What Is Happiness and How Can I get Some?
What is happiness? The dictionary says Happiness is “the state of being happy”. Hmmm. Not helpful. But it says that ‘Happy’ is “pleasure or delight, contentment or satisfaction, feeling buoyant or exhilarated”. That sounds good.
Still, each person has their own idea, their own measuring stick, for what Happiness means. In these days of spikes in sadness, worry, anxiety and depression it is more important than ever to find and re-ignite our happiness.
Sometimes it is challenging to find the words to describe Happiness. It’s easier to talk about the things that can make us happy.
Happy Music
Music can play a big part in finding your Happy carefree, jolly place. Many favorite songs have “Happy” right in the title: “Don’t worry, be Happy.” – “So Happy Together” – “If You Wanna Be Happy” – “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy” – “Happy Days (theme song)”.
In the animated musical, “You’re a good man, Charlie Brown” there is a sweet, poignant song, called, “Happiness is…”, which lists all the things that make children happy.
“Happiness is learning to whistle, knowing a secret, climbing a tree. Happiness is five different crayons, catching a firefly, setting it free.”
Pharrell Williams created a famous hit song and video, “Happy”, that I find downright contagious in spreading fun bliss: “Happiness is the truth!”
Ah, these are great songs! But they don’t tell us what happiness IS.
Inside Job
It might help to look inside and find out HOW we feel happy. We actually have “HAPPY” chemicals! Happy, smiling, beaming energies! Inside our bodies! I have already talked a lot about them in other blogs, so by now you know them:
Dopamine – the reward chemical
Oxytocin – the love hormone
Serotonin – our mood stabilizer
Endorphins – pain killers.
Each chemical has its own on-top-of-the-world way to access your Happy.
Your own Happy Laboratory
Your body is a fantastic chemical laboratory that naturally knows how to help you feel Happy, as in tickled, chirpy, or over-the-moon.
Dopamine drops into your system when you take care of you: cleaning, grooming, dressing, eating nutritiously, drinking lots of water. Also, when you finish a job or a chore, you feel a natural boost – and if you celebrate that – your boost gets bigger, like a dog wagging two tails!
Oxytocin has everything to do with walking-on-air love and friendship: playing with a puppy – or a baby or toddler – can do just the trick; holding a hand, quietly snuggling; passionately kissing, too; and being thoughtfully, genuinely kind or giving a compliment can set you aglow with pleasure.
Serotonin is one of the benefits of both activity and stillness: exercising, especially singly, as in yoga, running, or swimming; or finding calm serenity in meditation or walking outdoors in nature; and being outside in the sun (with plenty of vitamin D to boot! So great for your immune system!)
Endorphins are a powerful, soothing agent for pain: laughter and comedy are the foremost, all-time best ways to access endorphins. You may recall my Blog on LAUGHTER is the Best Medicine. It truly does work its magic! Besides laughter, you can also exercise; and essential oils can bring on that feeling of tranquility; and, a bit of dark chocolate is one of my personal favorites.
Exercise to Happiness
Activity for your body is paramount. ‘Use it or lose it’ has some profound truth in it. So take a walk, play a sport, do yoga, pump iron, run, swim – whatever. But take care of your body because it will help your Happy along!
And it may have occurred to you to take good care of your body because you’re going to need it! We could live to be 100! Live all your life as a Happy-Healthy earthling!
Respect Your Happy Energy
In Becoming Jesse, Dearie finds Jesse in a bit of a tangle, and she reminds him to:
“Happy-up your day!
Go through your days in your brillish, happy dream place and see what happens.
And you’ll feel so good in the bargain.”
So, Happy-up your day! With your own focus: appreciate, compliment and cherish your Happy energies. Music, exercise, activities and tasks, nutritious food, water, quiet calm, meditation, laughter… these are your Happy energies. Let them bring out the best in your body. Let them bring out the best in YOU.
LIGHT ON!
