#2

During my daily ritual of feeding the dogs, I stepped out of my society's gate and headed towards my route this morning. My path was suddenly crossed by a couple with a small child. They were complete strangers to me, but the child smiled back at me. This adorable child's sweet gesture overwhelmed me. I reciprocated by lowering my mask and smiling. Waving his hand with love, he smiled. . In the same way, I felt happy and recalled Harry Potter.

Dumbledore rightly said , “Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times; if only one remembers to turn on the light”

After reflecting for a while, I wondered what makes happy people happy?

Happiness is an abstract concept. Having a sense of happiness is subjective, and each individual might define it differently. The five-year-old who grows up in a privileged family seeks happiness through fancy toys and expensive games. Whereas for a five-year-old homeless girl, the simple act of greeting her puts a smile on her face and means the world to her.

Success can be a source of joy for many people, and for some it represents a state of mind, while for others it might signify a standard of living. In terms of physical comfort, we are the most privileged generation on our planet. Our lives have been greatly affected by science and technology. Despite all the comforts and joyous pursuits, we are not in a state of happiness. All living beings including humans contributed to these comforts and conveniences that have helped make our lives more enjoyable, yet we are unhappy. Around us, we can find countless reasons to be happy. Our pursuit of happiness always boils down to a search for the worldly pleasures.

I believe that happiness comes from within, more than from anyone else. It is, in fact, when our thoughts, speech, and actions are in harmony. It is not a goal to find happiness, but rather a catalyst for a life well lived. Neither are happy humans consumed by their circumstances nor are they looking for happiness outside themselves.

As I recall their invaluable life lessons, I would like to mention what my parents taught me. Instead of emphasizing the negative, they always focused on the positive. They instilled an optimistic approach in us and helped us maintain a positive outlook. My mom always said that a person's mind-set influences their behavior in any given situation. In her opinion, gratitude is the key to happiness. They had made it a ritual for both my mom and dad to donate one tenth of their salaries to those who are less fortunate, poor, or physically challenged. Without charging even a single penny, she taught poor children outside the school. Even after his working hours, my dad rendered selfless services to those in need. Whenever I asked him why he makes himself so exhausted, he gave me a sweet smile and said, "Bachu, it gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction to help those in need, especially those with limited resources."

Incorporating positive habits into daily life is something they both taught us. A habit, they always said, will automatically create inner joy that you will derive from it. My elder siblings have influenced me immensely as well. They have always motivated me to learn something new, and that in itself is a source of joy for me.

The best thing you can do in life is to find one activity you enjoy, practice it and you will positively be happy and fulfilled. My kids and my soul mate, who are pillars of my strength, have constantly encouraged me to be consistent in whatever I do. To be honest, I am amazed that I have managed to do so.

We are human after all, and we tend to get upset when things don't go the way we like them. We must be mindful in order to be happy and at peace in all our pursuits. We must let go and fully embrace the satisfaction we receive from doing what we love to do. By accepting things as they are, we can be less upset by unfavorable circumstances. Isn't it time we made positive habits an integral part of our daily routine?

Practicing a few of them, I'm able to determine what works for me and what doesn't.

One morning on my way home from my walk, a speeding vehicle came from the wrong side, without giving a horn, and was very close to hitting me. As I shifted in a hurried manner, I thanked my god for keeping me safe. As I moved forward, I found it parked near a building. As I saw the driver, I kept my cool and told him that he had nearly hit me if I hadn't been alert at the time and to always drive safely. He at once apologized and felt embarrassed. My reason for mentioning this incident was because I have been practicing to remain calm despite a difficult situation without losing my temper. In all honesty, it works. Even though there are many challenges in life, one of the most difficult is to overcome invasive behavior. Negative emotions like anger, sadness, and frustration are very easy to vent out, but the harder part is mastering massive self-control for our mental peace. It is essential to master this difficult task with persistence and a positive attitude. Through my parents, my older siblings, and my teachers, I have actually understood the life lessons they taught me. As a final point, I believe that people have many ups and downs in life as life is always like that, but we can learn and practice a few things to survive the challenges that life throws at us. In addition to wearing beautiful smiles, you should also lend a helping hand to those in need, maintain an active lifestyle through physical exercise, rest well, laugh more, concern yourself with less complaining, thank more, and meditate. These little things will do great wonders believe me.

Stay positive, healthy, and blessed.

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