10 ways to be happy

I just came back from meeting a friend who is home on a holiday. I was excited about meeting her because she only flies down home once a year and her stay at home lasts exactly a week. So we met and got talking about life, hers and mine, and friends when I told her about my academic plans. Now I regret it. A casual interaction with her has left me feeling depressed about my choices in life. They might not have been as brilliant and bright like hers but they have been my own. I take full responsibility for my life's decisions and how I have handled different things to come so far. It hurt to feel so demeaned by someone I once looked up to.

So, while walking back home I kept thinking of ways one could be happy or at least pretend to be to avoid some embarrassment in public or with friends and family. Since I am no Mr. Bean, this post does not display any humour and perhaps the seriousness might not get down well with everyone reading the post. I go ahead with these TEN WAYS TO BE HAPPY. I am sure we can include an 11th too. 

1. Always listen to the old brag of your heart. ALWAYS. Even if it means, you pay too much for a thing someone got for a 20% discount. Chuck their mean jibes about your bargaining skills. It's YOUR money!

2. Keep the smile on your face even during duress. My experience and the bard says- This too, shall pass! Nothing lasts for too long, not even sorrows.

3. Don't ever compare yourself with your peers. NEVER. You are unique in every way, yes, even your convoluted sense of humour. 

4. Never search for happiness and content in materialistic possessions. A prized possession loses its value in a few years of our maturity. The sheen wears off after a couple of years over shoes, clothes, gifts, books, autographed things. We simply grow over everything.

5. Cultivate a good habit like wishing people whom you meet daily on your way to work or places you frequent. The lift operator, building maintenance workers, newspaper vendor, TV and gadget mechanic- just about everyone. They will remember us for a long time in their lives even when we won't. Goodness leaves its imprint for a long time.

6. Ignore people who have a negative stance about everything you do. Their opinions and comments don't matter. Your faith and self trust does. 

7. Be kind to your parents. We often don't regard their sacrifices and feelings in the way we should. They don't need a whiplash from us just because we earn better than they did. They are our parents. Respect them for all their opinions even if you don't agree or like everything they say.

8. Stop inflicting negative self criticism. It never works. We have our own strengths and weaknesses and nobody knows it better than ourselves. So start embracing the positive side you possess. 

9. Read, just read. Read a newspaper, an article, a page a day but read. It is therapeutic but also channels our brains instead of the candy crush saga and monosyllabic conversations on social media applications. Reading provides a generous avenue for our thoughts and imagination. So read.

10. And most importantly, STOP reading and taking help from such self-help articles. You don't need these. Meditate in silence and solitude. Sit by yourself and let your thoughts wander, After a while, your mind will be calm as an ocean and ready to explore. 

Hope these ten ways of searching happiness actually lead someone to happiness. I try and fail a lot of times. But that's okay because we are human and failure is part of life. Never stop laughing on yourself or the silliest of jokes. Laugh aloud. It releases some good chemicals in the brain. Just don't laugh pointedly at anyone in public. Rest assured, happiness is not hard to find or create. We only need to be open to experience it.