The Key to Happiness
The pursuit of happiness can be seen as overrated or even unachievable in this competitive and fast-paced society. As students, it is no less different especially when we find ourselves bogged down with assignments, projects, exams and the likes. What exactly do we want from our lives? We all want to be happy. But is happiness really attainable? While there is no single blueprint for happiness, here are some tips on being happy that worked well for me!
Half Empty vs. Half Full
Be an optimist. Change the way you perceive things. The glass can be either half empty or half full, but the only way we should be seeing it is as half full. When we change how we look at things, they automatically seem better and less bleak.
(source: Youtube, Is This Glass Half Empty?)
Say you just finished a presentation that wasn’t so well done. Seeing the glass half empty would be to soak yourself in negativity, believing that it’s the end of the world (sort of). It’s not. Instead, try to see the glass half full. There are many other presentations ahead of you, are you really going to let one presentation bring you down? Learn from this presentation and improve from here on.
I once heard of this saying from a friend: let’s say I have 85,000 dollars and I lost 5 dollars. Am I going to throw away the remaining 84,995 dollars because of that lost 5 dollars? No. If I lost 5 dollars, all the more I should treasure the remaining money.
See, the way we perceive things can really matter if we want to be happy!
Laugh a lot and stop bringing yourself down
Laugh about everything. It is so easy to bring ourselves down with every little thing, but that shouldn’t be the case. “Laughter is the best medicine”, they say, and I can’t agree more. Snap out of your unhappiness and laugh.
(source: www.sbs.com)
Laugh about the fact that you blanked out and forgot a section of your elevator pitch, because things will get better and such an experience will help you to learn and grow, as depressing as it might be when that happens.
It’s important to not take ourselves too seriously and instead, embrace and laugh at the different hurdles that come our way.
YOLO mind-set
You only live once, so go out and do the things that make YOU happy. Ignore the haters, ignore the judgement. Don’t let the views and opinions of others affect your mood and decisions. You are the key to your own happiness.
(source: Tumblr)
Go and join that CCA you’ve always wanted to, go and do that sport you’ve always wanted to try out, because if not now, then when? Life is too short for hesitation. Take the plunge!
It’s okay to be different. Be yourself!
(source: www.girlsaskguys.com)
To be really happy, we have to accept that each of us are unique and special. We have to accept that it’s okay being different from someone else; it’s okay to not look a certain way; it’s okay to not achieve a GPA as high as your friend; it’s okay to not be as fashionable as your friend and it’s okay to not have everything your friend has. It’s these differences that make us who we are.
No Regrets
(source: Pinterest)
Live without regrets, because in the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t matter. After time passes, most “regrets” are no longer regrets. They don’t matter as much as they once did. There are also no bad decisions because each one brings us lessons. There’s no room (or time) to feel regretful and pitiful. Things will look up only if you do.
So what if you made a bad decision sleeping in and leaving your term paper to the very last minute? Stressing over how little time you have to complete it and regretting your decision to procrastinate isn’t going to make you finish your essay any quicker. Your time spent regretting this decision could be well-spent completing that paper. Furthermore, five years, or even one year down the road, this won’t matter at all.
What I’m trying to say is, live in the present! Because that’s what matters most. The key to happiness really lies within ourselves, and should not be influenced by others.
What are we waiting for?