Our team recently attended the Happiness & Its Causes conference at Sydney’s ICC Centre. With so much intriguing information on the many different aspects of happiness, wellbeing, and psychology, we thought we might pass on some valuable insights.
Happiness is a fleeting emotion. We cannot be happy all the time. It comes and goes, as quickly as the tides change. We shouldn’t strive to always be happy.
Happiness is attitude. Sometimes we need to cancel out the noise and find our way back to ourselves. By connecting to mother nature, it gives us the space to explore what we need to heal. Our journey of happiness is to discover what is our purpose and have full trust in our destiny.
Happiness is kindness. Happiness is about showing up for others. It’s random acts of kindness that contribute to the goodness of humanity. When we experience gratitude for serving others, it gives us a beautiful reminder of what life is all about.
Happiness is creating positive waves of change. Tim Hollo says it’s finding others who thrive off the same passions. He began the ‘Buy Nothing’ Group in Canberra, where members organise meet ups to exchange unwanted items of clothing or household goods at zero cost. The best advice he shared is to start small, create something people would love to be a part of and soon a ripple effect will occur.
Happiness is what unites us together. We unlock happiness when we are able to be authentic with others, to find connections that ignite our passions, humour and foster a sense of belonging. Always be around people who can give you all of the above.
Happiness is to accept the situation we are in and find new happiness. Gillan Coutts spoke about how she had overcome her battle to find happiness and “holding onto hope” after having an unexpected stroke. In her fight to regain both speech and mobility, she explained it was in accepting what had happened to her that she found a new meaning to her life. Gillian takes on each day by meditating and actively working towards regaining power in speech, mobility, and social connection. She admits it’s never easy to be happy, but what we can do is keep trying, because you may find your happiness.
Happiness is remembering who you are. This is about self-love. Being true to yourself allows you to shine, and others will gravitate to your spirit. Appreciate who you are and your value- let this ignite your happiness.
Happiness is to keep learning new things. Dr Elise Bialylew spoke about her journey with finding happiness. After 12 years of study and becoming a Doctor, she realised that this was not the career path for her. She began reading self-help books, many of which dived into the power of meditation. Having become deeply fascinated on the topic, Elise took up meditation on a regular basis and noticed the amazing effects on her mood. She then made the decision to start her own business ‘Mindful In May’ to help others find their way into mindful living. Her inspiring story highlights that sometimes we may start with one goal, then pivot to a whole new one and that is okay. There is always a chance to discover a new happiness.
Happiness is to take charge of our health. Studies have shown the amazing benefits of exercise on our mood, relationships, focus, health, and wellbeing. In saying this, we also need to balance our lifestyle with adequate sleep and healthy whole foods, in order to keep a positive mood and feel energised.
Happiness is being playful. It’s not taking everything so seriously and being able to see things from a funny side. Creativity is a great way to invite in more playfulness. Join others in doing something completely outside of the box and silly. As the saying goes, laughter is the best medicine.
Happiness is being proud of your achievements. Achieving your goals, no matter how big or small, causes our brain to release the happy hormone, dopamine. It can be smaller daily tasks that add up to a feeling of contentment and happiness.
Happiness is taking the time in the day to be mindful. Having a self-care or mindfulness practice as part of your daily life can be a game changer. In the scope of endless demands and responsibilities, mindfulness can provide a safety net for our happiness. Give yourself 10 minutes of inner peace and contentment per day to gain more happiness.
Over the course of the two days at the Happiness conference one thing became very apparent. Happiness may be a fleeting emotion, and our experiences of happiness may change overtime and are often influenced by our life circumstances. However, the most authentic and pleasurable happiness comes from our connections with others. Sometimes we have to step outside of our comfort zone and push past our discomfort. By facing our fears, we are open to “living” and expanding our happiness.