Three habits for happiness
In the past year, I’ve dedicated significant time to refining my habits and cultivating a purposeful routine, striving to nurture my inner self. Drawing insights from speeches by thought leaders, delving into numerous books, and exploring articles on personal growth, I’ve distilled three habits that seamlessly became part of my identity.
1. Physical Activity/Exercise
We all acknowledge the importance of regular exercise, yet why do we often struggle to commit to it? I found insights into this question through the books ‘Atomic Habits’ and ‘The Science of Well-Being.’
We shouldn’t make our work crazy difficult or way too easy; finding that sweet spot stops us from getting bored and helps us stick to it. Letting our work pile up a bit is key. Consistency is the king, especially when it comes to habits, like exercise. If you want to keep in good shape, it’s about hitting that middle ground — not too much, not too little (just like that figure up there explains). The magic number? Thirty minutes, three times a week — straight from the science of well-being. So, whether it’s cycling, yoga, burning calories, dancing, throwing some martial arts moves, or hitting the weights, doing it for thirty minutes, three times a week, is a surefire way to boost your happiness levels.
2. Meditation
Meditation has truly been a life-changing habit for me, enhancing my experience of life. I aim to meditate at least three times a week, considering anything beyond that as a bonus. I’ve experimented with various forms of meditation at different times of the day, gravitating towards 2–3 techniques that resonate with me. Most mornings, I kickstart my day with Aumkar Yoga. Meditation stands out as the best habit I’ve cultivated, proving remarkably effective in nurturing my inner self.
Touch your inner space, which is nothingness, as silent and empty as the sky; it is your inner sky. Once you settle down in your inner sky, you have come home, and a great maturity arises in your actions, in your behavior. Then whatever you do has grace in it. Then whatever you do is a poetry in itself. You live poetry; your walking becomes dancing, your silence becomes music.
-Osho
3. Consuming consciously
It’s just not about food. It’s about everything we consume at every moment in life. You must have come across this quote -
“You are the books you read, the films you watch, the music you listen to, the people you meet, the dreams you have, the conversations you engage in. You are what you take from these. You are the sound of the ocean, the breath of fresh air, the brightest light and the darkest corner. You are a collective of every experience you have had in your life. You are every single second of every single day.
— Jac Vanek
In the world of social media and technology, we are being overloaded with information. In fact, we suffer from this overload of information. A few days back, I decided to quit Instagram and Facebook, and it feels good to be away from all the noise. It’s an essential and conscious decision of what we feed our minds. Because what we feed our minds, we reflect. You are what you do every moment of your life. So ask yourself, whatever you’re consuming, is it good for you? Make a conscious decision!
