Nikitha
Riya: Hey! How are you?
Simi: Great! How are you?
Riya: I am doing great!
The above conversation is one of the biggest lies of all time. I don’t know about you. But for me it is. I used to lie all the time when people asked me this question. Even if I was going through a crisis, I tell that I am doing great. That was what I was taught as a child. Even though I could change it, I didn’t want to go around telling people why I was not doing great.
There are a few people who answer it as ‘great’ and they are not lying. Do you think that everything is going well in their lives? Absolutely not! They are just looking at the positive side of their lives while they answer that question.
Do you want to be like me who lied all the time? Or do you want to change and be like the second set of people like I did?
If you are willing to change, read further.
Life is going to be bad. But you can make it good. You don’t have to go through the sad and depressing days. All you need to do for this is build small routines which guarantee happiness even on a depressing and tiring day.
Here you go.
I will give you just 5 minutes.
Keep your timer set for 5 minutes.
Write down 5 things which are under your control and give you happiness.
Choose those activities which are under your control. If you write activity as talking to a particular friend because she understands you or makes you happy, then you are giving away the control of your happiness. Instead if you write it as talking to friends, you are deriving happiness from talking and not from that friend. So it is something which is under your control.
Are you done with the list?
If not, there are a few from the list Mappiness app, which anyone can do and feel a little more happy.
-Movies, Shows, concert
-Exhibition, museum, library
-Sports running and exercise
-Singing, dancing, acting
-Talking chatting socializing
-Nature watching
-Walking, Hiking
-Meditation and other religious activities
-Child care, playing with children
-Pet care
-Listening to music
You can choose a few from this list and include them in your routine and check if it will increase your happiness levels.
My happiness routine goes like this:
Enjoying nature:
I like watching the sun rise at the beach. Sometimes it is the chirping of the birds which makes my day. In the evenings it is cool breeze which blows across my face.
Exercise:
Dressing up well:
I am not a person who cares a lot about how I look. But if I feel a little down, I put in a little extra effort to look more presentable. It boosts my happiness. Friends ask if I look good because I am happy, but I look good because I want to be happy.
Reading:
The happiness of reading a book which makes me feel connected to it and clears the clouds in my head is indescribable.
Creating( Writing/ Paint/ Crafts):
Whatever it might be, creating something is always a pleasure. Writing helps me to put words to my feelings. Art brings out the creative side of me. Overall, they make me lose track of time and happier.
Coding:
I don’t code day in and day out. But when I do, just coming up with a crisp logic is sufficient to make me feel happy.
Cooking:
The expression on my dad’s face when he had the paneer chilli wrap I prepared, made me felt to be at the top of the world.
Surprising others/ Making fun:
It is fun to make fun of others as long as they enjoy. But if they are sad, surprising them with the smallest act brings immense happiness.
Learning:
Be it a new language or a new course or some new point from Quora.
A happy talk:
What a relief it is to talk to someone who knows you inside out.
Teaching:
It is an absolute bliss to teach someone to think on their own, make them solve their problems on their own.
Gratitude/ Appreciation journal:
It is said to boost happiness. I haven’t felt happy from that exercise yet. But I think it stops me from feeling depressed.
This one makes me happy but makes me feel guilty too.
Eating:
Chocolate? Dark chocolate? Chocolate ice cream? Chocolate Milk shake? Sweets? Chocolate sweet? Anything will do for me. They just make my day.
You can steal some habits from my happiness routine too.
Happy being happy!