2 minute read
Big or Small, Happiness is Happiness
By Alice O'Brien
Churchview Therapies, Millstreet
What if we stopped putting joy and happiness on a scale? If we stopped thinking about how happy we were on our holidays last year or other such occasions. What if we treated all joy the same, no such thing as ‘big joy’ or ‘small pleasures’- just joy and pleasure. It would be amazing if we could be just as happy sitting at home reading the paper or baking buns as when we were in the South of France last year or in New York last Christmas.
How would this change in mindset help? If we stop focusing on the next ‘big thing’ and start enjoying the ordinary stuff we can pay attention to today, we can be present and therefore less likely to miss the small moments of happiness as all these moments make up a lifetime.
Pleasure, joy and gratitude are all examples of positive emotions that enhance our happiness. If we are constantly looking into the future for the next adventure, we are more likely to miss or not notice these emotions that occur daily. The pleasure of a good cup of coffee, the joy of the morning light, and the gratitude in having a meaningful conversation with someone. These things happen every day, they are the moments that keep us going so we need to enjoy them.
So how do we make the most of these moments? Start by keeping a log of your daily activities; write down how you spend your time and how you feel as you do things. This can help you to introduce happiness boosters. For instance, there are always things that we have to do that can be mundane but we can boost them with happiness- if your commute is boring but unavoidable, add some good music, if you hate doing the washing up, put a bird feeder outside the window to look at, or if work is a stressor, try a short walk at lunchtime.
