We All Need Just This ONE Thing….

There are times in life when for no particular reason, you’re feeling lower than a snake’s belly you know, a little on the weepy side, kind of listless, thinking a big chunk of chocolate would lift your spirits right up. Sometimes, without much effort, the weather changes, the mood passes and all’s right with the world. But if you’re stuck in Dumpsville, then what? Nobody wants to be there; it’s a dark, lonely place but then we wait for someone to come and take us out of there and make us happy again.

Happiness is the elusive, but much desired state of mind which visits us at times but never stays for long. One cannot be always happy…. contented perhaps, but never always happy. So how does one become happy? How do we bring happiness to us rather then waiting it to happen to us?

Happiness begins just by the intention to be happy; we cannot control our circumstances or the events happening to us but we can choose how to react to them.

Unfortunately in today’s chaotic world, most of us live life on autopilot and we rush through our garden of life without taking time to smell the roses. And yet, there are so many small things which we can easily incorporate into our life which will bring a bounce in our step and a smile on our lips….interested?

I am not going to give you a sure shot method or formula to be happy. Neither am I going to tell you to exercise or do yoga or bring any earth shattering change in your life. All I will do is to ask you to tweak the life you are already living — point you towards something you already know but somewhere down the line forgot you knew it.

It doesn’t take much to be happy and I am speaking from experience. You don’t have to have the world to make you happy. Just ONE small thing at a time can bring a wave of joy with ripples that can be felt for a long time. What is that one thing? It can be anything. Take your pick from list provided below and make your own formula to be happy.

1) We all need JUST ONE PLACE, one corner in this world where we can be ourselves — it can be your parents’ house where you can be child again or a friend’s house or a small cosy corner in your own house where you can have your ME time and reflect on life. A place where you can make goals, repair yourself or do nothing and live life without rules.

2) We also need JUST ONE PERSON with whom we can share our dreams, aspirations, fears and failures. Someone who can understand our words and also our silences.

3) We SHOULD BLOOM ONCE and reach a peak by accomplishing something extraordinary. We should taste success once so that it inspires us to travel that path one more time.

4) We should experience real LOVE AT LEAST ONCE IN LIFE. You should love someone more than you ever thought yourself capable of doing. Allow yourself to fall so hopelessly in love that you feel giddy….it’s an amazing feeling.

5) We should own ONE PIECE OF CLOTHING or accessory that makes us feel gorgeous, like million bucks, and instantly transforms a worm into a butterfly.

6) We should HAVE ONE GOAL OR MANTRA in life that motivates us and chanting it should fill us with energy and get us back on the road to recovery. It can be spiritually-rooted or a material goal you want to achieve in life.

7) We should COMMIT ONE SIN or do something naughty in life which gives us a thrill and reminds us how young and carefree we were at one time.

We should LOVE ONE GOOD THING IN OURSELVES and work towards preserving that quality. When you acknowledge your virtues mentally, it means you are also aware of ‘negative’ qualities in you and just being aware of your complete self makes you happy.

9) We should own ONE BOX OF OLD MEMORIES. It can be an old album/letters/journal or anything that keeps you in touch with your past, which charts your journey to present.

10) We should have ONE DESIRE to follow passionately. It could be material or non material but life should be full of desires because they keep us alive and thriving.

11) We should BREAK ONE BARRIER IN LIFE if not more. Overcoming your limitation gives you hope and courage and you learn to expand and grow in life.

12) We should NURTURE ONE THING in life. It can be as big as mentoring someone or as small as watering a plant. Nurturing anything brings of joy to one’s life.

13) We should GIVE UP SOMETHING WE LOVE once in life. It teaches us what true giving is all about. If you don’t know how to sacrifice, you will never appreciate what you receive.