Skip to main content

How to be Happy: Footnotes

The things that make us happy vary vastly with our age and circumstances.

What made us happy at age 4 is not likely to make us happy at 34 (though if it does, congratulations! You’ve already cracked the happiness code and don’t need this article.) Where an extra biscuit at snack-time would have had us squealing with joy at 4 years old, it’s a gourmet dinner that will likely satisfy us at 34 years old.

Thus, happiness is a state of mind.

What if we could bring back the joy we felt, at 4 years old, for an extra biscuit? Imagine the innumerable joys we would experience then, every single day.

Almost every moment would become a cause for celebration.

Here’s how to be happy. Cast aside your self-doubt and uncertainty, embrace this list, and watch your life transform!

  1. Play in the rain.

  2. Ask for rainbow sprinkles on your ice cream.

  3. Dial a random number, ask them if their refrigerator is running. If they say yes, ask them to catch it before it gets away!

  4. Call up someone you love and tell them you love them. Tell them why.

  5. Read an Enid Blyton book.

  6. Dip biscuits into your tea, watch the soggy bits fall in and scoop them out with a spoon.

  7. Wear an outfit that you would have picked out as a child but would never wear as an adult.

  8. Write a letter of love to your young self.

  9. Eat right.

  10. Go to bed at the same time every night.

That’s it. This is the list that will change your life. I guarantee it. Because happiness really is found in the little things. Happiness is about finding the moments that make us feel alive and grateful. Happiness is right here, right now.

All we have to do is open our eyes to it.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

A Self-Important Life

  “Modesty is the colour of virtue.” The essence of this saying by Diogenes, a Greek philosopher, has likely shaped our growing-up years. Indeed, to be modest and humble was the very definition of a talented person. The more intelligent one was the more modest one was expected to be. Like anything though, modesty is best had when served in moderate doses. Swing too far the other way and we’ll hit the first of the building blocks that make up our personality – self-esteem. Why is self-esteem important? Quoting Brene Brown, an American professor and author, “Authenticity is the daily practice of letting go of who we think we are supposed to be and embracing who we are.” High self-esteem naturally breaks down barriers and allows us to step into vulnerability. And what is vulnerability? Accepting ourselves as we are at any given moment. The more vulnerable we allow ourselves to be, the more authentic we become. And this root of being oneself stems from the value we give ourselves – in...

Can a Narcissist Change?

Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD) is an acute condition that affects people throughout their lives. Narcissism can impact all areas of one’s life, including work, relationships and self-development. Personality disorders such as this one can be challenging to treat. The challenge is more difficult when people do not acknowledge that they have a problem. That being said, with intention, effort and commitment, it is possible for narcissists to change. If you are wondering what does a narcissist want from a relationship , it will help to first understand what narcissistic personality disorder is. NPD is a complex condition characterized by grandiose behaviours, an overinflated ego and little empathy for others. Like all other mental health issues, personality disorders too lie on a spectrum. Therefore, for milder cases, change may come easier.   Narcissists may want to change their behaviour when they are in a new relationship. If they have insight into their own patterns, they...

What is Happiness – and Other Inanities

I know, I know. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of articles out there describing happiness and what it means, how to discover what makes us happy etc. etc. I’m not here to talk about any of that. Let’s play a game instead. Ready? And I want you to really play it, not just read it. Let’s begin. Think of someone you admire or love. This person could be a fictional character from a favourite book or TV show; they could be a celebrity, an entrepreneur perhaps. They must be someone though who is not accessible to you in daily life. You don’t have any chance of meeting them or speaking with them but you really wish that you could. Have you thought of someone? Okay, good! Now, take a few minutes and make two lists – five questions you want to ask this person and five things you want to tell them. And as you jot each down, imagine yourself asking or telling them these things; imagine also their reaction. How would they respond to your questions? What would they say to your sharing? I wan...