(Source: anilhphotos)
Live, Learn, Explore, Appreciate: Little steps to leading a happier life
Little steps to leading a happier lifeMost of us go our whole lives never really feeling completely happy. I think most unhappiness stems from feelings of dissatisfaction with our lives. What is the key to true happiness? Well, I’m still trying to figure that out myself.
1. Never compare yourself to others
I know we are all guilty of it, but comparing yourself to others will only make you feel worse. Each one of us is different in our own way, and we have many different talents and lead many different lives. I think with the advent of social networking it makes it easier to feel like your friends or acquaintances may often lead more interesting lives than you, but sometimes this is not always the case. Especially on the internet; anything can be fabricated or made to look more grandeur than it actually is.
For example, I may scroll through my Facebook newsfeed and think, “Wow, this person is doing really well for themselves,” and then suddenly feel like my life could be better. Maybe it could, but because I have made the common mistake of comparing my life to someone else’s, now I feel a little sad. It’s normal for anybody to feel this way, but just know that although maybe some people may have better jobs, etc., you never really know every little detail in their life; everyone has at least something they are dissatisfied about.
Life may often feel like a competition, but just know that you are you, and if you want to push yourself, then go right ahead, but just remember not to be too hard on yourself. Instead of comparing yourself to others, perhaps you should make a change.
2. Create change
If you are unsatisfied with something about yourself or in your life, make a list of what you don’t like, then try to change something. Sometimes change can make all the difference in the world, no matter how big or small. It can be hard to break away from change, but it can also be one of the best mental and physical cures. If you have a bad habit that makes you feel guilty or isn’t good for your health, make it a priority to figure out why you have this bad habit, and from there try to form a solution to slowly shy away from it. I know this isn’t the easiest task to do, but always remember to stay strong, and never be afraid to give yourself a little push. It really takes determination and dedication to change something in your life. Many people are afraid of change, but if not changing anything is preventing you from feeling happy or satisfied with your life, then isn’t it worth it to at least try? Sometimes we have to take chances. Don’t worry if you may or may not fail. It is more important to have the strength to try and change something than to always live the same mundane or chaotic life.
3. Learn to love yourself
I believe learning to love yourself has to be one of the most important steps to finding happiness. Without self love, we are bound to lead unhappy lives. It’s important to love yourself in order to feel secure about yourself as an individual, and to feel some sort of satisfaction with your life. Learning to love and appreciate oneself can be a struggle for most. I struggle with it every so often as well. We have to respect ourselves and appreciate who we are as a person. The more we respect and appreciate ourselves, the more others around us will take notice and respect us and appreciate us in turn. Learning to love oneself can also build confidence and help us feel more grounded in life.
It’s okay to have off days every now and then, but if you find yourself feeling constantly unhappy, then you need to address what’s bothering you and try to apply more positivity to your life.
4. Optimists and Pessimists
Positivity can change ones whole outlook on life. I understand why it’s easy to feel pessimistic about life, but like I always say, it’s also always important to find the beauty in the world, and embrace positivity as often as possible. As soon as I find myself feeling pessimistic about a conflict, or just life in general, I quickly catch myself and try to remember all the good things I have in life. What am I grateful for? What are things that I still enjoy that make me feel happy?
When I feel like the world is a horrible place, I step outside and admire nature. Some people don’t realize it, but there is so much beauty to be found through nature, even when your mind is in the most darkest of places. At night if I’m suddenly feeling morose or contemplating a sad situation, and I happen to step outside, I admire the moon and stars. Nature is what lifts my spirits. Find something that can lift your spirits in sad times. Whether it’s a good book, a friend, an inspiring photo, or your pet, just know that there is always something to feel positive about, no matter what.
It’s also easy to feel more pessimistic when you surround yourself with other pessimistic people. When we’re constantly around certain people, we’ll often subconsciously start mirroring their personalities or habits. Friends will always come and go throughout our lives, but I feel that it’s important to keep the positive people around. Negative people are energy-drainers. People that think more positively than negatively help boost our confidence and help us to better focus on the good aspects life has to offer.
There are other solutions to feeling happier, and I can write a lot more, but I will stop here for now.
Words to live by
toronto’s where it’s at.
Things I learned on the weekend…
I’ve always been of opinion that people are inherently bad. I was inspired by a brief glimmer of goodness in people on Friday night. I was having dinner at a restaurant with a friend when our meal was interrupted by a concerned and frantic lady. She asked me if I was the owner of the red vehicle parked outside, and I said yes. She told me that her and her friends witnessed someone hitting my car and driving away, she had captured the offending vehicle’s license plate. I went outside to inspect my vehicle and found that there was no damage to my car. The group of strangers insisted that I track down the culprit and make him ‘pay’ for the ‘damages’ - I insisted not to since there was no actual damage. One of the gentlemen mentioned ‘you wouldn’t want someone making an illegitimate claim against you, would you?’ - I agreed with the guy. The kindness of these random strangers made me question my belief of people being naturally born as ‘bad.’
I need to get better at ping-pong, seriously.
‘Bug’ is a lab slang term for ‘bacteria’
S: At work on a Sunday? What are you doin?
N: Watching bugs grow
S: Like actual insects?
N: Bacteria
3D TV’s are pretty damn cool. Probably not functional for all forms of television, but definitely worth it for the movies. I watched Kung Fu Panda 2, probably not the best movie in 3D, but still quite funny. SKADOOSH!
