Pharrell’s song “I’m Happy” has plagued the world and I love it! When the song comes on the infectious words and music evokes you to let down your guards and dance and sing. In those moments you really do feel happy! But, what happens when the song goes off and we have to get back to our everyday living, are we manifesting and cultivating happiness then? If, we are not, then how can we?
My honey and I recently came back from a yoga retreat in Bermuda, and boy was it AMAZING! The people are so nice there and I loved loved loved the eclectic culture. I really did not want to come home because it felt so much like we belong there. I was not ready to come back to the hustle-bustle, fast-paced, rude-people, polluted-air, stressed-out lifestyle here in the good old capital of USA. It had me wondering why are Bermudians so nice? Where do the happiest people in the world live? What types of lives do they live? So, I did the infamous google search and came across an article that list the places who have the happiest residents and here are some of the things they have in common:
♥ Gratitude ♥
♥ Natural Diet ♥
♥ Friendship ♥
♥ Active lifestyle ♥
♥ Purpose ♥
♥ Being in Nature ♥
♥ Limited Technology Use ♥
♥ Slower Pace ♥
♥ Simplicity ♥
♥ Optimism ♥
♥ Low stress level ♥
Another inspiring and informative source is the documentary “happy”: http://www.thehappymovie.com/film/ which can be watched on netflix, hulu or amazon prime. It is an awesome documentary that will definitely inspire you even more on your happiness journey! It highlights the role of genetics, circumstances and our intentional actions that all impact happiness (see chart below). They get into the bio-psycho-social components of happiness, there is even a field called “positive psychology” that specifically studies happiness.
Did you know: Dopamine (which is a hormone/neurotransmitter) is a critical component of happiness, and starting in adolescence we begin to lost dopamine synapses, no wonder so many adolescence and adults are unhappy.
More on dopamine: https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/dopamine
So, I thought, hmmmm….how can I apply this to my life? Which gave birth to the “Happy Lifestyle” 12 month Challenge! It is designed to give you monthly goals and activities to live a happier life. I will be posting a new goal and activity monthly so check back every month and comment to let me know how it’s working/not working for you. I am always open to hear your feedback and suggestions.
What I learned most is that life is all about BALANCE! Not the balance you think you are suppose to have, or what everyone else is doing or expecting you to do; but the balance that is consistent with your values, purpose, lifestyle and speaks to your spirit/soul. When you know you know, and if you take time with yourself and tap into your intuition you will find all the answers you need!
Reflection:
- Are you happy?
- What is happiness to you?
- Do you manifest anything from the list above in your life?