This article provides a process for discovering the keys to individual happiness.
Finding happiness is truly an art and it is uniquely defined for everyone. But if happiness is an art, how does one go about finding or defining it? Is there really a process for finding personal happiness and joy that works? The answer is yes. There is a system and a process to the art of happiness that anyone can use. Using it will facilitate the discovery of the seeds of personal happiness that will bring more pleasure and joy to life.
Discover the Seeds of Happiness
What are the seeds of happiness? They are the essential circumstances and feelings, unique to everyone, that bring delight and joy into their life. Once discovered, these seeds of happiness and their essence can be used every day to increase the experience of joy and delight. Try the following exercise to discover the personal seeds of happiness.
Remember the Story
Take a moment and remember a story from the past or present where the feelings of true happiness were present. This is a time when laughter followed delight and combined with a feeling of great joy. Maybe this was a special moment in life, as a young child receiving a much anticipated gift or visiting loving grandparents, or maybe it was a wedding or the birth of a child. It might be a time when life was a struggle and family and friends offered support and comfort. Whatever that story is, think of it for a moment and remember it lovingly. Savor it and think about what being in a state of joy means in the story’s context.
Discover the Essence of Happiness
Here are a few questions to help define the essence of joy in the remembered story.
What did it feel like to be so completely “in the moment of happiness”, to smile or laugh freely and joyously straight from the heart? What feelings came from being surrounded by loving and caring friends or family? What part of these feelings could be shared with a young person to help them understand the juice of joyfulness? What words would be used to share these feelings? Write down the story and the answers to these questions. Underline or circle the words or phrases that represent why the story is a happy one. These are the personal, unique seeds of happiness that are the keys to making a difference in an individual’s life.
Keep Happiness Moving Forward
Once the essence of happiness is uncovered it needs to move forward into life. Hoarding happiness just doesn’t work! The process of keeping happiness in one’s life requires easy yet steady daily action. Every day, be on the lookout for ways that the seeds of happiness appear in life. Acknowledge these moments, savor them, and remember them. This can be a subtle internal process or something that others can see in action. Just let the process unfold easily and naturally by daily watering the personal seeds of happiness. Take joy in the resulting blooms.
Final Happiness Tips
Here two final tips to keep happiness showing up daily. First, take each moment of joyfulness, remembered and newly discovered, and just say “hi” to someone while the memory is fresh. The essence of happiness will shine through the greeting and brighten the day even if the other person doesn’t appear to receive or acknowledge it. Second, look internally and see if there someone to thank (in person or in the heart) for being a part of each joyful, remembered experience. If there is, take a moment and silently visualize them and thank them for being part of the happiness chain.
