Reiki Grandmaster AMAR KUMAR, drives home the truth of the statement – to be happy, focus on the positives, not on the negatives
Aristotle once said, ‘happiness depends on ourselves’. But alas, most of us will agree that it is not so easy. Happiness often proves to be elusive. It comes and goes without much warning. If only there were a formula for it, perhaps the world would be full of smiles.
There have been many studies and surveys to break down and identify what brings us happiness. Why are there some people with the same set of circumstances who are happy while others are not; why identical twins feel differently, why some of us laugh more often than others. As expected there are no clear answers. It is supposedly a combination of our genes, circumstances, attitude, even weather…all factors that seem to be out of our control.
It is impossible to predict exactly how and what will bring cheer to us. But, if you sit and analyse the issue, you realise that happiness more often than not is a matter of choice. Think about it — there is rarely a dying man who will regret having spent a lot of happy moments with family and loved ones. A winning lottery ticket or a drastic change in circumstances can often bring us momentary excitement but cannot bring us lasting happiness. The thrill doesn’t last long. We are quick to adapt to change, as our biological instinct helps us to survive. To be truly happy, what we really need is an inner change of perspective. It is up to us to view things in a positive way. We must train ourselves to be satisfied with what we have. Let us not fret over all that is wrong, but focus on what is right. Let us not worry about all the things we don’t have; instead let us be thankful for what we do have. In other words, count your blessings, not your troubles.
There is no secret formula. We all want to be happy. And we can grasp it. So let us count our blessings, let us nurture and enjoy our relationships, let us say thank you more often, let us live in the present and not the past or chase an illusionary future. Let us decide how we want to spend our lives. Happiness is a choice. Maybe Aristotle had a point.
Amar Kumar is a Reiki Grand Master based in Kolkata. For more details, visit www.reikikendra.com.