“From Joy
springs this universe;
in Joy it has it’s being,
and unto Joy it returns.”
~ Upanishad
The Importance of Happiness!
The recently adopted United Nations resolution calling for Happiness to be given a greater priority, and declaring March 20 the International Day of Happiness, is a clear indicator of a profound shift in attitudes all over the world regarding the importance of Happiness.
It is comforting to see that some Governments around the world have started to recognize the importance of increasing people’s Happiness and Wellbeing, as a measure of progress, rather than just focusing on economic growth.
What is Happiness?
“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” ~ Aristotle
We all want to Be Happy, yet Happiness eludes us because we look for it in the wrong places. Most people don’t know what makes them really Happy. They think that they will be Happy when they get something – a job, a promotion, a new car or home, a relationship, or more money. While all these things are very important, none of them will make you significantly Happier for a long period of time.
In addition to that, most people confuse Joy with pleasure. They think that Happiness is just having fun. While I do encourage everybody to have as much fun as they can – as long as it doesn’t hurt—however, having fun is just scratching the surface of Happiness, as it is temporary.
This doesn’t mean that finding Happiness is wishful thinking or impossible. It does take some effort, however, the good news is that it is possible to learn how to be Truly Happy; thanks to the Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology). Learning how to increase our Happiness is a very important goal that everybody has the right to pursue and achieve.
What is True Happiness? True Happiness is a deep sense of Inner Peace, Contentment and Fulfillment; a Higher Level of Consciousness; a State of Mind that once we reach it, it will never go away. Scientists have measured Happiness and found out that a Happy person has more activity in certain parts of the brain, a heart that is harmonious, and different body chemistry.
In the following video, Matthieu Ricard, a Biochemist and Buddhist monk, talks about “What is Happiness, and how can we all get some?” He shows you that you can train your mind and learn new habits of Well-Being, to generate a true sense of Serenity and Fulfillment.
As you could see from the above video, the Scientific Studies in Neuroscience and Brain Imaging Techniques have proved that Happiness is real, measurable, and possible to achieve, and also that You – and only You – is responsible for your own Happiness. So, stop blaming others, and complaining about your circumstances, and start working towards your Happiness – that is if You really want to Be Happy.
What determines our Happiness?
Researchers have found that no matter what happens to you in life, whether good or bad, you tend to return to a fixed range of Happiness within a couple of months to a year: they call it “Your Happiness Set-point”. Your Happiness Set-point is determined by your genes (50%), your circumstances (10%), and (40%) by your choices: your thoughts, feelings, actions and habits. Your Happiness Set-point will remain the same unless you make a concentrated effort to change it. The good news is that it can be changed by practicing meditation and by learning new skills and habits of Happiness.
How Being Happy will Benefit YOU?
Besides that Happiness is the Ultimate Goal in Life, there are many benefits of Being Happy.
Scientific Studies have shown that Happy people are healthier, live longer, have better relationships, are more successful in life, and earn more money.
“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success.” ~ Albert Schweitzer
In addition to that, by Being Happy, you will make the world a better place. Happiness is contagious, and therefore, when You are Happy, everybody will benefit.
Make sure to check out this blog often, as I will be posting more tips and inspiring articles and videos. If you wish to receive an email when an article is posted, once a month, you can sign up for free at the right top corner of the page.
In the meantime:
“Enjoy the little things for one day you may look back
and realize that they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault
Here is a cute short video that gives you some good simple Tips for Happy Living. Enjoy!
