What happiness is to you

By Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

― Mahatma Gandhi

The famed Indian Premier said it well. Happiness is about achieving a balance and consistency in what we say, do, or think. It is achieving balance in our daily lives.

Sometimes, the balance of which Mahatma Ghandi speaks is upset when we are not able to put happiness into perspective.

What should happiness be? What is it to most of us and more importantly, what are some simple things we can do to be in a happy state of mind? And how can knowing about what makes each other happy make us even more so?

Happiness is subjective.

Happiness is a very subjective, individual concept, and it is difficult to find two people who share the same views on this rather elusive paradigm. What it is to one can vary vastly from another and that is where the marriage of the minds has to begin. Before we can begin communicating and getting along with each other, there has to be the understanding that we all see happiness differently.

The sources of happiness differ for all. For many, happiness is.....

Money

The availability of wealth and lots of assets is top of the lists of many when they are asked what makes them happy.

Certainly, having enough to spend and buy the things we need and further, want, brings relief and certainly much happiness.

It begs the question of whether making it our sole focus really brings us true joy.

Career

The security of a successful career certainly brings much relief and satisfaction.

However, when does having too much of a good thing stand in the path of happiness?

Little pleasures

The availability of our cell phones, Ipads and Smart TVs will definitely constitute great levels of ease and happiness. My friend recently got herself a car, which now enables her to ferry her young children to and from school.

How much faith should we put in life little pleasures to be happy?

All of the above would bring certain levels of happiness, though they need to be synced with other notions, at appropriate levels, to make us truly so.

What would these sometimes forgotten notions be?

Purpose

Many have attained the heights of great wealth, have established successful careers and have, or still are, experiencing life’s little pleasures.

And yet, they feel lost or stuck in a rut.

It is likely because they have something missing from the mix and that is purpose.

When we truly examine ourselves to ask if we are doing what we are called to do and have a passion for, we can make the needed changes that bring us happiness.

Individuality

Having achieved the success of wealth, career and life’s little pleasures, have we done so in a way that we truly feel comfortable and happy with? Or is it at the behest of society?

We are happy when we accept ourselves as we are and use our own voices to make a stand about what we really want to achieve.

This even when it is against traditional norms and expectations.

Relationships

Success in our relationships constitutes happiness for all of us. Interactions with others that go smoothly is a precursor to much joy.

For some, success in career has been attained at the expense of relationships. Would that make all that has been achieved worth it?

Peace

Being at peace with yourself and everyone else has a strong impact on happiness.

So if there are grouses with anyone, step up to forgive. The forgiveness will not be just for them, but for your own peace of mind and happiness.

Spiritual wealth

Material success cannot comfort us if we do not have the wealth of the soul. The faith we have in our differing concepts of providence provides the relief it cannot provide.

The wealth of the soul brings harmony and balance into our lives.

Which brings me to balance.

We need material success for survival. yet it must be in harmony and balance with yourself, your purpose, the people that you relate to, and your faith.

That balance is true happiness.

What can we do to achieve this sync and balance? Simple things, that when done everyday, can make a difference to one’s state of mind.

Shift your paradigm.

One of the most difficult things to do is to have a change of mindset. To be really happy, though, one has to be prepared to make a little change.

Be ready to change your mindset, though it will take a little time.

Maintain a positive attitude.

Start being thankful for the little things that make you happy each day, and you will find that the attitude change to the positive means a better sense of balance, and hence happiness.

Focus on the happy, rather than unhappy things that happen each day, and see things from a half full rather than empty attitude. Though this is cliched, it really makes a wealth of difference in attracting more happiness to yourself.

Set yourself up for success.

Avoid knowingly putting yourself in situations where you are bound to meet with failure and unhappiness, including any brush with cheating or dishonesty.

Make the effort to foster good relations.

Modern living with its many rushes has made this very difficult. In fact, relationships have a far greater impact on happiness than commonly perceived notions of success.

Be compassionate and discover empathy.

Take a step back and try to put ourselves in the shoes of others whenever we can. Empathy has the power of bringing us to a point of peace and harmony, both with yourself and others.

Discover its power!

Smile!

To be happy, look happy, laugh a lot, and be ten years younger!

Enjoy this little sonnet that I have written on the topic of what happiness is.

Little dove with pure white wings

Perches still, with judgeless glance

Yet unshaken, bliss on branch,

At peace with all, it gladly sings.

Its song, is verses all in tune,

Its very essence, one of joy,

As it chirps to all in a glad voice

A cheerful ode, to blessed moon.

Unstemmed wealth, that brings much glee,

Not just of blessed coins, but heart

The solid growth from mustard seed

Growing faith, from minute start

A balanced scale, puts one at ease

Its ends level, comes not apart.

Material success will bring happiness, but it has to be achieved in balance, synced with the other, even more important things that will make us happy.

To everyone, blessings and happiness!

Original work by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin

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