Happiness uncut

Never undercut your happiness. By ‘undercut’, I mean: say, you’ve just eaten your favourite chocolate pastry. And as you enjoy the replete feeling, you guiltily wish your child was here enjoying it with you… From 100 percent happiness, you’ve already cut it down to 20 percent. Or somebody pays you a fulsome complement on an excellently done project… Instead of glowing radiantly at the appreciation rendered, you start explaining how the project would have turned out better but this element was missing and time was short and la la la… poof! Happiness cut to almost zero!

The brain is very generous in that, it has this expressive chemical called dopamine. When you’re happy, the dopamine rises and fills the entire neurological pathway—this is called the ‘reward’ pathway. You feel rewarded and you feel happy. However, when you repeatedly undercut this rewarded, happy feeling with guilt, defensiveness, self-doubt, the brain’s reward pathway remains dim and finally darkens. This is called depression.

Never pack your mind with thoughts that negate a good experience. The mind deserves to enjoy everything. Enjoying doesn’t take time, it needs just your willingness. Enjoy belonging to a group. Enjoy solitude. Enjoy the fresh morning air, the dark clouds, the sounds of birds. Enjoy compliments, little pleasures of every day life. Enjoy reading, laughing, watching a kitten frolic. Enjoy the movement of your body as you walk, exercise, run down the stairs.

Consider how small the brain is in the vastness of this cosmic world. Consider how tiny is the reward pathway in the brain—a mere silver line. It doesn’t take much to light it up. Light it up with laughter, love, appreciation, enjoyment. Accept all the good things that happen to you with great gusto, with great gratitude, with great delight. Never feel you don’t deserve the good things. It goes beyond deserving. These good things are meant to happen. They highlight the perfection of life’s flow.

*   Throw back your head and enjoy life.
*   Laugh until the tears come.
*   Dance while the music is playing.
*   Give hugs to anyone who needs one.
*   Taste everything good.
*   Cuddle the animals.
*   Never pass up an opportunity to help a friend.
*   Smile really big.
*   Remember to say you’re sorry.
*   And, yes, enjoy life!  
  
You have complete right to be one hundred percent happy with yourself! Who said modesty is a virtue!

Take pride in your achievements. Enjoy the little things in life. If you don’t cherish your own life, who will?