There was a time when the powers that be tried
to figure out ways to make life easier.
So they invented things like computers, cell phones, PDAs, and MP3
players to achieve this goal. After all,
a happy society is a digital one, right?
Well, not necessarily.
While many of us have these things (and they do
indeed make our lives a little convenient), the happiness gained from them
isn’t a long-term thing. I like my iPod,
and I like listening to it when I take a thirty-minute walk, but for the other
twenty-three and a half hours that it’s sitting on my shelf, it’s not really
doing much for my emotional state.
It seems that as technology has advanced, the
pace of society has gotten faster.
However, our overall happiness levels haven’t seemed to rise at all. In
fact, it seems that there’s more instances of depression than there ever were
back in the days of old-fashioned appointment books and telephones that had
cords. Or maybe depression is just
talked about more now. No matter the
reasons, believe every few of us really stop to enjoy the small things in
life. We’re so focused on getting to
appointments, answering our cells, and checking our email that many of us
forget that there really is a beautiful world beyond our technologically
advanced workspace.
The following is but a small list of the things
found in everyday life that can bring us appreciation if we just take the time
to notice and acknowledge them for what they are: small gifts of beauty and acts of kindness
that come from a place that technology has yet to find. While you spend most of your day avoiding the
computer, taking even just ten seconds to really appreciate things that come
into your life on a regular basis can go a long way towards making you a
happier person.
A BEAUTIFUL DAY. Even if you spend most of your day cooped up in the office, at some point, you’re getting to see the outside. However, most people take the weather for
granted. No matter what it’s ding
outside, try to appreciate it. Bask in
the brightness and warmth of a sunny day as you drive to work and opt to take
your lunch outside just to enjoy the climate.
Rainy days can be downers, but going outside to dance in the rain can
make you feel like a kid again. Learn to
appreciate the power of thunderstorms and the beauty of a freshly fallen
snow. Stopping to appreciate the day for
what it is will give you a sense of peace that’s hard to match.
SIMPLE KINDNESS OF A STRANGER.
When people think of kind acts, they usually think of a young man
helping an old lady across the road, or charity giving presents to young
children whose parents are low on money.
But small acts of kindness can bring just as much joy as the big ones
that everyone hears about. Start
noticing the little things people do, even if they aren’t being done for you,
and appreciate the goodness that still lies in people’s hearts. You might see someone give up their place in
a long check out line to someone with fewer groceries or someone much
older. A driver on a busy highway might
slow down to give you access as you merge from the entrance ramp. The person at the end of a business call
might give you a sincere wish to have a great day even though the transaction
doesn’t even call for anything other than a professional attitude. These are small things, but when we notice
them, they can really warm our hearts and build our faith in the human spirit.
THE LOVE OF FAMILY. Do you
ever take your relatives for granted? Or
do you hear people constantly complaining about their spouse and kids? Thought it’s easier sometimes to notice the
negative, the love of your family is a wonderful thing, but it’s also the
easiest to take for granted. Call your
grandparents, send a letter to a cousin, or jut keep in touch with your
siblings or parents. Appreciate how
they’ve built your life, and how growing up with the family you did has shaped
who you are today for a better or for worse.
Everyone has faults, and sometimes we forget to forgive those faults
when it comes to relatives. Realize that
they are a part of who you are today, and find happiness in realizing the good
things that have come into your life because of them.
YOUR INDIVIDUAL STRENGTH.
Not everyone believes on himself or herself to be a strong person, which
would make this one the hardest to find happiness in. No matter how weak you believe you are, you
have an inner strength that has most likely brought you through several hard
times in your life. Reflect on those
times and see how far you’ve come by the power of your own will and
determination. Appreciate what you’ve
been able to do, whether it was something as big as finding the courage to get
out of an abusive relationship, or something as small as working towards finding
a better career. Every step you have
taken in life has been full of conflict that you have had to be strong to
overcome in one way or another. Never
lose sight of that and take joy in both all you have done and what you are yet
to do.
The mindset that something great and wonderful
has to happen before we can be happy is a myth.
If you believe that winning a prize or buying yourself that great item
that you’ve been wanting so long is going to make you happy, you’re absolutely
right. It will make you happy… for about
two hours. Then you’ll be looking for
something else to bring on that shot of joy.
Take pleasure out of the little things in life that happen more
frequently and you’ll find that long-term solution to true happiness.
Article courtesy of Amanda Sposato from Yahoo Voices.
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