Just be happy? Studies have shown that happiness is actually the precursor to success, not the other way around. This means that the truth is actually completely opposite to our thoughts that have been conditioned to think, “when I [fill in the blank with any desire for your future], THEN I will be happy.” It’s scientifically proven!
I know, I know. Some of you are thinking that’s nice, Jyoti, but it’s not always that easy. Trust me, I get it. I, too, have been hit with life challenges that have buried me in tension and depression to the point that the only relief I could comprehend at the time was a change in my external circumstances. In other words, I was looking for a solution outside of myself. But the yogis also know that love, joy, and happiness come from within each of us. We are each like a radiating sun, it’s just that sometimes we cannot see or feel our sun’s warmth because of the metaphorical clouds in its way.
So what do we do? In his book, The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor shows us that we can permanently raise our happiness baseline as well as our moods and happiness level throughout the day. Here are my 5 favorite activities that give us a quick boost of positive emotions and help raise our happiness baseline over time:
Commit Conscious Acts of Kindness - studies show this decreases stress and strongly contributes to enhanced mental health. The acts need not be grand gestures, but they do need to be intentional. I love this one because, in my experience, when I am feeling down, my perspective has narrowed to the problem that I perceive. Helping someone else or doing seva (selfless service) is a quick way to get out of that rut and feel better. Try it! Can you commit 5 conscious acts of kindness in one day?
Meditate - Did you know that monks who spend years meditating actually have larger prefrontal cortexes, which is the area in the brain responsible for feeling happy? But don’t worry, you can reap some of these benefits right away. Just start with 5 minutes a day of following your breath to increase feelings of calm, contentment and much more!
Exercise - You’ve probably heard that exercise releases endorphins, pleasure-inducing chemicals. It turns out physical activity is not only a powerful mood lifter, but a long lasting one too. The positive effects of exercise have been shown to outlast antidepressants. Time to dust off the old pogo stick!
Spend Money (but NOT on Stuff) - This one pleasantly surprised me. I’m not a natural spender. I tend to reject commercialism and save for the future (which, I’m not saying is a good thing, but we won’t get into it right now.) But spending on experiences is something I can get behind! Researcher, Robert Frank, explains that spending money on experiences creates more meaningful positive emotions that far outlast the positive feelings we get from buying material objects like new pogo sticks and watches, etc. These benefits are particularly strong when the experiences are spent with other people and/or we spend money on other people.
Find Something to Look Forward to - Yes! Researchers have found that the anticipation of travel can bring more joy than the trip itself. Which is also why, if you’re thinking of a vacation, the earlier you commit to it, the more positive boosts in emotion you will experience every time you look forward to good times ahead. And it doesn’t have to be travel. The delay of any type of pleasure has shown to boost happiness. So what are you waiting for? Put a dinner with friends at your favorite restaurant on the calendar or schedule a massage. (You’ll be doubly rewarded for spending money on an experience.)
My meditation teacher once gave the advice to try your best, be happy, and let go of everything else. It has been comforting advice for me at times when I feel overwhelmed and so I’m passing it on. May all beings be happy!
With love,
Jyoti
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