time would go on forever, and as we grow older (and hopefully wiser), time seems to disappear in the blink of an eye. It’s easy for me to feel that I’m constantly running out of time. I’m working on reframing my mindset so I can feel that I have plenty of time for anything, and thus become a more productive and fulfilled person.
I believe one of the ways we can maximize the quality of our lives is through gratitude. We should all be grateful for what we’ve got. Because one day, we might not have it anymore. So we have to be grateful now for what we have now. And a part of that is to appreciate those that appreciate you.
