How to Experience Happiness Right Away
Happiness starts now — don’t postpone it.
Happiness is sold everywhere.
They say the more money you make, the happier you become. After fulfilling your dreams, you will be happy. Or, the beautiful girl you date, she will fill your life with joy and contentment. If not, then there are your children — with their innocence, they will fill the void inside you and make you feel happy.
But what we see in reality is way different.
The more you earn, the more you become obsessed with money. Your tensions grow, responsibility and risks escalate, and it becomes difficult to even sleep without sleeping pills. Again, when the dreams get fulfilled, yes — you feel a surge of excitement inside you. But for how many hours? Within a few moments, you say to yourself — what’s now?
Thus the most beautiful girl you date and eventually marriage seems less exciting and more problematic within a few years. Sometimes, the relationship fades away or ends up in divorce.
Your children, who were the angels of your life — when they pass their puberty, you hardly know them anymore. They don’t follow the path you suggest. Becoming different individuals, they pursue their own idea of life and happiness. You feel isolated, living on your own lonely thought-bubble.
Now tell me, where is happiness in your life?
Your Chase for the Next Thing Clouds Your Mind
When you were a little kid, you had little freedom and more restriction. Maybe you wanted to play outdoors, but your mom didn’t permit it. You hardly got the food you liked the most. Your dad told you to study hard when all you wanted to play with your friends. So, you started dreaming of being an adult with all the freedom to do whatever you like. You were convinced that it would make you extremely happy.
Then, when you became an adult with all the freedom you envisioned, your problem still was there. As a college student, you started to think about good grades to land on a dream job to be finally happy. A strange thing called career grasped your thinking and started to give you a tough time.
By the time you got your job, your friends were getting married to the most beautiful girls, and their happy faces were everywhere on social media. They look happier. But you wanted happiness more than anyone else. So you got married to a beautiful girl you loved. That time, who could ever imagine that marriage would put so many responsibilities on your shoulders?
You realized the happy life people portray on screens is hardly has anything to do with reality. But it was already late. You thought your children would make you feel content. You would be a proud father.
Years passed, your children came into the world, and the responsibilities grew further. You started working more and more to secure their future. But the sad thing is when they grew older, they started disliking you. To them — you were a backdated dad who never understood their demands.
Now, here you are — will all the responsibilities and daily struggle and no happiness. You chase for the next thing — your obsession with the future-happiness killed your present moment and made you unhappy.
Happiness has finally become a funny word for you that exists nowhere. At least you didn’t find it chasing. And yes — you’re right in a sense. Because when you chase happiness, you never get it.
The moment you say — I will accomplish this or that and become happy, you have already lost the game.
Stop Chasing and Start Experiencing Happiness
A few days ago, a friend of mine was sharing his story with me. He told me that he has become like an alien in his own family. Nobody cares if he comes home or not. None of his relatives expects him to any social gathering. They don’t even invite him anymore because they know he is busy and cannot attend.
This friend of mine usually comes home late at night, after completing business responsibilities. When he comes home, he found everyone sleeping. He eats alone and then goes to bed, but no sleep is there for him.
He told me that now he wants to rejoin the family and rebuild the relationships. He regretted saying, I want to come out of this life. It’s destroying my life. But I am stuck in too many matters that I cannot avoid.
His business is producing good money, and he holds influential positions in a few companies, but do you think his money, designations, power, and responsibilities are making him happy?
Of course, not. All I see is a frustrated man with so many business responsibilities who lost connection to his near ones. And now he regrets it the most. He feels lonely — lonely as hell.
I think you understand what message I am trying to convey. Maybe you are more or less like my friend. Maybe your happiness is confined to a two-week vacation each year. Maybe you are destroying your life by chasing so-called financial success and ignoring everything else that life offers.
Remember, happiness is a state of mind, and your chasing mentality makes your mind unstable, therefore, unhappy. So, stop chasing the next thing and start experiencing your daily life and activities.
How to Experience Happiness Right Away
Happiness starts now — stop chasing it. Create your own world outside of your work. You will be surprised to see how little things can give you a happiness of a lifetime.
