Most of us wait for happiness to happen to us, whether it be in the form of a promoting joy and love, fortunate circumstance. Indeed, choosing to always feel joyful requires work and mental preparation on our part. Happiness is a choice. What if, though, distributing love and happiness around would make it simpler to increase your levels of happiness?
The majority of researchers concur that communities and groups of people experience happiness in clusters. In fact, we occasionally forget that life isn’t all about us in today’s technology-driven and screen-obsessed culture and that we might need to give back some of the love and happiness we take for granted.
According to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, “when we feel love and kindness toward others, it not only makes them feel loved and cared for, but it also enables us to build inner contentment and tranquility.” In fact, because happy individuals are more helpful, spreading love and happiness can make us feel better while also improving our performance. By concentrating on making others happy, we can also create better circumstances for ourselves, which motivates us to follow our passions and carry out our life’s mission. In addition to helping us nurture our real selves, showing love to others can help us resolve internal conflict and let go of long-held grudges and hurts. By overcoming our differences, spreading happiness is a powerful approach to combat negativity, prevent hate, and end prejudice.
1. Strike up a conversation
People are hardwired to reach out and make connections, and when such connections don’t materialize, “social anguish” might result. According to scientist and best-selling author Matthew Lieberman, this can have the same impact on our actions and results as physical pain. Even if you’re just trying to be nice, it might be challenging to strike up a conversation with a stranger.
A conversation can be the key to spreading happiness since it can make others feel at ease and forge a connection, whether it takes the shape of a casual compliment to a complete stranger or a constructive discussion with a group of people who share your interests. You might be able to harness the power of friendship with its aid. Nonetheless, always keep a pleasant attitude and show respect, especially while speaking with strangers.
2. Listen without judgment
Do you recall how you felt when you could express your emotions without others’ criticism or interruptions? Giving someone our whole attention while resisting the need to interject our opinions in the middle of the conversation can be a powerful way to spread happiness and love.
It can be helpful to take a “helicopter view” of a situation from above and to remind ourselves that everyone around us can be going through their own struggles without our knowledge. A waitress who appeared distracted today may be coping with adult bullying, a neighbor who seems distant lately may be struggling with melancholy, and a buddy who has recently been reclusive may be suffering with work stress.
3. Express gratitude
According to study, having a grateful mindset can improve our life. Being thankful and appreciative of the wonderful things in our lives can enhance interpersonal connections, reduce stress, and facilitate better decision-making. By choosing thankfulness, we can more easily create an abundant attitude and connect with our intuition. Keeping a gratitude notebook, using visual cues, creating gratitude affirmations, or simply incorporating gratitude yoga into your daily routine are all great strategies to practice thankfulness.
4. Be supportive
Our power to make a difference in other people’s lives can be highlighted by the butterfly effect that our uplifting words and helpful actions can have on them. Whenever you want to provide helpful comments, practice doing so while remaining empathetic. One method to show love by being supportive is to assist someone who is experiencing holiday grief, having a panic attack, or who is in recovery from addiction. In fact, hugging might occasionally be more mentally beneficial than verbal support.
5. Indulge in small acts of kindness
There are many simple methods to choose kindness every day, most of which don’t need a lot of time or effort on your part. While volunteering and charitable giving require you to donate your time and resources to a good cause, there are several more simple alternatives. Little acts of kindness, such as leaving a larger tip than you were supposed to, holding the elevator door open for someone else, or providing a healthy meal to someone less fortunate, can go a long way toward spreading love.
6. Practise self-compassion
While we are mindful of others’ needs and accomplishments, we frequently neglect to recognize our own. It is simpler to spread love and happiness when you are kind to yourself and completely appreciate your value. It’s crucial for your wellbeing and for fostering love in others to learn to accept your flaws and practice self-compassion.
7. Stop worrying about others
We may confuse extreme worry and devotion to a result with love. Worrying, though, keeps us always vigilant for indicators of danger. Sadly, excessive concern also stunts creativity, messes with our objectives, and could even cause trust problems. “Little acts of kindness, such as leaving a tip, offering to hold the elevator for someone else, or giving a nourishing lunch to someone less fortunate, can spread love.”
8. Learn to relax
Have you noticed that you are juggling too many tasks or are on the verge of burnout, maybe as a result of uncertainty sparked by the COVID-19 pandemic? Creating a better work-life balance and include relaxation in your daily schedule may be the secret to spreading happiness. Practicing mindfulness at work and taking frequent, brief breaks can increase productivity and help you better manage stress.