Why Happiness is Important
I recently bought a birthday card, and as you know, birthday cards are sent to wish our friends and family members a “Happy Birthday.” Our wish is for them to be happy!
As I write this, it’s the end of October, and Thanksgiving is just around the corner. And that’s right, here’s another opportunity we take to wish happiness for someone—“HAPPY Thanksgiving” we say!
And, after that, there’s the holiday season. We wish our friends and family “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.”
It’s safe to say that we all share a common desire—to be happy. This quest for happiness unites people across the globe, making it a universal pursuit.
The Power of Your Mind
The state of your mind is a significant factor in your sense of joy, contentment, and overall happiness. If your mind is agitated and racing at a thousand miles an hour, it’s challenging, if not impossible, to find a sense of calm and connection with the wonderful people around you.
The State of Mind
So, let’s first explore what influences the fluctuations of your mind.
They are your inborn constitution, your unique personality traits, and your past experiences.
Additionally, external factors like global events, the behavior of other people, and even the weather play a role in shaping your mental state.
But did you know that your diet, daily routine, and lifestyle also profoundly impact your state of mind?
For instance, you are aware that a cup of caffeinated coffee can help you wake up and think more clearly, while a glass of warm milk at the end of the day can aid in calming you down and preparing you for a restful night’s sleep.
Did you ever notice that when you get up early, around 6 a.m.(after a restful night of sleep), you are naturally alert, whereas when you sleep past 8 a.m., you feel a bit sluggish, your mind is a little foggy and need more coffee to get going?
Traveling abroad to experience different cultures is very exciting and interesting. I don’t know about you, but my digestive system is not a fan of it, and my mind gets a little fuzzy every time I cross a few time zones.
Those are just a few examples of how life choices influence our state of mind.
The Futility of Changing the Unchangeable
One common observation, both in my experience and in that of others, is our tendency to invest considerable time and effort to change things beyond our control.
This includes trying to alter the behavior of others or by complaining about the news or weather or something else that upsets us, things that we have no control over.
The likelihood of finding happiness through efforts to change or complain about something beyond our control is close to zero. Happiness is not found in this kind of resistance.
However, lasting happiness IS attainable.
Recognizing Natural Inner Peace and Joy
Did you know that a calm, alert mind always comes with a profound sense of inner peace, and intrinsic love and joy?
It’s like kindling a fire in your fireplace to warm your room. While the primary purpose of a fire in your fireplace is to heat a room, it brings an additional bonus: it also radiates light and adds a warm glow!
When our mind is calm, stable, and alert, it is always accompanied by peace, joy, and intrinsic love, whether we are consciously seeking those things or not. It is much like how light and heat are inseparable from a fire.
A calm mind allows you to experience intrinsic infinite joy. Understanding the connection between your stable and calm mind and this joyful, content state of being is essential.
Resisting What Is: The Happiness Blocker
Now, let’s delve into what occurs when you’re unhappy.
Simply put, when you are unhappy, something is happening that doesn’t align with your mind’s preferences. You desire something other than what is in front of you.
This is the main cause of suffering in our global community—for all of us. You are not alone in this. 🙂
Why am I so negative and unhappy?
We find ourselves resisting what is. Perhaps the person in front of us isn’t saying the right things or is wearing the wrong clothes. Or maybe it’s a weather complaint—it’s too cold, too windy, or too humid.
And, what about watching the news? That will get our blood boiling for sure.
The list of potential triggers is long, and even when the outer world doesn’t provide reasons to get us irritated, we can still identify something within ourselves that we believe should be different. Maybe it’s our appearance, our self-esteem, or our intelligence, or something else that in that moment we are finding an issue with.
The Domino Effect of Resistance
Resistance kicks in when your mind encounters something it dislikes, and that creates friction. This friction, like rubbing sticks together to make a fire, generates “internal heat”. This rise in heat will make us feel unsettled, anxious, and perhaps “hot-headed.”
To understand this process, consider water molecules exposed to heat. They move faster and spread apart until the water eventually boils and turns into steam, and the steam then rises upwards.
Just to bring home the point I am trying to make, we as humans simply are just a “pile of several trillion molecules” each ;-).
The Fiery Emotions of Resistance
People often describe their emotional state when angry with phrases like “my blood was boiling” or “I was fuming with rage.” When you start resisting what is, friction sparks internal heat and unsettles your body. You lose your sense of feeling grounded and calm, giving way to stress, frustration, and anxiety—clear signs of excessive inner turmoil.
Additionally, believe it or not, living in a hot place can add more heat to the body, and humidity can make it even worse (because the internal heat can’t evaporate).
Yep, you can blame the weather for our next freak-out!
Working out intensively for hours or eating a lot of spicy, sour, and salty food can also make you even hotter, baby!
How to be happy within yourself
So, if irritation, anxiety, and anger often stem from resisting what is, as can eating certain foods and engaging in activities that increase internal heat and sharpness, what can you do differently?
Shortcut – Check out this GUIDE.
1.) Gentle acceptance. When you genuinely accept, there’s no room for resistance; hence, there is no friction, no heat, no unease, or stress.
“Stress only occurs when you believe that you should be [a certain way] or should be doing something other than what you are doing RIGHT NOW.”
You see… it’s always the same root cause.
Genuinely accepting life as it is leads to feeling grounded and settled. You always will experience calmness, a sense of spaciousness, and expanded alertness.
It’s a sweet and enjoyable state—believe me—we want this!
HOW TO START: Consistent baby steps!
Instead of endlessly resisting what’s happening in your life and attempting to manipulate external factors beyond your control, you need to remember that what you consume, how to structure your day, and which activities (and inactivities) you choose also have a HUGE IMPACT on your state of mind.
If you can’t seem to accept life as is quite yet, you can start to create a more stable inner environment and mind that is less reactive and more open to life’s happenings.
If you start to invest more time and effort in changing your daily habits, diet, and lifestyle, I think you’ll be amazed at how even minor, consistent adjustments can lead to calmness and gentleness.
For instance, did you know that eating raw onions and garlic will add heat and sharpness to your body/mind? So, if you are already judgmental that day, this raw onion could turn you into a complete control freak!
But, by sautéing that onion, it will turn sweeter in taste and have you purring like a kitten!
YOU CAN NOT THINK YOURSELF HAPPY…
…but you can change your inner state by what you consume, perceive, and do (or don’t do).
That’s precisely why I’ve created this guide for you. It has practical tips and suggestions covering diet, daily routines, yoga, and breathing techniques.
These tools will help you reduce heat, sharpness, and excess turmoil within your mind. You’ll start cultivating a more stable, cool, and calm inner environment.
Shaping Your Daily Decisions for Inner Peace
Remember, your daily choices concerning diet and lifestyle can lead you to a more peaceful and grounded state.
From this state, you’ll naturally be less inclined to resist and react to life and its challenges.
Say hello to RESPONDING AND ACCEPTING LIFE AS IS!
Get your "How to BE Happy" Guide
A Bonus For You
Try this 20 min Calming Yoga Class. Even if you have NEVER PRATICED YOGA BEFORE _ YOU CAN DO THIS ONE!