By Elisabeth Fayt
“No matter what is going on around me, still I can be joyful.”
Achievable? Or unrealistic?
Many say the goal of life is to be happy. Isn’t it the reason we do everything we do, from seeking the right partner, to finding the perfect job or planning the ultimate vacation? We do these things because we think they will make us happy.
What if we could tap into a reservoir of happiness, without requiring any outward condition.
You might claim that it’s life’s challenges and disappointments that stop that “feel good” state.
Yes, difficulties happen. They take us off kilter and leave us frustrated and unfulfilled. And when we’re in a grumpy mood, we aren’t joyful then, are we?
“You can’t solve a problem with the mind that created it.”
Here’s an important tip. It isn’t life’s burdens that bring us down; it’s our state of mind. One of the world’s greatest minds, Albert Einstein said “You can’t solve a problem with the mind that created it.” Knowing this, how to make a change? One proven way is mindful meditation.
A mental state of happiness, despite daily challenges, can be achieved, through a daily practice of meditation. You might think “It’s not for me. I’ve never been interested in meditation”, or maybe you’re questioning, “What does meditation have to do with my happiness?”
Well, it does.
Mindful Meditation is simply a form of silencing and stilling the mind. From a calm center, this is where you feel your innate happiness from within, completely detached from outer condition. It’s already there, just waiting to be untapped.
Being happy without condition is important, and practical! Look at how it affects your life. Have you ever been in an exceptionally good mood? While in that state, you can find yourself laughing off even the biggest challenge. On the flip-side, when you’re in a dark mood, the slightest annoyance can become amplified and blown out of proportion. All from your state of mind.
Take some baby steps to Happy with this simple and basic mindfulness exercise. Start by focusing on your breath. You can do this while sitting or walking, or even while you’re washing the dishes or doing a task. Bring yourself into the present moment by breathing in with awareness. Inwardly say to yourself “I breathe in and know that I am breathing in.” Then breathe out with the same mindfulness, “I breathe out and know that I am breathing out”. And just enjoy the peacefulness of the incoming and outgoing breath. Practice this for a minute or two at a time, and each day increase the number of times you practice, and your length of practice.
This simple exercise of mindfulness takes you away from whatever you were thinking about (dwelling on the past, or worrying about the future), and brings you to one thought, your breath, and the present moment. It takes your mind inward, where happiness dwells, even when all around you may be like a tumultuous sea of troubles.
In the words of Paramahansa Yogananda, one of the world’s greatest Meditation Masters: “Even a little daily practice of this great art can save you from many fears.” Our challenges don’t disappear, but our anxiety about them does.
Why not give it a try, starting with your next breath. “I breathe in, and know that I am breathing in….”
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