So often in life we find ourselves measuring happiness by how many resources we have, how much we go out or how much we are physically laughing. To mark University Mental Health day, Mental Weath UK, a Leeds based charity, and Action for Happiness have devised an inspiring movement wishing to change this. It helps people to learn simple ways which actively help increase their wellbeing and feeling of contentment. As a witness to their utter faith that “A happier world is possible”, Tash Straker emerged a genuine believer.
I will always remember Dad telling me that Snoopy once said “Life is a series of ups and downs”. This will forever be the case but we must always accentuate the positives and do our damndest to eliminate the negatives. By recognising the good in the world, we can strengthen our resilience to life’s many hardships. As individuals we will each see different aspects of life as good, but how often do we take the time to acknowledge what these aspects actually are? In fact, do we even know what they are? This is where scientific research takes to the stage in collaborating ten factors which are proven to positively contribute to all of our wellbeing – ‘Great Dream’.
GIVING:
Carrying out three small acts of kindness per day can boost your level of physical wellbeing for up to six weeks.
RELATING:
Make sure you are honest; let someone know if you cherish them, interact positively with the daily flux of people and when in doubt, smile.
EXERCISING:
Take up an exercise you truly enjoy and you are more likely to stick to it and feel a sense of accomplishment
APPRECIATING:
Have a moment each day to breathe in deeply and reflect on your feelings and surroundings. You will soon realise that there is more to life when you take the time to notice it.
TRYING OUT:
Change your attitude towards a new experience and embrace it.
DIRECTION:
We need direction to focus our mind and bring us a sense of achievement. Goals can be daily or lifelong but it is important to ensure they are achievable and something you genuinely care about.
RESILIENCE:
Don’t ever think that you are alone; make sense of a situation and realise that other people are likely to have dealt with the same hardship. Ask for help, be honest when things are difficult and don’t be scared to have a damn good cry. Set your mind to think ‘this is not, not forever’ .
EMOTION:
Negative emotions are normal, but within them, positives are often artfully hidden. Every night, if you write down three good things that you have experienced in that day and say why they were good, you will actively train yourself to notice the good before the bad and have a more positive outlook on life.
ACCEPTANCE:
A lot of the time we are too hard on ourselves and too modest to acknowledge the array of strengths and hidden talents which we all have. Remember that we are the best in the world at being ourselves.
MEANING:
A lot can be said for doing actions which bring you a sense of purpose and belonging. Join a society, create a blog or simply be a loyal friend.
In the words of Matthieu Ricard; “Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing, not a mere pleasurable feeling or fleeting emotion but an optimal state of being”. By keeping the ‘Great Dream’ in mind, I believe we all have the ability to positively transform our sense of being to happiness.
words: Tash Straker
http://www.actionforhappiness.org/