Happiness is the notion of feeling and doing good. One’s level of happiness is influenced by various aspects such as the quality of interpersonal relationships, financial and health status, availability of basic needs, and the physical environment. While we may not have our desired financial and health status, we can train ourselves to be happy. The first and most important step towards happiness is to be grateful. Be grateful for everything you have; family, friends, shelter, food, etc. Be grateful for things that may seem simple and small, you will realise that you actually have plenty. Happiness is also triggered by the feeling of being accepted and loved, hence it is important to surround yourself with friends and family. The sense of belonging also increase the desire to be involved in community activities. It can be a small involvement such as sharing a meal with the neighbours or a bigger role in organising a community event. Helping others gives one a sense of fulfilment.
Happy people are more optimistic and makes better life choices. Instead of complaining about a problem, a happy person is open to ask for help and fix the problem. The feeling of happiness also make one content about themselves and increases self worth. A high self esteemed person does not mind admitting to a mistake and taking responsibility. Happy people are motivated to do most of their work and high motivation means high productivity. When one feels good about themselves, they are relaxed and able to see the bigger picture in a situation. A happy person is able to prioritise and execute his or her tasks on time. Happiness contributes to personal achievements and success in the corporate world. Achieving goals increases one’s self confidence and sense of competence.
Unhappy people are prone to chronic stress and depression. Stress and depression increase risks of heart diseases, high blood pressure, poor appetite, low self esteem and migraines. When the body is under stress for a long time, the immune system tends to be on the edge all the time ready to fight the non existing perceived threat. After a while, the immune system gets tired and becomes weak, thus making it hard to fight infections entering the body. Unhappy individuals are also prone to substance abuse. They are likely to turn to drugs and alcohol hoping the substances will lift up their moods but in the long run, the substances destroy their health and affects their interpersonal relationships and careers.
In life we are going to be faced with situations that trigger negative emotions. It is then our choice to decide how long we are going to dwell on the negative emotions. It is very much okay to cry, but make it your goal to get better. Think of how the experience has helped or will help you grow. Being positive helps increase one’s happiness hormone called serotonin, which helps one handle negativity in a better way. So choose to be positive and happy. Your emotions affect people around you hence if you are happy, other people around you are likely to be happy. Being positive helps in being motivated to finish tasks, thus increasing productivity. Lastly, be happy to be healthy.