HAPPINESS – A WAY OF LIFE.

“Happiness cannot be travelled to or owned, earned or consumed. It comes from living every moment with love, grace and gratitude.” – Denis Waitley.

What is happiness?

When we read the word “happiness”, we instantly think of things that make us smile, that make us feel all warm and fuzzy inside, things that truly push us to our best potential.

So, what is happiness?

Well, this is the most subjective topic to discuss. Happiness is the sort of attribute which comes as a gift to humans. It is like a blessing, without which, humans would never be able to fill the voids resting within them. Everyone has their own perspective, their own outlook and their own personal approach towards this question, but more often than not, we do find ourselves craving the feeling called HAPPINESS. It is something we all desire and it is something we cannot survive without. No matter how much wealth we acquire from this materialistic world, we are never truly satisfied until we are happy.

Happiness arises from a feeling of self-satisfaction or satisfaction from one’s life and ones experiences gained through it. This is different for everyone.

Is happiness the same as excitement?

No. Typically, happiness cannot be considered the same as excitement since excitement is usually a temporary state of elevated emotions.

Happiness is more like a joyful state of mind. When one is completely at peace with themselves, they are said to be HAPPY, not excited.

Excitement could be for a particular event that’s about to occur or any other temporary circumstance. Happiness arises from within, from a state of pleasure that is here to last.

We often notice that most people, just like ourselves end up being disheartened or unhappy with ourselves and our lives. This is because of multiple reasons. Sometimes, we just don’t recognise

Check this study consisting of the components of an unhappy life.

 

---

CAUSES FOR UNHAPPINESS:

We often venture out for various activities and we notice that we are a tiny speck amongst a large group of people. People who are angry, frustrated and are often going through an unspoken battle of their own. People who don’t have anybody to rely upon or go to.

One of the causes of unhappiness is Meaninglessness.

People often lose their sense of individuality or their own sense of character when they are in harmony with the woes of life. They start thinking that their sadness is what makes them who they are and they let it define them. The existential crisis may occur in such situations, wherein people start questioning every decision or every action that they make, or that has collectively made them who they are.

Another cause is Competition.

We live in a world that is extremely fast-paced. Everyone is in a rat race of their own and nobody wants a second place. This holier than thou attitude has caused toxic and unhealthy competition in the world and has made many work environments extremely unhappy places to be in. Competition can be found everywhere, among almost all age groups, and in today’s day and age, competition is not helping people evolve – it is only making people more and more unhappy every passing day.

Boredom is also a cause of unhappiness.

People have stopped hunting and gathering, and have replaced their sense of adventure and traded it for stability. This, over the years, has made them crave the thrill that they do not receive in their white-collar jobs and luxurious lifestyles. It has left us bored, inactive and almost helplessly unhappy.

Envy.

A very common attribute that’s cursed upon the human race is envy. The incapability to see someone do better than us has left us unsatisfied with whatever we have and has instilled within us, a deep-rooted sense of envy. We are jealous of every second person we come across, we hate them for who they are because we cannot become them and this negativity breeds within us and makes us incapable of acceptance or happiness.

Ego and pettiness.

We are a generation that is afraid of texting people first and a generation who is ashamed of making the first move. It is given, that such a sense of entitlement that poisons us, will never let us breathe a day in peace.

Fear of public opinion.

Most of us have been brought up in a way that has taught us to be individuals who live for validation from strangers who do not have anything to do with us. We as a society give so much importance to people’s unnecessary comments and opinions that we forget our own happiness matters more than what a stranger will think of us.

 

---

HABITS OF UNHAPPY PEOPLE:

1. Being toxic.
2. Being negative and pessimistic.
3. Projecting their insecurities onto others.
4. Being impatient.
5. Being problematic.
6. Taking out their anger on their loved ones.
7. Mistreating people.

 

---

How do these habits affect a person’s mental health?

These are a few habits that unhappy people possess that make them extremely irritable and difficult to understand. It is very tough to communicate with someone who acts in such a manner and eventually, it makes them LONELY.

Loneliness can have a great impact on one’s mental health. It can cause mental illnesses such as depression and anxiety issues and completely ruin one’s livelihood. These things need to be taken extremely seriously as these matters are sensitive.

How can we improve upon it?

Simply by being more tolerant, kind, respectful and understanding towards other’s situations.

Everyone has the stuff to deal with and everyone has a struggle that they don’t speak about. We need to learn how to stop gaslighting people and to be there for each other and spread as much love as we can because love will only come to us when we are ready to share it with others. We must try our level best to treat people with the same love, compassion, care and respect that we expect from their end. Screw the haters. Ignore the negativity and live this gift of life to the fullest, happily – because happiness is indeed a way of life.