You’ve started the year with friends, family, colleagues, and acquaintances - even your bank - wishing you a Happy New Year.
How about making the wish for happiness in 2015 come true?
Stop keeping up with the Joneses: You want a bigger car because the neighbours just got a huge, swanky new ride. And of course, you're busy telling your child to get into IIT, like your brainy nephew did last year. In all that, have you ever stopped to think what you really want? Happiness means letting go of the need to follow other people. You need to pay attention to the things that you yearn for, the milestones that bring you a glow of joy. That warm feeling of contentment comes from bringing your dreams to fruition – not from doing what everyone else is doing!
Cut back on useless office hours: Swapping the precious hours of your life for air-conditioning and free biscuits and soft- drinks? So not worth it! If you’re staying late at work just to hang out with people and drink free office coffee, you are wasting your life. Finish your work on time and hightail it out to get a taste of what the city has to offer. From clubbing to mall-hopping, international film festivals and food festivals to workshops on dance and handicraft exhibitions, there is a lot to see and do in Bengaluru. Join a book club, use your lunch-break to browse at an art gallery, or visit a historic monument instead of ‘checking in’ at work on a Sunday. You'll probably make friends along the way. If you don’t, ask your colleagues to come along – they’ll thank you for the adventure!
Journey back to a simpler time: Life can get complicated. And messy. So take a holiday to a place where life is simpler, and bring back the natives’ uncomplicated philosophy to use in your own life. Try a sleepy seaside sojourn in Mangalore or Karwar; or, if you'd rather go overseas, a trip to the slow-paced African nation of Botswana, to make the year’s first holiday a blissed-out experience. Peace out!
Make happy plans: Dreading the worst is what we do best. But daydreaming about happy eventualities comes just as naturally – and it is much better fun! Plan for specific activities, like a party, a picnic, a trip to a foreign land, a romantic evening out, a luxury cruise...any scenario that brings a smile to your face. Work out the details, look at pictures online and decide what to wear. It doesn't matter if your plan materialises or not. If it does, you will have a great time, and if it doesn't, all that spadework might come in handy another time. Occupy your mind with happy, positive visions rather than doomsday scenarios to have a spring in your step, all the year round. If you're really serious about the pursuit of happiness, refocus your energy and your mindset; and come closer to this happiest of goals.
