There are many misconceptions about happiness. It seems that once people learn how to create happiness in their life, they tend to forget the steps on how they arrived. It becomes a tough challenge to teach others how to be happy. Once it is achieved it is hard to imagine what was.
Happiness is actually a chemical reaction. It is a scientific phenomenon. When dopamine and endorphins fill the pleasure centers of the brain it stymies the feeling of pain and brings joy. In essence, human bodies are created and hardwired to create internal happiness. Those who learn the process of helping the body create the proper chemicals become habitually happy. They are not always happy but are the majority of the time.
You can make conscious decisions to increase your inner happiness. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is to set achievable goals directly related to happiness. One of the ways to naturally increase dopamine is to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants.
Food Choice and Diet
The goal may look something like this: Replace one unhealthy food choice daily with a healthy choice rich in antioxidants like pumpkin seeds, avocado, ripe banana or almonds. It is a goal that can be recorded and accomplished. It will give both a mental and physical boost.
Sleep
Sleep plays a part in inner happiness. The average need is 7 hours of uninterrupted sleep. That can be a measurable goal.
Exercise
Exercise not only increases the levels of dopamine but helps the effect last longer.
These goals are directly related to helping the brain be prepared to accept and send “happiness hormones.” This alone will not be successful. You will also have to learn an attitude of happiness.
When you find that you are unhappy, step back and examine your inner self.
Is something about you okay, even though everything else seems to be dismal and falling apart?
Consider Janna Lester was severely injured in a car accident. She was not sure if she was dreaming. She could not see. She could not move, but she could hear people. She heard her Mom say, “I wish she could just blink her eyes.” Janna began to blink. She could see, was not sure she was blinking, but she heard her mother’s joy. Her recovery began with that simple process of blinking. She remains in a wheelchair, now has some eyesight and a little movement of hands. Janna can now talk and she is happy for what she has and does not mourn what she lost.
Once a person makes the choice the brain chemistry takes over.
Does it change the entire situation? No, but it does help to change the way the situation is viewed and how it will be used to influence the future.
No one is thrilled to be in a car wreck. A person can choose to be happy that no one died and cars are only things. Almost no one is happy to hear that someone has passed away, but there is a choice to celebrate the life they had or hang onto the anger. The body will respond to the mental choice.
For some happiness is a hard habit to form, but anyone has the ability to do it. Set the right goals, surround yourself with those who want to see you succeed and be happy.
