Mind

Are you chasing happiness and hoping to find it? 

Most people answer ‘Happiness’ is one of the things which they want out of life. It is simple, but only that cannot be your goal as there are different

Ideas of happiness. 

The happiness you feel today may look different tomorrow. Whatever you thought would make you happy today, might be different on the other day.

Why do people chase happiness?

It is known that you have been taught from a young age that success is to have money, a good job, and raise a happy family. You would spend your whole life chasing the idea of happiness without looking inside yourself. These expectations have been ingrained in your brain over the years. This is causing stress and anxiety, which is making you unhappy. 

You might spend a lot of time chasing happiness without realizing it’s already out there. You can find happiness in being content and embracing the present moments that are worth living. If we wish, we can find many reasons to stop chasing happiness, we just have to look around us and understand it.

Here are a few reasons to stop chasing happiness and live the moment.

1. Know what is happiness to you

Understand what happiness is for you? Is it confusing, or have you overuse it? Ask yourself, what do I have in life instead of Am I happy?

Know what you prefer? Is it contentment? Enjoyment? Laughter or Hopefulness? You need not experience all of them. Just have a clear picture in your mind of what defines happiness to you.

2. Enjoy being in the moment.

Let go of the past regrets, enjoy the present moment. Know what is happening around you. Each moment has its narrative of your life. Just be here now. Don’t worry about future anxieties. The best way to be happy is to Live the moment.

3. Know what you really want to do

People who are searching for happiness often end up with shiny object syndrome. You are looking for someone who can take away all your suffering, and you bounce from goal to goal. 

Understand what you want so that you can develop purpose and focus on that. You need not waste your time chasing happiness. You may realize happiness is not what you want at that moment. Sometimes you might be willing to be unhappy. It gives you a sense of achievement and makes you proud.

4. Let go of unrealistic expectations.

You should know that it is alright to live an average life with brief periods of joy. Do not set the bar too high. Unrealistic expectations can be exhausting to chase. Find simple and small goals to meet and let them bring joy to you. 

5. Do not be self-centered.

Unhappy people are usually self-centered. This does not mean that they are bad and do not care. Research says that giving time and happiness to others is more rewarding than receiving. Serving others will help you to break the pattern of self-attention.

6. Differentiate between happiness and your achievements

Understand your sense of self-worth. Learn to separate achievements from your happiness. Reaching goals can encourage you to be proud. It may give you a deep sense of achievement. But it should not mean the absence of happiness. You should be happy along the path to your achievements.

7. Let go of the people and the things that make you feel sad.

Let go of things that make you feel discomfort and sad. Get rid of the toxic relationships and influences that make you grasp for happiness that you cannot find. They can hold back your feelings, and you may never be satisfied.

Surround yourself with peers with positive influence who make you realize the true joys of life.

8. Come out of your comfort zone.

Get out of your comfort zone if you want to know your worth. You may feel anxious before doing something, but you will do it as it benefits you. Later you will feel a sense of relief that having something done which you were scared to do.

9. Take care of yourself.

Pamper yourself. Take a day off your busy schedule. Bring as much joy to that day you possibly can. Eat your favorite food, watch the shows and do the activities that bring you joy.

10. Give space for other emotions.

Other emotions such as sadness, anger, and jealousy also have their place at times. If you suppress these, you are phishing back feelings that have come to the surface. If you try to replace these with artificial joy, you would be hurting yourself rather than helping.

11. Find inner happiness

Look inside yourself rather than chasing external outlets. Find out the core of what makes you smile. Look for internal joy. Meditate to find inner peace. Make yourself happy before anyone or anything can affect your feelings. 

12. Change your perspective

Changing the point of focus can make you happier rather than chasing random thoughts of assumed happiness. Do not waste your time on something that you assume would bring you joy.  Instead, focus on small things that make you happy.

13. Go outside

Unplug yourself by going outside. Most of your worries are linked mainly with the environment in which you live. Go out in nature and experience relaxation and acceptance.

Meet new and positive people who can give you the energy to focus on enjoying the present. Find people with similar interests and connect with them. 

You must know that if you spend all the time chasing happiness, it can wear out too! It will discourage you and makes you unhappy. It will make you desperate. Instead, stop and deduce what you should be chasing after.  

Thus, the best way to live a happy and fulfilling life is to enjoy and experience it all. Experience every single moment with joy. Permit yourself to feel the way you want when something terrible happens to you. 

Know that life is full of wonderful and horrific events. You cannot get away with pain. From that, you will learn to appreciate the good things that happen to you. Happiness and sadness, Anger and Joy go hand in hand. WithoutWithour the one, you don’t realize the existence of the other emotions.

So if you want to live a happy life, stop chasing happiness. You can force true happiness, and you cannot fake it. Just live the moment. When happiness comes to you, your life will be fuller, meaningful than you would be able to catch up with happiness. 

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Have you ever been stuck on a remark you’d rather not say out loud or a thought that just won’t leave your mind? You feel you are stuck with those thoughts. Then this article is for you.

Negative thoughts harm your mental health and can even make you commit violent acts toward yourself or others. For this reason, you should always try to ignore negative thoughts whenever they arise. Instead, focus on what makes you feel good and gradually work your way down to the positive emotions that accompany them. You’ll find that you’re much more able to handle life as you’re meant to, and those negative feelings will eventually pass.

Negative thinking stops you from doing and achieving things. Being negative creates an atmosphere of fear which is not helpful when trying to achieve your goals.

