The 10-step recipe for happiness

The 10-step recipe for happiness

 March 31, 2008

Starting each day with a clear mind and an open heart doesn’t happen by chance! There are practical steps we can take. Why not try all ten? By Petrea King.

 
#1 Set your intention for the day

When you awaken in the morning, before you arise to greet the day, give thanks for another day. Enjoy a Wake uprelaxing stretch in bed, filling your lungs with fresh air, breathing out any heaviness from the night. Read an excerpt from a spiritual text or something that uplifts your spirit and reminds you of the purpose of your own existence. This will help set your intention for the day before the busyness begins. Your intention might be to practice kindness, compassion or respect for all people – including yourself.

 
# 2 Come to your senses

Wherever you are, be there! Your body is always in the present yet your mind is forever projecting into the future or rehashing the past. Practice awareness of the present moment by coming to your senses. Be aware of your posture, the shape of your body and the touch of your clothing; notice its texture, the temperature that your clothing helps create. Feel the air moving against the skin of your hands and face. Listen to all of the sounds around you. Let your listening run right out until you hear the clouds passing. Then focus on your breath as it flows in and out of your body. Let any thoughts or feelings come to pass without holding onto any of them.

 
# 3 Identify your stressors

Learn to identify the people or situations which generally cause you to react rather than respond. Practice increasing your awareness of what happens in your body when you encounter stressful situations. Does your pulse increase, do you feel tight in your chest or your throat. Do you sweat or get butterflies in your stomach? Does your jaw tighten or does your head feel like it’s going to burst? It is better not to speak or act from a state of reaction.

 
# 4 Be present to the breath

Awareness of the breath allows you to more easily respond rather than react to life’s challenges. We can't always control what happens to us in life but we can control how we respond to the things that happen. We may not be able to avoid becoming emotionally upset, but we can control the intensity and duration of that upset and how we express it.

 
# 5 Don’t take your life so personally

Happy 2Learn to not take yourself quite so seriously. If you can laugh at yourself you will be endlessly amused. Your body secretes endorphins when you laugh. These natural hormones give you a natural high and empower your immune system. Where possible, escalate a smile into a chuckle, a chuckle into a laugh and a laugh into a belly-shaking one. A light-hearted approach to life allows us to be spontaneous and available to people in the present moment.

 
# 6 Know yourself

Become aware of your attitudes, beliefs and reactions. Be willing to be a work in progress. This gives you the chance to change your judgments of yourself and others. Know what replenishes you and make sure that those things happen in your life. If music, nature, singing, dancing, reading, gardening or other activities replenish you, then make sure those things are present in your life on a regular basis.

 
# 7 Use it or lose it

Exercising for 40 minutes can reduce stress levels for up to three hours. Find regular and enjoyable exercise which can be realistically incorporated into your life. Walking and swimming are two of the most beneficial forms of exercise and improve your circulation, breathing and the functioning of all your internal organs.

 
# 8 Letting go of the past

The past cannot be undone. Forgiving is not the same as condoning. True forgiveness is an internal act and doesn’t need the involvement of the person or situation in which we felt wounded. The essence of forgiveness is that we liberate ourselves from reacting from feelings of being hurt or wounded.

 
# 9 Learn relaxation techniques

Familiarity with progressive relaxation techniques helps us to recognise when we are becoming stressed. Having the ability to physically unwind is the first step to letting go of mental tension. Regular use of a good relaxation practice will take the stress out of learning the technique!

 
# 10 Learn to meditate

Learning to meditate can be the next simple step in relaxing the mind so that it becomes quieter. With a quiet and focused mind our intuition, inspiration and imagination become more readily accessible. Meditation is one of the greatest tools for improving clarity, concentration and memory and for achieving mastery over our lives.

Petrea King is the author of Your Life Matters – The Power of Living Now and directs the Quest for Life Centre, Bundanoon, NSW