5 Effective Practices to Reclaim your Life and Happiness

We as human beings are so much prone to taking things for granted in our lives. The people, the moments, the milestones and achievements which we desperately craved for so much once tend to lose their appeal over the time after we have achieved them. Perhaps that’s because as we adapt ourselves to those changes, the initial excitement goes back to square one. 

Hanging onto negative places and people, compromising your happiness and walking on to the path of dissatisfaction and sadness, take a big toll on your emotional well being. The end result is a life full of woes, anxiety and depression.

We resort to buying things, join meditation or spiritual classes or enroll for fitness or yoga sessions, thinking they will provide us with happiness perhaps. We switch careers, develop new hobbies, make new friends or hop from one relationship to another, all in the pursuit of one thing – Happiness. Which in fact tend to elude us or we just grasp it momentarily. 

In nutshell we know all the theory and knowledge but how successfully are we living it? Our brains are overflowing with so much information (thanks to the digital world). We are busy accumulating knowledge, grasping teachings and absorbing so much information but we are consistently failing in one thing which is Implementation. Practicing what we are learning and diligently applying/introducing those little changes in our lives is going to leave long term positive results. 

Lets identify a few simple changes to implement in our lives for a positive outcome 🙂

1. See the Positive side and Practice Gratitude

There is always something to be grateful for in our lives, isn’t it? Take some time out and appreciate the wonderful things around you or inside you. Good health, empathy, loyal friends, food on the table or the very fact that you are alive to see another beautiful day. Look at the progress you have made. Mentally rewinding to ten years back and reflecting how much you have done in your life will instantly perk you up. Never take the little joys of life for granted. Just remember every small necessity was a luxury once. 

2. Observe your Thoughts

For a few moments in a day, just sit still and evaluate your thoughts. Our mind is a separate entity from us. We are incharge of our mind not vice versa. Whatever we see or feel, that reality is constructed by our mind. Just for sometime, disassociate yourself from your mind, situations and all the chaos around you. Disconnect from your thoughts and emotions. You are the one who is thinking those thoughts, create some distance from them and assess them from a third person perspective. I’m not asking you to negate or escape from your thoughts but just negating the realisation that thoughts are more powerful than us. Just be the witness to your thoughts. They are as powerful or powerless as we will make them to be. In nutshell ‘think less and live more‘. 

3. Happiness comes from Within

Apparently this is the clichest thing we all have been hearing since childhood, we often forget to remind ourselves of this golden reality. Happiness is a state of mind, which is always created by us. Joy coming from material possessions is always temporary or disillusionary. We don’t need to believe the advertisements that we have to purchase things in order to be happy. In fact we don’t even need a reason to be happy. Our actions and our attitude towards life create happiness. Be like a child, we alone are responsible for our happiness. Don’t leave that key in someone else’s possession. 

4. You are Important

Yes, you read that right, You…Are…Important. Never ever feel unworthy of love, respect and happiness. Your very existence in this world is proof that you have a purpose and you are adding value to this world in one way or the another. Maybe you don’t realise it but you might be a source of inspiration, positivity or hope for someone. You deserve all the love and happiness you ever imagined. 

5. Plan Something to Look Forward to 

There are several ways to look forward to everyday. Few fun dates in your diary for friends reunion, movie night or a holiday will always help you keep looking forward. Learning, growing and expanding gradually will help you rediscover your true potential. Try a new hobby or pick up a new vocation. Staying optimistic and looking forward to things will increase your happiness and productivity. Even simple activities like a pedicure, phone call with your favourite person or even fresh flowers are sure to perk you up. Happiness doesn’t need to be derived from expensive or ‘over the top’ means. 

The value of our lives is not dependent on what we achieve or which material possessions we have. We have to create our own life based on our own choices and what we think is right for us. Of course it does need effort and courage, but all those pains are worth it. Take your decisions in your own hand today and reclaim your life and happiness 🙂