There is more to life when you stop to
notice
Have
you ever noticed you drove to work and cannot remember the actual drive or you
parked your car at the store parking lot and came out of the store to realize
you have no idea where you parked? These
are examples of being on autopilot or mindlessness. In today’s busy lifestyles we often lose
ourselves in autopilot, not paying attention to the present moment, failing to
notice the beauty of life, or what our bodies are telling us. When we let our minds wander we become
vulnerable to anxiety, stress, depression, and tend to react to life instead of
really living life.
Being present in the
moment, being mindful, is one of Action for Happiness’ ten keys to happiness. “Mindfulness means maintaining a
moment-by-moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and
surrounding environment. It also
involves acceptance, meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings
without judging them.” (Greater
Good, http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/mindfulness/definition) Practicing mindfulness helps
us get in tune with our feelings and stops us from dwelling on the past or
worrying about the future.
The Action for Happiness
suggests to take some time out, even just five minutes, to be in the moment and
breathe. Notice and appreciate all the
good things around you every day, the blue sky, the spring flowers, the smell
of coffee, hearing the birds outside or children laughing, the warmth of the
sun on your skin. Slow down and turn
off the electronics and notice all the wonderful things life has to offer.
“Learning how to be still, to really
be still and let life happen – that stillness becomes a radiance.” by Morgan
Freeman
Find time to lose yourself in
what you love
Another
key to happier living is learning new things.
Trying out new things helps us stay engaged, gives us a sense of
accomplishment and boosts our self-confidence. Researchers have documented that education and
learning new things improves health and longevity. When people engage in doing and learning new
things, researchers have found that their happiness and well-being improves.
Learning new things and
staying active becomes even more valuable as we get older. According to an article by Huffington Post
Healthy Living, scientists believe there is a beneficial relationship between
lifelong learning and staying socially active with mental well-being and happiness
later in life. A study by Jacquelyn
James at the Sloan Center of Aging Work has been overseeing a study on the
benefits of older people who continued to work, either paid work or
volunteering found their engagement gave them a sense of purpose and increased
happiness.
The Action for Happiness
gives us few suggestions to try to increase happiness by sharing our learning
with friends, joining a club, or learning to play an instrument or a new sport.
Perhaps try switching up your day by
reading a new newspaper, trying a new food, or visiting a new place. Learning something new every day no matter how
small affects us in a positive way.
“As long as you live, keep learning
how to live.” By Seneca
Peace,
Betsy and Jesse
Action for Happiness – www.actionforhappiness.org
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/04/10/learning-happiness_n_1415568.html
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