“Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulties.” ~ Helen Keller
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 bad 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.
Why a Happiness Checklist?
We have checklists for almost every mundane aspect of our life, dont we?! I personally have a supermarket checklist on my fridge, a to do checklist for the day on my phone, another checklist related to stuff I need to get done for my daughter, another checklist for the things I need to do for my business/work…etc. The lists never end.
There is irony in all my checklists though. They stare at me sometimes, as if to tell me “do we really make you happy?”. While I know in my heart they don’t! Why is it that the mundane things in our life get so much checklist importance and not our own Happiness?! This is the reason I decided years back that since I am incharge of my happiness, I NEED a happiness checklist too.
What is on YOUR Happiness Checklist?
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(with everyone I meet)
– Value good friendships(old and new)
– Love Everyone and Everything(Good or not so good)
– Less Desires(for material things)
– Do someone a good turn(even if it means going out of my way)
– Keep the faith (religious or not)
– Stop comparing yourself with others(Because I need to believe in my own awesomeness)
– Grow old naturally and gracefully(no artificial crap. This body is a temple)
– Don’t worry if you’re not a genius(My uniqueness will make me more and more successful)
– Remain Positive no matter what(My positive attitude is what keeps me focused on the good)
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.
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With Immense Love & Gratitude,
~Zeenat~
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Hi Zeenat,
Your happiness checklist is so realistic, within reach only if we make an effort to create it. Writing it down really helps as it keeps reminding us how simple it is to create our own happiness! Thanks for sharing. It matches mine!
– Serenity is that constant space surrounded by comedy and tragedy. It can be breathed once you stop holding your breath.
~ Rand
Thanks for the post! I like your checklist very much – mine contains similar items:-). However, I’d like to say that, though money cannot buy happiness, it can buy comfort. So, some money would be appropriate, too (for happiness, I mean). I may be wrong, but it is just my humble opinion.
Thanks to Positive Provocations! I can very well relate to this post.