Be present and sit with your thoughts
Disconnect yourself from your electronic devices for a few moments to rediscover yourself. Sit alone with all your thoughts and figure out what is bothering you and making you unhappy.
Is it your obsession with money, materials, fame, broken relationships, childhood trauma, or future expectations?
Be in the present moment and figure out what you can do the best right now. Then, write those down in a notebook. Don’t put extra weight on your shoulders. Empty your mind from the pressure of remembering the problems by writing them down in the notebook. And start solving them one by one.
Sitting with yourself is a tough job, and it takes courage. You need to judge and criticize your own actions for getting the right direction. If you can do this first, you are all set to welcome happiness and joy back into your life.
Reconnect yourself with the natural world
In most cases, our work pressure and future expectations take us far away from the natural world. We tend to ignore the vast ocean of life in our surroundings.
You are not born only to count money and experience the wildlife on TV screens. Turn off your device and take a walk into the wilderness. Leave your comfort zone and do it to revive the connection between you and the natural world. Remember, magic happens when you say goodbye to your comfort zone and hit the road.
You come across things that unknown — you hear the music unheard — you discover the beauty hidden from your very city-eyes. Be a good student in the school of nature and observe everything with your curious eyes.
Appreciate nature, and calm yourself down. There is no race for happiness.
Rebuild and revive your relationships with others
A good relationship is the precondition to have a happy and eventful life. No one can be happy only by themselves. As we are social animals, we need to connect with others to understand ourselves better.
Never take any relationship for granted, not even your family and children. If you do not care for them, they will no longer feel comfortable around you. And it will ruin your happiness.
For a happy life, you need to nurture the relationships you have. Call your childhood friends, visit your relative’s house, and let them know you are happy to have them in your life.
Your friends and relatives don’t care how much money you earn, but they definitely care when you show them love and respect. And it significantly adds joy to your life.
Read good books, watch good movies
A good book or a good movie can teach you a lesson of a lifetime. It can widen your outlook and change your perspective.
When you see the movies like Castaway, Life Is Beautiful, It’s A Wonderful Life, K.D., Charlie, Kumbalangi Nights, Pursuit of Happiness, Saving Private Ryan, Dead Poets Society, The Shawshank Redemption, The Truman Show, etc. — don’t you feel like life is full of hope and magic, and you have every reason to live it to the fullest?
A good book or a good movie not only entertains you but also teaches you some hard-earned valuable lessons for free. It shows you a life beyond your daily life and encourages you to experience more and be happy.
Visit hospitals
One of my colleagues do this when he feels down or depressed. It helps him to understand how fortunate a man in good health. If you feel too depressed and unhappy with all the future expectations and work-pressure, take a day off and visit hospitals randomly.
You will realize that the pressure you have taken to make your future-self happy means nothing. Your body and mind can betray you at any time, without even any warning. So, don’t weigh yourself down, sacrificing your present moment.
Value, appreciate, and enjoy what you have in your hands right now without clouding your mind with future expectations.
Do some charity
Doing charity enhances your happiness in no time. When you start doing something for others, it automatically gives you a feel-good experience. You realize that giving is an invaluable source of joy and contentment.
Be the reason behind someone’s inspiration, and smile. Make an impact on other’s life. This experience is invaluable and very uplifting.
Do charity silently — without taking photographs or social media show-offs. Do it for yourself and the people — not for social approval. I guarantee you will feel happier than before.
Final Thoughts
A man asked Gautama Buddha, “I want happiness.” Buddha said, “First remove “I,” that’s Ego, then remove “want,” that’s Desire. See now, you are left with only “Happiness.”
It’s your right to be happy, and you can be happy right now. Just stop chasing it and be in the present. That’s the secret to happiness.
Start enjoying your daily life. Be more aware of your actions, rebuild your relationships, read good books, watch good movies, do some charity, and finally, realize how fortunate you are with a sound body and mind.
Remember, happiness starts now, and it starts with you.
Have a happy life.
Thank you for reading.
You may read my following article on Mind Cafe to know about the subtle signs that you are destroying your life.
