H
appiness is a feeling which should
always be valued. It’s apparent in the way
an increasing number of people, unhappy
with their current state, resolve to change
themselves every New Year. However, the
feeling is an enigma that is difficult to
understand fully.Two people could be doing
the same set of activities for example and yet
only one of them experiences joy.Clouded by
this aura of mystery, happiness can be an
elusive goal.
There is a famous quote: ‘The past is history;
;the future is a mystery; and the present is
a gift; that’s why it is called the present’. In
attempting to be happy, we must learn to
live in the moment. Brooding over the past
or worrying about the future means we miss
the finer things in life.These things might be
minute details but they add up over time
and make the difference between a happy
and a miserable person.
Once we realise the value of the present,
there are three factors that we notice in all
happy people. They are attitude, attitude
and attitude. Attitude here refers to the
composite of thoughts, feelings and action.
Attitude starts in the mind (in the form of
thoughts) and manifests itself in the body
(as our feelings and actions).When we have
a positive attitude we attract more positive
things into our lives. We feel energized,
optimistic and we radiate this positive
energy.People love to be around us.A person
with a negative attitude, on the contrary,
is pessimistic and cynical and this in turn
breeds more negativity.
In our quest for happiness, we must strive
to maintain a positive attitude. When our
attitude turns sour, our thoughts harbour
negativity. We feel awful and our actions
syncronise with these feelings. If we notice
that we are feeling unhappy, it can be traced
back to our attitude, we need to turn it
around as quickly as possible. All we need
to do is engage in something that is
dear to us. Pick up a childhood photo,
pursue a hobby, put on some music
we like, talk to an old friend or spend
some time with our kids. By doing
these things we help our mind to oust
the negativity and keep our attitude
consistently positive.
Consistently maintaining a good
attitude is purely about enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm and happiness always
co-exist. If we look around, we observe
that Mother Nature provides abundant
displays of absolute enthusiasm. Take
the example of a tree. Bees collect
nectar from its flowers, men use its
wood and birds make their homes
in it. The plant is another example. It
does not hold back the fragrance of
its flowers; it doesn’t stop its fruit from
ripening. It lives only to serve others.
Nature is based on unconditional
sharing. It only knows how to give; to
share what it has. The ideas of sharing
andgivingare at the centre of all lasting
happiness. Giving can be in the form of
charity - providing a service, mentoring
someone or just lending a patient ear
to listen someone’s problems. If you
do these things, maybe then you can
experience true happiness. Making
others happy,makes us happy.
R. Venkataraman
Director - Internal Audit
Al Habtoor Group
THIS ISSUE’S MESSAGE
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