Happiness is something different for all of us. We all have different situations and circumstances that drive our happiness. It can range from family, friends, love, work, leisure, or material things. When I Googled books on happiness, my search returned hundreds if not thousands of books on happiness.
In this blog post, I am going to focus on how including mindfulness in my life has lead me to be a happier individual. In essence, mindfulness has enabled me to deepen my relationship with myself. I understand my emotions better and pause much more often in life. By living in the present moment with my body and mind, I don’t miss out on the things that ultimately make me happy. Instead, I embrace them.
Please watch this Ted Talk by Matt Killingsworth that discusses his data on happiness and that we are often happiest when we are lost in the moment. His data suggests that mind-wandering can lead individuals to being unhappy. He starts his talk with the following quote by Aristotle:
“Happiness is the chief good…that which all things aim”
Mindfulness gives me the tools to be more mindful in my day-to-day life. I am significantly less stressed, more engaged, and more resilient. My positive emotions definitely outweigh my negative emotions. Most importantly, I have developed a relationship with myself creating self-awareness and increasing my empathy. This all leads me down a path that is filled with happiness. Cultivating mindfulness increases my self-regulation through focus and intensifies my emotional intelligence. It helps to guide me in accepting my experiences, good or bad, and to respond rather than to react. Happiness for me evolves from being able to deal with adverse events, engage in the present moment, and to enjoy the pleasures (small or big) in life.
The following quote chooses exceptional wording, linking mindfulness and happiness:
“By breaking down our sense of self-importance, all we lose is a parasite that has long infected our minds. What we gain in return is freedom, openness of mind, spontaneity, simplicity, altruism: all qualities inherent in happiness.” – Matthieu Ricard
What is happiness to you? How do you think mindfulness has contributed what makes you happy?
Mindful Influence ~ Creating conscious moments 
May 10, 2014 at 11:11 pm
no wonder i’m happy, here and now
mindfully being lost & not busy in mind or body 🙂