Today's DailyOM brought to you by:
www.dailyom.com/cgi-bin/display/adspolink.cgi?iid=79&aid=2780August 1, 2007
A Reason To Smile
Five Minutes To Happiness
It can be so easy to get caught up in the rigors of modern life that we
tend to forget that happiness need not come with stipulations.
Happiness becomes something we must schedule and strive for—a hard-won
emotion—and then only when we have no worries to occupy our thoughts. In
reality, overwhelming joy is not the exclusive province of those with
unlimited time and no troubles to speak of. Many of the happiest people
on earth are also those coping with the most serious challenges. They
have learned to make time for those simple yet superb pleasures that can
be enjoyed quickly and easily. Cultivating a happy heart takes no more
than five minutes. The resultant delight will be neither complex nor
complicated, but it will be profound and will serve as a reminder that
there is always a reason to smile.
So much that is ecstasy-inducing can be accomplished in five minutes.
Alone, we can enjoy an aromatic cup of our favorite tea, take a stroll
through the garden we have created, write about the day's events in a
journal, doodle while daydreaming, or breathe deeply while we listen to
the silence around us. In the company of a good friend or treasured
relative, we can share a few silly jokes, enjoy a waltz around the room,
play a fast-paced hand of cards, or reconnect through lighthearted
conversation. The key is to first identify what makes us dizzyingly happy. If
we do only what we believe should bring us contentment, our five
minutes will not be particularly satisfying. When we allow ourselves the
freedom to do whatever brings us pleasure, five minutes out of 14 wakeful
hours can brighten our lives immeasurably.
It is often when we have the least free time or energy to devote to joy
that we need to unwind and enjoy ourselves the most. Making happiness
a priority will help you find five minutes every day to indulge in the
things that inspire elation within you. Eventually, your happiness
breaks will become an established part of your routine. If you start by
pursuing activities you already enjoy and then gradually think up new and
different ways to fill your daily five minutes of happiness, you will
never be without something to smile about.