Reaffirming My Happiness

Image Courtesy: http://www.happyologist.co.uk 

As a small child, when I used to go to school, I used to fantasize about going to College and used to wonder, how happy that day would be. When I went to college, then I used to wonder, how happy that day would be, when I would be getting a job. When I went for a job, pursuit of happiness continued conditionally – increment, promotion, better job offers, new jobs etc. Seeking happiness led me to leave job and turn into an entrepreneur and then everyday I used to wonder, I might be the happiest when my company’s turnover would touch a crore. Years have gone by and when I sit back today, I do realize that the beauty of life remains untapped and life just passes by.

‘Happiness shall be a way of life’. When life goes through different stages, changes would happen, certain changes would be pleasant, certain changes would not be so pleasant, certain changes would bring loads of happiness whereas certain changes would bring sadness. Basically, happiness is not the absence of sorrows in life, but it is about, how we can carry ourselves even amidst sorrow. The thumb rule is I must be happy from within. When I can be happy from within, I am sure, I can be a source of happiness for others as well.  

I do completely resonate with the thought that we must be able to celebrate life every day rather every moment (#CelebrateLife). Festivals and big occasions like a promotion or a wedding or any event are generally a cause for celebration for everyone, but let us pledge to celebrate every day, every moment of living. Let rest everything or every event be a bonus to our happiness.

Image Courtesy: www.successstories.co.in

I want to quote Gautam Buddha here: “How well did you love; how fully did you live and how deeply did you let go?” I loved this quotes, since I feel, this is one of the mantra of happiness and to be able to celebrate every moment.

Happiness is actually an emotional state of well-being. It is the mental framework which we adopt. Today, when I have sat down to write about what happiness mean to me, I feel, every moment of life can bring a lot of happiness to us. It is all about how we perceive our lives. It may not be possible to have the best of everything in life, but are we able to be happy and grateful of what we have in our lives? People often ask me, how one can be happy amidst tough situations. I say, it is not easy, but it becomes definitely easier to be happy by looking at the brighter side of life.

Offlate I watched a movie called “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” (my review is at http://moviereviewsbybinduc.blogspot.in/2015/03/quick-review-of-second-best-exotic.html). In this movie, if somebody is in search of a soul-mate, somebody else is search of true love, the lead protagonist wants to achieve a lot through his profession, somebody wants to decide between the two relationship to make a permanent tie with one of them… the list goes on, but the ultimate thing is that everybody is in pursuit of happiness. Aren’t we also like that in real life.

But the tragedy is we don’t know, what would fetch us happiness. Either we are dependent on others to fetch us happiness or we are escaping from the negativities of lives so as to get pseudo-happiness.

I believe that my happiness is definitely dependent on so many factors but the basic fact is (as I wrote earlier), whether I am able to feel the happiness within. Do I look outside for reasons to be happy or do I look within for reasons of happiness ? How can I keep my people, near and dear ones happy, if I can not keep myself happy. I feel, it is very important to feel the happiness from within, then only I can spread happiness in and around. Happiness is one attribute, the more we share, more we get.

What are the sources of my happiness? How I end up celebrating my every moment of life in a day, let me share with you the same (please ignore the order of listing). 

Being Alive: Morning when I get up, I get that first breeze of happiness: “Thank God, I am alive and have another day in my hand.” The very thought of being alive gives me tremendous energy.

Image Courtesy: My Mumma, my support system

My Family: Just having meals with family gives me a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. When I come back home after work, I find Mumma waiting for me eagerly to understand how my day had been, gives lot of happiness. When I just sit with her at the end of the day to interact with her and listen to her, It just feels so nice. She is a big critic of mine who keeps me grounded. 

Image Courtesy: My brother, Bhabhi, Nephew and Niece (My Jaan)

When I Skype every night with dearest brother and family, who are in USA, it adds so much to my happiness. I am so much emotionally dependent on my family. Today’s digital media revolution helps me not to feel the distance and interact with brother and family, be it through Skype, Google hangout etc. it just gives me so much emotional security. From India, through digital media, I have seen my lovely nephew and niece growing up. The distance is never felt. I feel so happy. When they visit India, just spending time with them, hang out for movies, Golgappes, Chaat, Jelebis etc. makes me so happy. Thank God, my family is my emotional anchor.

Few of my friends:You all give me so much of happiness. Thank u all.

My Friends: I might not be able to sit physically with my close friends always, but whenever we catch up through any form of media, it gives loads and loads of happiness. Friends are so much part of life, with whom we can cry, laugh, and also not shy away from being emotionally vulnerable. When we get together, we begin from where we stopped. Life gets much more beautiful with them.

Being Healthy: I head for my gym / swimming and the weighing scale shows 0.5 kg less weight, it brings a smile on my face. Wow, my effort to keep fit has worked (this is a typical female thought, isn’t it). I am sure, this brought smile to your face. Oh yes, I understand that, I am far from my goal, but yes, the very thought to keep fit gives me happiness.

Snapshots of Training - I actually end up living my life here...

My Profession: What a wonderful thing to speak about life! As a trainer, when I interact with people, there are lot many happenings which give me immense happiness. I get an opportunity to strike the right chord with strangers. A complete stranger group turns out to be good acquaintance as the session moves further. When I am able to convert the cautious affiliation seen in the eyes of the people into getting to curious mode to know more, learn more, makes me happy. When I am able to give a reason to think to the participants in the programme, that makes me happy. When at the end of the programme, participants share their emotions, I feel happy.

With my Best friend and Business Partner Thomas Mathews during a training session

My Business Partnership: Having a business partner who shares my vision of running an ethical organization also adds to my happiness.

My Interests: Being a movie buff, I wait for a Friday to catch up with the movies. Rather I actually look forward for good movies to release.

My Blog: Blog is one of the best thing which has happened in my life. I have been a blogger of movie reviews since last 15 month (http://moviereviewsbybinduc.blogspot.in)  Watching a movie and reviewing it, and expressing my viewpoints through my blog and ultimately when I get likes, comments from my friends and networks, it gives me immense happiness.

Blog has given me lot of space to express myself, network with fellow bloggers, could strike chord with so many of them, and got so many good friends, whom I haven’t met in real life but know them so well through their wonderful works. This gives me so much happiness.

Feel absolutely blessed to get the attention of so many people from different walks of life for my blog – actors, singers, filmmakers, writers, friends… My blog changed my world positively and the space where I used to be. Blog has fetched me so much of happiness.

My Sleep: I am able to catch a good sleep as soon as I hit bed, this gives me lot of happiness and energy to look forward to another morning, and also hope to correct my mistakes.

Probably I can go on and on, since this simple word happiness has such a deeper meaning. Still, let me sum up, happiness is not the absence of Sorrow, but happiness is a state of mind, which gives me courage to get over the negative situations in a positive manner.  I can just look up to God and thank Him for giving me such a blissful life. Thank you God!!!

I just want to bring lot of smiles to all of you my dear ones through this post. Did I make you happy???

I am writing this blog post for #CelebrateLifeAtIvy Activity. “#CelebrateLifeAtIvy by owning a dream home at Ivy Estate, and 85 acre estate with 34 acres of greenery and open spaces. Join the 1600 happy families already living here. Check out this walkthroughvideo and decide for yourself.

Note: All the images (except the first image 'happiness' and 'Buddha') used in this post are taken by my mobile, and reproduced here with the permission from my family and all friends who are here in these photographs.