Create Your Happiness

One of the most influential classes I took in college is one which Ivy-leaguers may be tempted to turn their nose up to: Creating a Good Life. I'm not kidding; this was an actual class that gave me credit towards my major. It turned out to be the most important class I'd take at BYU. Many of the things I learned in the class have shaped my beliefs about mental health, longevity, happiness, and American culture. A big focus of the class was happiness: What makes us happy? What doesn't make us happy? Why do we think certain things make us happy but they really don't? What things do we know will make us happy but we don't focus on them?

Interesting facts on happiness: Studies have shown that a rich person is no happier than any other person. People who are healthy aren't necessarily happier than those who have had a difficult, long-term illness. Most attractive people would not say that they are happier because of their looks. It's so interesting to me, then, that many people are constantly pursuing these things (i.e., money, health, physical attractiveness).

In reality, pursuing happiness won't get us anywhere. It is creating happiness that is more important. When you create happiness, you have the mindset that you can be happy here and now in your present situation, instead of searching for it as if it were some sort of hidden treasure; perhaps you think you'll find it on the beach of Bali or in a relationship with absolutely no disagreements or in a yoga ashram in India. This is the "I'll be happy when..." syndrome. The thing is that happiness isn't uncovered or discovered. Rather, we create happiness in our lives today. In your office, in your toddler's play space, on your drive to the grocery store. So many things around us can give us a smile today if we allow ourselves to notice them!

((Tip: Lately when I realize I haven't smiled in a while, I smack a smile on my face--cheesy and fake. At first I feel foolish smiling like a bafoon about absolutely nothing, and the thought of looking like a bafoon transforms my fake smile into a real one and I can't help but chuckle at myself. Boom! Created a little moment of happiness.))

#happy #happiness #create #laugh