Joy Spotting #12: Simple Ways To Be Happy Right NOW!

 It's all about the small things, my friend.

Happiness is a choice, which means you can find joy in the smallest of things. Some days, it's not easy to choose joy. But when you do, life starts to feel so much lighter and more fun. Do you think that's why they call it "playing"?

So have some fun today—even if it's just for a little while. It'll put you in a better mood and help everything else go smoother!

Here are some of my favorite ways to find joy:

1. Take a moment to listen to the birds chirping outside your window. It's amazing how this small gesture can brighten your day!

2. The smell of fresh flowers is sure to make anyone's day brighter. Pick up a bouquet of flowers from the grocery store on your way home from work and enjoy their scent in your home!

3. Take a few minutes out of your day to meditate or pray. This can bring peace and calm into even the busiest of schedules!

Still feeling a little blah, or like your life isn't really going anywhere?

If so, you need to absorb what I'm going to say now:

We know—it sounds too good to be true. But it's not. All you have to do is start paying attention to the things that bring you joy, no matter how small they might be. The things that make you smile, that make you feel grateful, or proud of yourself and your accomplishments—these are what will keep you going when times are tough.

Start by taking a few minutes each day to think about what brought you joy today. Maybe it was something as simple as having a cup of hot chocolate with a friend or seeing an old man petting a dog in the park. Whatever it is, write it down and keep track of your moments of joy over time. You'll be surprised at how much they add up!

We all have days where we just can't seem to find joy in anything. Those are the days when we need to remember that, even if we feel unloved, or unappreciated, or just plain down in the dumps, there is someone out there who...loves us? Appreciates us? Is just as depressed and down in the dumps as we are? Well, maybe not that last one. But someone out there will always be worse off than you. And you know what that means? It means you're better off than them.

Look at it this way: if everyone who is better off than you is above you, and everyone who is worse off than you is below you, then we can all assume that you...are...the middle child! Congratulations!

Don't think of yourself as the center of the universe! Now go out there and tell your most loved ones how much you love them.

I would love to know your views in finding joy. Please drop your comments below.

Cheers :)

Joy Spotting #11: 3 important factors to consider for a happy marriage

 

I was talking to a friend yesterday and discussing the success and failure of marriages.

Even a long courtship doesn't always guarantee a successful marriage. Why? Isn't few years of knowing each other enough to know a person well?

I think our minds are not wired correctly to understand this bond. Knowing each other will not give you the stamp of approval that the marriage will work.

What works and should be considered before taking the plunge are these 3 important factors:

1. The Values

Very important to know, is to understand the person's values that s/he has imbibed over the growing years. These can include values (or beliefs) related with family, friends, career, outlook towards life, companionship, money etc. Values form the basis of one's life and its outcomes. Extremely crucial to understand it well about the other person's way of thinking and his/her outlook towards life.

 2. Inner Self

We all look at the physical well-being of a person, while choosing a life partner. His/her physical attributes in terms of beauty, looks, grooming etiquettes, hygiene and everything that we can see  from the outside. What we miss out is what's inside the other person.  The inside will let you know a lot about the other person. What makes him/her happy, sad, angry, fearful. The person's struggles, strengths, weaknesses. And in all of that you can fall in love with the actual person, taking it all in your stride. 

3. Transparency

When you are aware of the above (Values, Inner self), you need to be transparent with your own self to accept whether you are in sync with the other person. Do not hide or brush it off if there are signs of doubts in your mind. The transparency has to be with the other person too, in reaching out and sharing your doubts. If something can be worked upon, and mutually agreeable, even with a set of differences, it can still culminate into a good relationship.

With these 3 important factors in consideration, lot of issues that we see everyday between couples will certainly minimise. There will be much harmony, and love and most importantly...longevity in relationships or marriages.

And every marriage solemnised will be 'happily ever after'!

Cheers :)