Accepting Happiness, Part II

Obviously, this is the continuation of accepting happiness Part I. As always, best wishes.

1. Socialize.  Our thoughts are only as big as our world. When we isolate, we lose perspective on ourselves, our challenges, and life in general.  Humans are like pack animals, and our spirits are stronger when we have the support of a social network. Celebrate your social connections. ❤
2. For parents, take breaks from work to spend time with your kids (or pets). Again, it’s about sharing ourselves with the world. To isolate ourselves is rather selfish – it is withholding our gifts from the world.  =)
3. Express gratitude to and for the people around you. Look for the small things to delight over. This is instant karma: your gratitude for the people around you will instantly uplift your spirits, and expressing this outwardly will reinforce anyone’s desire to love you back! ❤
4. Help others. Commit a random act of kindness. Contributing beauty to another’s life is empowering and gratifying, giving a sense of purpose and deepens happiness. As the ancient saying goes, the more that you help, the more help is given to you. =)
5. Laugh out loud daily and smile. Look in the mirror and smile – the mirror will always smile back. Fake a smile or laugh if you have to. This ridiculously simple exercise is brilliant and brave. Practice it daily! =)

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Dogs Catch Fleas; Birds Catch Rainbows

Happiness and misery are greatly influenced by the company you keep. Think about the last time you sat around gossiping with people. Even if you just listened in without participating, your mood was impacted. How did you feel? Were you uplifted and energized by the experience? Of course not. When the people you are around speaking harsh, negative, and damaging words, it affects you mentally, physically, emotionally. You then go on to share that negativity with others in your life, and it spreads like a nasty virus. Is this viral impact okay? It drains the life out of you and contributes to the misery in your world.

On the contrary, think about the last time you commiserated with someone about something about which you felt very happy, such as your new job, house or relationship. Perhaps you spoke of simpler things, like the sheer beauty of a mountain or a lake. How did you feel then? Did you experience more energy and enthusiasm for life? At the least, surely you can agree that when your mind is in a positive state, it is harder to be perturbed by events. But when your mind is in a negative state, trivial events are more bothersome.

The people whom you surround yourself with will impact whether you are in a negative or positive state. Even if no words are exchanged, the energy of each person’s mood can be felt, as it impacts the whole environment. While we can’t (and shouldn’t) entirely avoid grim or unpleasant company, we can make an effort to spend more time in the company of those who are wise, uplifting, and light-hearted. This is known as ‘satsang’ or keeping the ‘company of the wise’, and is regarded as one of the most important things that any person can do in life.

Please feel free to comment!

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