Negosentro.com |Three Highly Effective Ways To Cultivate The Practise of Happiness | We search for it in different places, seek a life-partner, see therapists or even switch jobs to get hold of it. Though we spend most of our times chasing happiness, there isn’t any doubt about the fact that happiness remains elusive. Many of us are even hard-pressed to fathom the basic idea of happiness in the first place. As per Aristotle’s definition in The Nichomachean Ethics, happiness is a skill that must be cultivated or rather a practise that can be learned. It is a practice shaped by the rewarding virtues and habits of character that you wish to embody. Thus, let’s check out the three effective habits of happiness that can help you lead a more fulfilling and delightful life.
1. Learn the art of forgiveness
Holding in anger does more harm than good to yourself and also the ones surrounding you. Yes, you may not understand certain people and their actions that might have hurt you terribly. And forgiving the worst offences and the vilest offenders can seem insanely difficult for anybody. But, you must do it for the sake of your mental peace. You don’t have to tell the offenders about your forgiveness. But, you would know that you have let go of your negative feelings irrespective of the fact if that person deserves your forgiveness at all.
How to forgive?
- Remember, forgiveness is something you do for yourself. It helps you sever your emotional attachment to what had happened. You would draw your hand away from a hot burner immediately after touching it. The burner still remains hot, but your hand is safe. Right?
- Remind yourself that forgiving means you have the courage of moving forward, whereas the offender stays in the past.
- Other techniques include meditation, prayers and even journaling that can help you forgive people easily.
Forgiveness is the process of emptying a toxic part of your mind. Anger leads to anxieties which in turn cause depressions among students. It is better to let go of your resentments, thereby making space in your mind for other positive emotions to come and stay. Forgiveness is the toughest of all happiness habits but can make your life wonderful beyond expectation.
2. Start the gratitude practice 
Image source: https://www.skipprichard.com/7-elements-of-leadership-gratitude/
According to the World Happiness Report, negative emotions are rising all over the world and the United States is struggling too hard. You may try to get assignment help only to be betrayed by a plagiarised paper. What if you switch jobs and discover the new job is even worse than the first one? There are multiple reasons for getting unhappy in life. But, maintaining a gratitude list can help you boost your levels of happiness. The effectiveness of gratitude has been proven by Sonja Lyubomirsky, Martin Seligman and Kennon Sheldon et al. in 2005.
3 ways to become more grateful:
- Keep a gratitude journal– Remind yourself of all the friends, gifts, benefits and other good things you enjoy every day. Set a specific time aside to recall moments of gratitude associated with daily events of your life.
- Remember the bad moments too– You can be grateful to certain friends who had been with you in your bad times. So, it is important to remember the bad times so that you can realise the value of your life.
- Ask these questions to yourself– Reflect on three crucial questions such as “What did I get from…?”, “What did I give for that?” and “What challenges and difficulties did I encounter?”
All of are going through tough times, especially in 2020. Thus, it is the perfect time for you to work on the gratitude practise and understand how valuable your life is. Make a list of things that made you happy that day and explain how it specifically made you feel. It will difficult for you initially. But, you can start seeing the good in your normal day to day life once you get the hang of this practice.
3. Exercise at least 4 days a week
Image source: https://www.verywellfit.com/best-ways-to-exercise-at-home-1231142
Science has shown time and again, how daily exercise can make you happier. Honestly, you won’t understand its consequences unless you start exercising on your own. No matter what your age, gender or physical appearance is, exercise boosts not only your physical health but also mental health. You don’t have to enrol in a prim and proper gym for that reason. Even 30 minutes of basic exercises at least 5 days a week will do the magic. Exercising doesn’t mean you have to get that slim waist like that of Kim Kardashian’s. Instead, it means you get to shed off our negativities through proper physical activities.
Other benefits of exercising daily:
- Exercises generate the release of norepinephrine, dopamine and serotonin in the brain. And all these hormones contribute to the feelings of happiness. Thus, exercises not only help you gain better control of your bodies but also take care of your confidence level.
- It distracts you from negative emotions and thoughts such as worrying and overthinking, thereby cutting down your stress levels to a great extent.
- You can even try exercising with a group of friends. In that case, it can help you increase your social relatedness and boosts your happiness.
According to a recent study, exercises help the body get rid of toxic sentences that are linked to stress-related depression and anxieties. Dr Jorge Ruas led this study and he said: “Well-trained muscle produces an enzyme that purges the body of harmful substances.” Researchers found that even a 20-minute of exercise can lift up your mood and that feeling can last up to 12 hours.
Wrapping Up,
Happiness is achieved when you win a competition or buy something that you have always desired for. But, that happiness is temporary and short-lived. You don’t feel happy forever about the fact that you won a sports show three years back. You have to cultivate the habits of happiness through the techniques, as explained above. It is only then that you can achieve a sense of peace and fulfilment with your life.
