What is in Your Happiness Checklist? | Positive Provocations~

Try this! A couple from my list include: "Listen to Music Everyday" and "Laugh out loud". ~Peace&Power from Dr. Shelly

 

Does buying a new Mercedes or taking a vacation in far far away lands where you spend oodles of money, make you happier? Or does faring poorly in an exam or a life experience add to your misery? We Human beings tend to predict the outcome of an unforeseen venture or event both qualitatively and quantitatively in terms of negativity and positivity—and in most cases they are wrong. Think about and try to reminisce on your own life experiences. How long have you really held on to the grief of the death of a loved one? Tears can’t flow forever. On getting a promotion and a bigger pay cheque, how long have you rejoiced? You cant go on and on throwing parties week after week to celebrate the event.

Yet, if we look deeper within ourself, most of us will find that we had magnified the intensity of emotions associated with these events when they were yet to occur. Forecasting an outcome before it actually happens is immature and often misleading to your self.

I’m not saying that an unpleasant event like a theft of a large sum of money won’t make us sad, but it does not mean that our devastation will last forever. Similarly, adding material pleasures may make life more exciting momentarily, but will never make everything perfect for us. Has the binge shopping or binge eating ever helped beyond a few passing moments?

In anticipating the intensity of our emotional response to future circumstances we only unnecessarily torture our self. To only later realize that the actual intensity of that event wasn’t so bad after-all.  On the other hand, have you noticed, the euphoria of anticipation of a Good event, it is comparatively short lived. When infact it should be the other way around. This only proves the value of being totally-present in the here and the now, and the spiritual value of retaining Calm and inner balance under all circumstances—good or bad.

The happiest you will certainly emerge!

We have heard and most of us know in our hearts that money doesn’t buy happiness. But don’t we still believe in figures rather than feelings?

It is important to note that the factors that make people happy may vary from person to person. While personal success and self-expression maybe seen as the most important to some, to others happiness is about fulfilling the expectations of family and society. Its all a matter of perception and a true understanding of Self.

How happy are you and How satisfied are you with your life ?
To answer this very question, you need to have your very own Happiness Checklist. A Happiness checklist which states things that factor into your life to make you immensely Happy, from the heart and soul…not from the warmth of your pockets.

Today I share with you my Happiness Checklist. Hope it will become yours too :)

My Happiness Checklist:

- Have happy and fulfilling relationships
- Value good friendships

- Love Everyone and Everything-Good or bad

– Less Desires
- Do someone a good turn
- Keep the faith (religious or not)
- Stop comparing yourself with others
- Grow old naturally and gracefully
- Don’t worry if you’re not a genius
- Remain Positive no matter what

Now its your turn- What does your happiness checklist have? Care to add some more to my list? Please share your thoughts and lists in the comments below. I would love to expand my list further.

With Immense Love and Gratitude,
~Zeenat~


 

Dr. Shelly Harrell

Dr. Shelly Harrell

Welcome! My name is Dr. Shelly Harrell. I'm a psychologist and have been a professor, therapist, and consultant for over 20 years. My career has provided me with the amazing opportunity to help people transform their lives. I have been helping people and mentoring students professionally throughout my career. I am a licensed psychologist in California and currently a Professor at Pepperdine University's Graduate School of Education and Psychology.

Most recently, I have brought together my professional experience and my passion for helping others fully manifest their unique gifts and strengths to form "Focus and Flow", my integrative approach to facilitating optimal well-being and empowered living. Developing my programs and services has been a true labor of love. It represents an integration of my professional expertise, my life experiences, and my commitment to participating in the transformation of individuals, relationships, and communities. The Focus and Flow approach is about empowered living, positive energy, wellness, and fulfilling our optimal human potential. My services include psychotherapy, consultation, mental training, life coaching, retreats, online classes, and more. I emphasize the use of music, meditation, and writing as tools for healing and transformation.

"FocusandFlow - Just Posts" (focusandflow.posterous.com) is a simple blog site, a place for easy access of the various content that I share. I post all kinds of different inspiring and empowering content such as quotes, videos, and articles (some original and some reposted from other sites). Thanks for visiting and happy reading!

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