I need an new iPhone case. Apparently, the plain one I’m currently using isn’t ‘flamboyant’ enough, nor is it suitable for me. Should I be flattered?
My parents are definitely getting funnier as they get older. We had a family dinner for mother’s day and some funny shit went down. Here are some a couple of highlights: my dad knows how to text using smiley faces, my mom confused ‘Macarena’ (the dance) with ‘mackerel’ (the fish), my dad also thinks that fist bumping is like a handshake for basketball players and black people, my mom is awesome at trolling me in real life (she’s gotten good at asking irrelevant questions before I answer to throw off my train of thought). You’re awesome, Mom. I’m beautifully handsome because of you!
Funerals are times of celebration as well as mourning. The overwhelming support of family and friends brought tears to my eyes as I was fortunate enough to be part of a celebration of an inspiring young man who passed away at the age of 17. The siblings who showed the strength to push through tough times and organized such a wonderful celebration was incredibly inspiring. Reach out to a family member today and tell them you care…they will appreciate it.
If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them.
Building burn, people die, but real love is forever
-Sarah, “The Crow”
Law 145.
Goodmorning #toronto (Taken with instagram)
Evaluation of Qualities: Mutual Attraction (Part 3)
Part 2: Emotional Stability
3. Mutual Attraction
People have to be somewhat attracted to you for them to like you. People have to be someone drawn to you to respect your opinions. They don’t always have to agree with you, but they are receptive. Attraction goes beyond just romantic attraction, it’s possible to be platonically attracted to someone.
Being attracted to someone is easy. It could be that good-looking guy/girl who catches your attention on the street; you would be attracted to their appearance. It could be a professor giving a lecture about a certain subject matter you enjoy; you would be attracted to their mind and knowledge. It could be a motivational speaker who inspires; you would be attracted to that person’s demeanour and how they make the audience feels. Being attracted to someone is easy because you know what you’re drawn to. You know what catches your attention; you know what your eyes desire and what your brain admires.
Being attractive, on the other hand, is a bit trickier. Most people would presume that being attractive is only about appearance, it’s not…trust me on this one. I may not be the best looking guy out there, but I’m damn sure I’m attractive.
It isn’t about looking the best or knowing the most, it’s not about having the most money or speaking the loudest. Being attractive is a state of mind, it’s a perception of yourself and then imposing that perception upon the world around you. When you think you are attractive, you become more attractive; it will show in your demeanour, attitude and how you interact with people.
Going beyond visual attraction, you have to look at what you mean to the audience/girl. Why should they/she be attracted to you? What makes you special and stand out from the rest of the mediocre guys? Before you can expect to be adored by the people around you, you first must determine why they should. It is a self analysis of what makes you attractive. It will be a humbling experience because you will surely see your shortfalls, at the same time, you should not be discouraged because you will see your strengths as well.
I often take time to self-reflect on what I bring to the table for the people around me. It would be dangerous for me to only look at my strengths and ignore my weaknesses, so I take careful consideration of both. I am always looking towards others for feedback on what needs to be improved and how to do it. Always be receptive of feedback.
Your acquaintances will tell you what you want to hear, your friends will tell you what you need to hear.
On the other hand, when people are asking of your opinion, show interest in what they ask of you. They wouldn’t be asking you unless they respected your thoughts, so you should give them the mutual respect of your attention.
Mutual respect and interest are the keys to being attractive
That’s right, ladies and gentlemans, respect and interest are important things to being attractive. Having respect for your audience shows that you are receptive of them without judgement and prejudice; they should have no fear of judgement, so they are able to share deeper, intimate thoughts with you. Showing interest in them involves asking questions to find out more about them. Let’s face it, people love talking about themselves - the more you ask about them, the more they’ll feel your interest in them, gaining your trust. The on-going reciprocation of having interest and knowing more about each other…this attraction. Caring and showing interest in others, this is how you build attraction.
Just a mid-week reminder: guys, keep your shit in check. We’ve got a war against impoliteness, cowardice, and irresponsibility; and we’re losing terribly.
The real secret to happiness is not to do what you love- it’s to learn how to love everything you do.
Far better to live your own path imperfectly than to live another’s perfectly.
Bhagavad Gita (via gregalderco)
(Source: leilockheart)
Nine dangerous things you were taught in school
1. The people in charge have all the answers.
That’s why they are so wealthy and happy and healthy and powerful—ask any teacher.2. Learning ends when you leave the classroom.
Your fort building, trail forging, frog catching, friend making, game playing, and drawing won’t earn you any extra credit. Just watch TV.3. The best and brightest follow the rules.
You will be rewarded for your subordination, just not as much as your superiors, who, of course, have their own rules.4. What the books say is always true.
Now go read your creationism chapter. There will be a test.5. There is a very clear, single path to success.
It’s called college. Everyone can join the top 1% if they do well enough in school and ignore the basic math problem inherent in that idea.6. Behaving yourself is as important as getting good marks.
Whistle-blowing, questioning the status quo, and thinking your own thoughts are no-nos. Be quiet and get back on the assembly line.7. Standardized tests measure your value.
By value, I’m talking about future earning potential, not anything else that might have other kinds of value.8. Days off are always more fun than sitting in the classroom.
You are trained from a young age to base your life around dribbles of allocated vacation. Be grateful for them.9. The purpose of your education is your future career.
And so you will be taught to be a good worker. You have to teach yourself how to be something more.
(Source: braddogott)
