What to Consider When Considering Happiness

You’ve probably heard of mindfulness. It’s been talked about a lot lately. But if you haven’t heard of it or don’t know what it means, let’s clarify. Simply put, to be mindful is to be present. Present in the moment. No matter what you’re doing, you need to be aware of it.
Sounds simple, right? So, how come we don’t practice it then?

The answer lies in these crazy lives we lead. We are in a constant hurry, we are multitasking, doing one thing while thinking about another because there is always so much more to do. We have to do lists, we have reminders, we have mobiles and tablets and computers, because there is just so much to do that we need to spread ourselves as widely as possible.

Have you ever noticed how much we worry? We actually made worrying a habit. We worry about everything. We worry about what to wear, what to say, what people will think. We worry if we made the right decision, if we’re good enough (friends, lovers, parents …), we worry about our jobs, about the money we make or don’t make. We worry if we are fit enough, beautiful enough, are WE enough. And, of course, we worry about worrying. The list is so long, if I continued it, this would probably be the longest blog post in history.

So, of course, mindfulness is a term we know nothing about; how could we? Between the lists, the chores, and the worrying, how are we supposed to be in the moment?
Well, we need to prioritize it; it’s that simple. When I say simple, what I mean is simple to say; doing is a bit trickier. 🙂
But the good news is, it can be done.

Once again, I start with myself, I’ve been scattered most of my life; I was constantly trying to do everything for everyone, keeping everybody happy, and on the way forgot to keep myself happy. And it made me angry, angry at the world, all because I was unhappy, and I was unhappy because I put myself last. I kept expecting that others would do everything for me like I tried to do for them, and then I was disappointed when they didn’t. Disappointment made me unhappy; the lack of happiness made me angry, and anger made me lash out. It took some time before I recognized what I had become, and then it took some time to make changes. Honestly, I’m still in the process, but this is a good thing. The way I see it, it means that I’m constantly growing as a person, learning, moving, building my way to happiness, and doing it happily. 🙂
When I decided it was time to make some changes, the first thing I had to do was to find my inner peace, to clear up all that noise that was rumbling inside me. And to do that, I had to be mindful. I had to do one thing at a time.

Don’t be afraid to put yourself first! That is not a selfish thing to do; remember that. Because when we’re in order, we can put things around us in order. When we’re happy, we can make others happy. So do what you need to be happy and positive, and then spread it around. No anger, no bitterness, no any kind of negativity.
When I found my peace, my happiness, it became so much easier to deal with the curves life throws; they didn’t knock me down, and even if they did, I got back up.

Ok, I got a little sidetracked from mindfulness, but it’s because I wanted to explain that it is so worth it. I’ve never been happier than at this point in my life. And guess what? Everyone around me is happier, too.

So how do we practice mindfulness?

It is not the same for everyone. Some people do it through meditation, some through working out, and some simply through breathing. For me, it was yoga. I started with yoga, being present with the move and with the breath, and then I started to practice it everywhere I could. I would constantly remind myself to be present. This was not an easy thing for me, and still isn’t; my mind wanders. A lot. 🙂

So, I would remind myself to be present while gardening, to think about the flowers, not just plant them, to think about the bushes, not just trim them, to think about the grass, not just water it. To see the colors, the branches, the buds, to enjoy them. When I pet my cats or walk my dog, I’m thinking about what I’m doing, I talk to them, or when we all go out in the park, I don’t take my phone, I watch them run and play, I enjoy my time with them. Even when I cook, I try not to multitask or at least do it as little as possible. I constantly try to think about what I’m doing (it doesn’t mean I always succeed 🙂 ). And sometimes, I just breathe. I take a moment or two and just focus on my breath, feeling it passing through my body, being aware of it. This really helps when worry, panic, or anxiety tries to take over. I take a moment to breathe, and this gives me a chance to focus on a solution instead of a problem, and that calms me down and helps me function.
Helps me be happier and healthier.

I definitely recommend trying it and seeing what it does for you. There are many ways to practice mindfulness. Find your way to implement it in your daily life, find what works for you, and go from there. 🙂

Be where you are; otherwise you will miss your life.

– Buddha