Don’t worry, be happy

Although happiness is an emotion that each person adapts to their own needs and that also evolves with age, it is generally described as a feeling that comes from deep within us, one that changes our environment as our perceptions of the world around us become more positive and more responsible.

According to Kant, happiness is the fulfillment of all our needs.

This idealized notion is paradoxical, since we can lose our composure when faced with the demand to meet “all our needs”… What is clear is that we only have one life, and we must be happy in it.

According to Hobbes, human beings always want more, and cannot live without desire, but desire is a sense of lack, so we will only be motivated if we lack something.

To put it another way, if our happiness is always tied to obtaining something in the present or the future, happiness will always consist of fleeting moments, followed by intense anxiety as we strive to attain that small slice of paradise.

A more realistic attitude toward happiness would involve measuring the degree of distress caused by certain aspirations that sometimes frustrate us, whether we achieve them or not.

In surveys conducted by experts on the subject—asking whether or not people are happy—most respondents answer “yes,” although this does not mean they are constantly cheerful or fulfilled, but rather that they are “not” unhappy.

One could speak of a more modest kind of happiness—less euphoric and idyllic, but perhaps more realistic, since being free from suffering is also a form of joy when compared to unhappiness.

If you want to know how to be happy, you have to understand that happiness is a journey we take, with its ups and downs.

Life is a constant ebb and flow of daily events, and there is certainly nothing more alienating than routine itself…the problems we face, work, interpersonal relationships…etc.… The most difficult answers lie within us; by exercising our right and taking responsibility for nurturing our own happiness, it is up to us to try to begin living a fulfilling and happy life—one that, in many cases, does not require drastic changes but rather simply avoiding the negativity that surrounds us.

HABITS THAT STEAL YOUR HAPPINESS:

Focusing on other people’s lives instead of your own:

Become the person you want to be; don’t settle for other people’s stories and forget your own. Refuse to let others think, speak, and decide for you. Respect and make use of your own ideas to live your life. If you take charge of what you do, you’ll develop abilities you didn’t even know you had.

Waiting for the perfect moment:

Don’t fall for the myth of the perfect moment. Moments aren’t perfect—they are whatever you want them to be. Your ability to grow to your full potential is directly related to your willingness to take action in the face of imperfection.

Viewing work as a punishment:

Working without enthusiasm is draining. Even if you’re passionate about your job, before the great crisis people used to say, “Don’t let your job define you,” but even in the midst of a crisis, it’s more positive to think, “I’ll make my time at work the closest possible reflection of who I am.” Taking an interest in your work improves the quality of your performance and brings you greater satisfaction—don’t reduce it all to just a way to pay the bills. It’s not just about money; it’s about you.

Harboring feelings of hatred:

Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can. When we harbor feelings of hatred, we eventually lose control, reaching a point where we forget the reason for the hatred and who it’s directed at; this feeling turns into a generalized resentment—even toward ourselves. If you want to remove someone or something from your life, don’t hate… just let go, move on, and don’t look back…

Clinging to fears or disappointments:

Although there’s nothing we can do to change the past, there are many things we can do to make the most of future opportunities. We waste many opportunities for happiness because of worry, negativity, or anxiety, and the past can become a millstone around our necks. If you accept that learning is never free and that insight is the exclusive domain of a select few, you’ll come to see your mistakes as lessons that make you stronger and more confident. Don’t miss any opportunity to demonstrate your resilience.

Fixating on difficulties:

Every day brings new lessons and new possibilities. Even though terrible things happen, there are always choices.

Difficult times will inevitably affect your living and working conditions, but not who you are or what you place your hopes in. Let’s never lose sight of the fact that a bad day is just a bad day.

Constantly striving for satisfaction:

Thinking of happiness as a tailor-made suit can be suffocating, even for yourself. Constantly seeking to satisfy all our needs may not be worth it when they become a bottomless pit, where each desire is more demanding than the last. The pursuit of blissful happiness becomes a battle against our own demanding boredom. A tip to put into practice… “Enjoy what you have here and now”…

Wanting big changes overnight:

Major changes are achieved by winning people over, and to do this, you must prove your worth and show determination—which, in most cases, requires a great deal of patience and strategic thinking. If you want to bring about change in the world or in your own life, start with those closest to you by demonstrating your convictions and understanding why people or situations are the way they are; only through empathy will you be able to offer intelligent solutions to unfair or chaotic problems.

Clinging to someone who hurts you:

Sometimes you have to distance yourself from certain people. When someone hurts you over and over again, accept the fact that they don’t care about you and that their priority is themselves. It’s not easy to accept, but it’s better not to waste your time and your feelings.

Placing too much importance on physical attractiveness:

The innate, immeasurable, and invisible traits of a person’s personality are what attract us to them. Becoming madly obsessed with just a physical feature is like wanting to eat a piece of candy just because of its wrapper, without considering the taste…

FILL YOUR LIFE WITH JOY …THROUGH LAUGHTER

Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams pioneered laughter therapy by founding the Gesundheit Institute in 1971, where he treats illnesses through laughter.

Her dream was to have a pleasant, friendly, cheerful place where, unlike in hospitals, no one would be afraid to go inside.

Many studies, as explained by Dr. Vivienne Halpern of the American Society for Vascular Surgery, show that laughter not only improves mood but also significantly reduces stress hormone levels by increasing endorphins and neurotransmitters, which are responsible for promoting health and well-being…

The Benefits of Laughter for Happiness

Preventing heart disease and stress:

Laughter induces a sense of well-being and calm, which is why people who laugh a lot are less likely to have heart attacks and experience a significant reduction in stress.

Improves interpersonal relationships:

If we are optimistic, we will attract positive people into our lives, and our relationships will be more vibrant.

Problem-Solving Medicine:

There will always be problems, but if you can manage them with a smile, they’ll affect you much less. Use laughter as a shield; with an optimistic approach, you’ll be able to handle them without letting them affect your emotional state as much.

Higher productivity:

Some companies have adopted this laughter technique to make their employees feel good and have increased productivity by as much as 30%. Smiling is the key to boosting a business or company.

Strategies for Being Happy and Laughing More

Don’t let what others say bother you… your laughter is part of your identity and self-esteem, and at the same time, you reap all the health benefits of laughing. By laughing, you show that it’s not those who want to who bother you, but those who can—and there are very few weapons against laughter…

Don’t worry too much about being funny… just focus on having fun and sharing laughs with the people around you. Laughter brings together both the person telling the joke and the person laughing at it…

Discover your sense of humor… It’s important to know what makes you smile. A sense of humor is very personal, but social connections lead to more humorous situations.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to enjoy the humor found in the most unexpected moments—and above all, don’t let the setting bother you… (unless it’s a funeral)… just because…