Happiness is a Choice

All of us have had our share of disheartening moments. We have been moody, helpless, and we all have often typed in, how to live a happy life, and jabbed the Google Search bar multiple times. Happiness is something that the humankind has gone after for so many years. We cannot possibly pinpoint when it began, but as long as we remember, we've all wanted to happy more than anything. We've definitely never heard of anyone yearning for grief.But, happiness, no matter how fulfilling it is, it passes.

There should be both happiness and sadness in our life, that's how we find a balance. To know the sensation of happiness, one must truly know what sadness feels like.

Melancholia cannot be evaded. But we can drive ourselves to be more passionate and confident during those times. We can find happiness in any situation. We only have to try. Now, how can we live our life to the fullest by smiling for the longest time?

1. Try to be optimistic.

Always try to be optimistic. It is impossible to avoid negative thoughts, but make sure those are the kind of thoughts that come and go, and that positivity prevails. Because when you are optimistic, nothing can stop you, and you'll be filled with the sensation that nothing is impossible. You can do it all.

2. Celebrate the little things in life.

We are fortunate that we have all the things that we have in our life. So, be thankful. No matter how insignificant it seems, always deem yourself lucky for what you have. And celebrate those little things. You successfully baked a chocolate cake, be happy. You finished your chores, commemorate the effort! Even the little things in life deserve credit.

3. Engage yourself with what you love.

Always engage yourself by doing what you love. You love reading? Read. Gardening's your passion? Who's stopping you? Extend this to your professional life too. Nobody wants to work all day by engaging themselves in activities they don't love! Your job should make you happy, and that is a must.

4. Embrace your failures and mistakes.

If it weren't for your mistakes and failures, you wouldn't be where you are now. Embrace the fact that you are what are you are now because of all your past actions, good or bad. And they helped you become the wonderful person that you are. So, embrace those mistakes, little or huge!

5. Cultivate meaningful relationships.

As you go through life, develop meaningful relationships with the people around you. Family, friends, co-workers. They help you through your darkest moments, they give you support and strength. They give you the feeling that you're not alone and that there's something worth fighting for. After all, isn’t man a social being?

6. Always dwell on the happiest memories.

When taking a trip through the memory lane, dwell on the happiest memories. Don't, I repeat, don't settle too much on the tough times. It's hard not to, there’s nothing wrong about thinking of those times, but you shouldn’t do it to the point where you're in too deep and before you realise it, you become grumpy. We definitely don't want to get there. So, before you do, stop. It's the most joyous memories that we need. So, prioritise them. Don't let melancholia take over.

Getting the right amount of sleep.

This might seem silly. But...as silly as it sounds, it is that important. The right amount of sleep can foster a good mood and well, the bad amount, we all have first-hand experience, at least once, of how the lack of sleep can sabotage our attitude entirely for a day. We don't want to wake up with two hours of sleep and spend the rest of the day being cantankerous, do we?

8. Connect with nature.

When you feel the day is melancholic, don't worry, there's always nature to help resolve the problem. Take a long walk in a park, play with some dogs who wag their tails at you, and spend the moment taking in the serene beauty of nature. The wind, the sound of the leaves rustling, they may be overrated, but trust me, it does the job. It clears the head, and hey, you get to see the beauty of nature! Don't pass that up.

9. Be unpredictable!

Always surprise yourself. Do the stuff you'd normally never do. If you usually spend your evening in, go out. If you regularly cook dinner, then order takeout. Change the small things in life at times and keep it fun. We don't want monotony to drive us crazy, do we?

Abhirami M G

About Author: Abhirami M G is a BA Honours student in English, who is extremely enthusiastic when it comes to classic rock. She enjoys reading and has a penchant for history and science fiction. She hopes to pursue a Masters in Anthropology and is an avid Netflix binge-watcher.