Happiness is a skill
We can only get good at what we practice, it’s that easy. If you train your attention, you will become more attentive. If you train on being nicer to yourself and others, it will become easier to have nice thoughts. The more often you choose to focus on positive things in your life, the easier life will become to see from the brighter side of things. If you practice being grateful, you will become more grateful.
This is due to the fact that our brain is plastic meaning it’s able to change shape. The synapses in your brain being activated create a network, like a well-used path, becoming easier to follow the more you walk there.
Our brain is mainly designed for survival, not for feeling happiness. Therefore, our thoughts have a negative bias, we need to keep track of danger, threats and possible enemies. If we let our thoughts wander freely, they are easily colored by anxiety of the future or lingering on what’s happened. These problem focused thoughts cost energy and make us tired. As a result, we miss-out on the opportunity to experience, enjoy and affect our “now”. We tend also to compare ourselves with others creating unnecessary stress and a feeling of unfulfillment.
A "workout" for happiness:
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Write a "happiness" diary - train your brain to focus on happy thoughts.
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Schedule time for complaining - sometimes you just need to complain about things, but if you schedule it, you limit it to a set time at least.
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Train on enjoying small moments in your everyday life - give yourself time to stop and enjoy nature, open your mind and let in all the beauty.
About the author Beatrice
Beatrince Bildner. Lic. Physiotherapist, mindfulness teacher with an education in physiotherapy (PDT and ACT). Works at Fungera – Rehab in Gothenburg. There she meets individuals with light to severe physical mental illness such as stress, exhaustion, anxiety and depression. Beatrice has also been a teacher at Gothenburg’s University since 2004. For the last 6 years she holds a position at Mindfulness Center where she educates mindfulness instructors and has also hosted over 20 retreats. If you are interested in Beatrice work with mindfulness, feel free to contact her on Linkedin.