Advice: Gratitude Is The Best Way That Leads To Happiness

“Gratitude is something that is very strongly associated with greater happiness”. 

This is what I remember reading somewhere sometime ago.  This Happiness Quotient is a concept that measures approximately the amount of happiness each person has achieved in one’s life.

“If you want to be happy, set a goal that commands your thoughts, liberates your energy and inspires your hopes” Andrew Carnegie.

Most certainly, being happy leads to being GRATEFUL.

I have realised that:

1) Current temperature has a BIG effect on happiness.  In fact it has a bigger effect than variables like wind speed and humidity, or even the average temperature over the course of a day.  I have also found that happiness is maximised at slightly cooler temperatures, so I keep an eye on the weather forecast before heading outside for my 30 minutes of fresh air.  And by God’s grace we are presently enjoying an awesome weather, here in Chennai, with grey clouds, cool breeze, abundance of floral trees in full bloom and a beautiful rainbow.  Yes, making time to go outside on a nice day also delivers a huge advantage.  I am GRATEFUL to the weather God for showering this grace upon us.

2) I think that there certainly is a direct link between happiness and eating more fresh fruits and vegetables and I am GRATEFUL for the bountiful supply of seasonal fruits / vegetables.

3) We all have things we’d rather not do…. work, chores, that kind of stuff, but when I take these little moments to myself, it is like a little vacation in the middle of the day. It boosts my energy and gives me a feeling of contentment. I am GRATEFUL for this spirited energy.

4) There is likely some correlation between being joyful and having good friends… and the inverse is also true.   Today, I realise how much I have been impacted with many wonderful people whose paths I have crossed. I am GRATEFUL for being blessed with good friends who have stuck with me since my childhood. 

“Good friends, good books and a sleepy conscience, this is the ideal life” said Mark Twain. How very true.  I am GRATEFUL for all of these in my life, no matter however limited in quantity they are.

“May you have warmth in your igloo, oil in your lamp and peace in your heart”… is an Eskimo proverb.  Whoever coined this proverb, must have been such a happy, contended person.  There is so much of life’s philosophy hidden in this proverb. This definitely is a path that leads to being GRATEFUL.

Just a few days ago, my hubby and I set out early one morning on a short drive. On seeing our neighbour’s driver downstairs, we exchanged pleasantries and wished him a wonderful day. He happily reciprocated our greetings. I could see HAPPINESS in his smile.

A little further near our gate, we saw the lady who cleans our compoud.  We wished her too a wonderful day.  She too happily reciprocated our greetings.  I could see HAPPINESS in her smile. 

We then set out for a brekkie.  Had a good breakfast… masala dosa, poori bhaji, kesari (sooji halwa) and coffee. This I must add, is a typical Chennai breakfast. We enjoyed every bite thoroughly. The waiter, of course, served us with a smile. While leaving, we wished him a wonderful day. He happily reciprocated – with a delightful surprise. I could see HAPPINESS in his smile.

We then went to the nearby flower market to buy flowers for our daily pooja. I love decorating my pooja with yellow and orange marigolds. Luckily, we found some fresh marigolds being sold by a flower vendor. I purchased quite a bit of these flowers, and while paying this lady, I wished her a wonderful day.  She happily reciprocated my greetings and said I was the first customer for the day to buy flowers from her shop and that I was the only customer EVER to have wished her a wonderful day.  I then gave her my best wishes for great sales not just for the day but for the future as well, and as I was walking away, I could see HAPPINESS in her smile.

I came back home with a heart filled with joy and happiness.  I realised how unplanned actions and words could bring about happiness in people, be they known or total strangers.  Our kind words for others do return the same feelings to us in double the quantity.  All these people individually and together made our day.  We felt GRATITUDE.

Their smiles were the best joyous moments for me. I am GRATEFUL to the Almighty for these mercies.

If we practice gratitude, by noticing even the little things in life, we are sure to have a wide range of benefits of joy and pleasure.

Some people do play an important role in providing our lives with happiness that leads to goodness.  Be GRATEFUL to them. 

Live simply, never tire of thinking about happiness and focus on fun, fitness, family and friends.

Using Horace’s immortal moto “Carpe Diem”, I would say: May we each seize this year as our most beautiful year yet, and let us fill our souls with gratitude.

“Just living is not enough, one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower”.. Hans Christian Anderson. So go ahead, walk in the sun, feel the fresh air – happiness and contentment are bound of follow wherever you go. Be GRATEFUL for every little thing in life.

Everyday be kind to a stranger. Everyday create a new, happy moment not just for oneself but for others as well.  May you all find your happy place, live there always and be GRATEFUL for life.