Can we say we are just really happy with where we are in life? Why is it that whenever we become happy about something, the opposite of it always happens? Sometimes, most things in our lives are good, and one thing could still make us unhappy. Why is it so?
The answer could lie in the fact that it is totally normal to not feel happy at times, even when life is going great. Very often, it happens that most aspects of our lives may be positive, but one area could still drag us down and stop us from feeling as happy as we could be.
When you no longer feel the same happiness you once enjoyed, it may seem like life has lost its meaning. Being happy and cheery is not a consistent feeling because ups and downs happen in our lives.
However, it's possible to find the happiness that we're all seeking, and it just takes a bit of patience and practice.
After my retirement nearly a couple of years ago, many of my friends and well-wishers asked me whether I was happy with my present life and its routines. My answer to them is, “I retired only from something, but I retired to something new.”
I never looked back and tried to always be happy, despite much desperation. Slowly, I started to learn how to be happier. In addition to reading and writing in line with my passion and profession, I started listening to other people talking about their own happiness!
I also have a small farm where I grow vegetables and other plants. My identity is not wrapped up in what I do. I talk to the plants every morning and evening while watering them. They respond to me. I can clearly see that, and it gives me a sense of peace and tranquillity.
There is no denying the fact that along the way, and even now, there are days where unhappiness creeps into my life. There are times when things turn bleak and I feel sad.
After all, a happier life doesn't mean there are always rainbows and sunshine in our lives, which are an assortment of anger, frustration, boredom, loneliness, and even sadness!
As everyone wants to be happy, countries around the world are looking at happiness as an indicator of national well-being and considering happiness in policy making.
Why I write all these is because the world is celebrating Happiness Day today, March 20. This day is all about feeling happy, being healthy, and taking care of our minds. It's a reminder to all of us that happiness is important and that we should do things that make us happy.
Past experiences show that happy people engage in their communities and help others, making them important individuals for flourishing societies, thus shaping a nation’s happiness.
Editors of the World Happiness Report, an insight into happiness for the young, the old, and everyone in between, argue that the goal of government should be to implement those policies that are best positioned to increase happiness in society.
“Happiness is increasingly considered a proper measure of social progress and a goal of public policy,” they say. This means making the happiness of people in a country a policy priority. As such, increasing people’s happiness will also lead them to behave in ways that benefit others around them.
Happier people more often engage in their communities and help others, making them important building blocks for flourishing societies and shaping a nation’s happiness.
I am now coming back to where I started. While we all aspire to be happy in our lives, we should not allow those ‘numb’ emotions to cripple our day. The fact is that we have to take care of ourselves. We hold the key to your happiness. It’s as simple as that!
Oman Observer is now on the WhatsApp channel. Click here
