We can bring more happiness into our lives by controlling our thoughts. We live in our minds. Our thoughts go on and on and on. More than likely, most of our thoughts are somewhat negative and our thoughts are usually not in the present moment. We regret the past and worry about the future. Jetsunma Tenzin Palmo in her book, “Into the Heart of Life”, says: “Genuine happiness comes from the heart. It comes from a mind which has become more stable, more present in the moment.” Try the following 3 ways to increase your happiness.
Meditation is a great way to control your mind and your thoughts. But, it may not always be appropriate for you to sit in silence. If you are at your desk at work or in a hospital room comforting a loved one, meditation may be a little difficult. I make an effort every day to bring more happiness into my life using the techniques below.
1. Staying in the Present Moment – Stand up and firmly place your feet on the ground, shoulder width apart. Make sure your posture is erect. Spend a few moments taking deep breaths while focusing on your feet planted firmly on the earth. Actually imagine the earth supporting you.
2. Gratitude – Write down 10 things that you are grateful for. Read them out loud.
3. Be Aware of your Thoughts – Be mindful of critical thoughts. Try to become aware of them and begin to stop doing this. In order to do this create a “Put Downs Worksheet.” Take a sheet of paper. On the left side of the paper write the days Monday through Sunday. On the right side at the top of the page write, “Situation – Put Down.” Every day this week, when a situation comes up and you find yourself criticizing yourself, write it down. First is awareness and then you can begin to change the behavior.
This week:
What resource or tool could you begin doing in order to bring more happiness into your life?