"Happiness Is Not Far From You."

"Are You Happy?"

This is the question that we usually don't ask to others. We presume if someone is smiling or seems content then he/she will be happy. In fact only a few of us ask themselves the same question ,"Am I happy?"; "Where my happiness lies?"; "How can I be happy?" etc. Instead of asking these question, we blame others for our state of unhappiness and sadness. Many times we use to wait for a moment to be happy and unfortunately that moment never comes.

So Don't wait for any special moment. Try to be happy at this moment only.

Do you have answer of this question? If yes, then certainly you must be happy and if not, it means you are still searching it outside. You don't know where your happiness lies. Frankly speaking, it is the easiest thing to be happy. it is only a state of mind that can be easily achieved. You could be even happy when you are suffering most. To understand happiness or joy, you need to understand sadness or suffering. One can't be always neither happy nor sad. It comes and goes like day and night. Although the time is not fixed for how long one can remain happy or sad.

After getting the answer of "Are you happy?" if you get your answer in negative then this is second question that you must ask to yourself "What is happiness for you?" Many people reply "If I get this then I will be happy." 'If my spouse becomes more cooperative then I will be happy." School goings usually answer "if I will get good marks in exam then I will be happy." If your answer also depends on other people, or situation or any special moment or phase then you need to review your definition of happiness. As I already said that happiness is a state of mind. Then you need to be more concerned about your process of thinking. Till you are specifying your happiness outside (whether it is man/ place/or specific situation) you can't be happy. It is only your presumption.

So you need to re-plan your way of finding happiness.

Many of us have given our happiness/sadness on other people's hand. Actually in childhood we make some people or some incident/accident as stakeholders of our life. After that we behave like puppets while our string on their hands Positive Psychology says that childhood regulates and controls man's complete life. How he will behave in a particular situation is determined by childhood.

Therefore first of all we should know where our happiness is? It is not following others or making others happy. It is something inside you. You have to know yourself first in order to be really happy. For example, in childhood many parents use to say "If you do this, my baby, I will be happy." "Your bad marks embarrass me." "You make me shameful in front of others." etc. and from this point only the child starts searching his happiness in others, it may be other person or some situation or can be something else. We have reorganize this program in our mind that EXCEPT ME NO ONE CAN MAKE ME HAPPY.

When you explore yourself you will start understand about desires, dreams and likeness. Once you come to know, you can work on that. It is a easy step to follow.

So KNOW YOURSELF is the key point.

NOTE: Don't make others as STAKEHOLDERS of your life. Be responsible for your own self.

If you blame others for your unhappiness or sadness, then you are wrong. No one can make you upset or sad as no one can make you happy or joyful. It is the worst illusion of human life. So here you need to again create a mind-map for you. Make a list of everything that makes you happy, then write when you was really happy. Now you can compare the facts. Others can give a reason to smile only but happiness comes merely from inside.

The main cause of your sadness is that you do not follow your instincts. you do what others want you to do. So you usually do halfheartedly and half-heart can't make you ever happy.

MINDFULNESS: The next step is to follow- Mindfulness. Whatever you do, do it mindfully.

Mindfulness means paying your full attention at the present moment. You should mentally present at the time of doing. You can easily practice it by just focusing on your breath. Bring your mind for 5 minutes every day to your body when it must not have any thoughts, completely blank.

There are a few tips that can help you-

1. Listen to your HEART carefully.

2.Spend some time with yourself.

3. Try to KNOW YOURSELF.

4.GO INSIDE.

5. Pamper Yourself.

6. Try to record your happy moments.

7. Be mindful always.

8. Show your gratitude to others.

9. Learn to say NO.

10. LIVE AT THE PRESENT MOMENT ONLY.

These are some tips that can lead you towards your happiness. It is not easy to change your habits or your mind. But nothing is impossible, with constant effort you can change. And always remember-

PRACTICE MAKES MAN PERFECT.