You are often too entangled in your own stories to see what’s important. The antidote is to change the story you tell yourself to see more clearly the big picture – the whole picture.

Consider these three examples: Imagine if you could stop time whenever you felt like it. What would you do? How fast would you move? What would you become? This is what negative thought-stopping is all about. It is not a technique for tranquility; it is a technique for transforming stress and anxiety into motivation and clarity to make better decisions in life.

Here are a few ways to get rid of negative thoughts:

1. Change your posture –

Take a moment and observe your body language. Are you hunched? Do you frown? Are you sitting with a closed posture? All of these indicate negative thoughts and depict lower self-esteem. It leads to a lack of confidence. To overcome this, you have to smile more and correct your posture. You must open your posture to feel safe and positive.

2. Empty your mind –

When your mind is wandering, it is difficult to stay calm and controlled. It becomes difficult to control the negative thoughts. You can try meditation along with aerobic exercises to be in an alpha mind state. 
Alpha mind state is a situation where your mind is relaxed yet focussed. It makes a person calm, helps your mind to be free of thoughts. You will be able to observe new information and be open to new possibilities.

3. Spend time outdoors –

Our thoughts are a product of our environment. If negative people surround you, you will think negatively. Hence, you have to get rid of negative thoughts and people. Getting away from this negative environment can help a lot.

Try taking a short walk to a park or museum. Step away from the chaotic life and reconnect with nature. Change the focus of your thoughts into positive activities. Play with children, enjoy with family and friends or just dance to your till you are content.

4. Channel the positive energy –

When you channel positive energy, you become more powerful. The force of will that drives you to blissful awareness is overwhelming and can get very overwhelming very fast. At its core, channeling is about holding onto the good feelings that you have already experienced and recognizing that they are only possible because of what’s already been achieved in the present moment and by thinking positively.  

5. Stop negative thinking –

Negative thinking is a result of a bad perspective. Try avoiding them. For example, you may say, “I have problems, and I am facing difficult times,” but instead, you can think, “It is difficult as I am facing challenges, but I will find solutions.” It is just that you are changing your perspective into a positive one. This small change of focus can have a significant impact on your thinking patterns.

If you are having negative thoughts, just write them down. Throw away these pieces of paper. It can make a huge difference. When you write down these, you can clearly understand what you are saying and how you are feeling as a result. 

6. Learn to identify negative thoughts and stop constant negative thinking –

Try observing your thoughts and work on identifying the negativity. People often label themselves in different contexts. For example, some people may say,” I am bad at math” or “I am the worst dancer,” which will often feel negative about activities that involve the skill. Remind yourself that these are just thoughts, not facts, and stop thinking about them and worrying.

7. Exercises to stop thinking negatively –  

Try this exercise to get rid of negative thoughts and boost motivation in the process. You will be able to change your habit of negative thinking.

Just take a pen and paper and follow these steps:

1. Write down all your negative thoughts. Simply note down whatever comes to your mind.
2. Focus on what you have written. Analyze the underlying emotion that those negative thoughts are producing. 
3. Become aware of the thought, learn to stop and change that thought
4. Know the frequency of thinking. Ask yourself, how often you think negatively in a day and how has it affected you.
5. Now replace the negative thought switch the positive ones. It should be something realistic and believable. 

Do these exercises and give yourself a day challenge to get started. 

8. Smile more –

Make a habit of smiling throughout the day – even on the bus or in the office. The reason we smile is likely because we enjoy seeing another person smile. Research showed that smiling reduced stress for the person being smiled at and increased positive feelings toward the stranger. It also led to more positive memories being formed in the brain. Another research shows that looking at pictures of happy people can brighten your mood even more and help beat depression. 

Thus, it is possible to get rid of negative thoughts. It’s only a matter of using the proper techniques. Positive thoughts help us grow and expand our minds. Negative thoughts stand in our way, making us smaller and less capable of standing on our own two feet. They paralyze us into inaction or debilitating depression.

Suddenly, you wake up and realize you’ve neglected to take positive action to improve your life. It can be as simple as missing a step. Here’s how to defeat the seemingly unstoppable negative thought, once and for all. Never lose hope – there is always a way back, with practice. It’s just that most people don’t know where or how to begin. Before you give up, remember these three things:

• Understand your mind and thoughts
• Stop being blind to all the positive aspects of your life
• Be happy, be optimistic and love your life.

If you are looking for more tips on positivity and joyfulness, download our JoyScore app now!

“Let your unique awesomeness and positive energy inspire confidence in others.” – Anonymous.

You would have noticed a person who is always cheerful, happy and radiates positivity. They attract and make others feel at ease. You might be wondering how do they do it and also secretly admire them. It is all those positive thoughts which they project. Having a positive attitude and thoughts is one of the best skills that is worth practicing. You will start to witness the amazing opportunities that come your way. 

Positive thinking is being optimistic. It is focusing on the positive side of things. It is about making the best in whatever situation you are in. 

What are the benefits of having positive thoughts?

Positive thoughts change the way you think, increasing clarity and enhancing people’s problem-solving and creative abilities. It helps you to manage your moods effectively and improves your coping skills. It improves your physical health, boosts immunity, and improves longevity.

Here are a few ways to project positive thoughts: 

1. Start your day with positive affirmations.

Positive affirmations are words that you say with confidence. They help you to be better at everything and to become successful. It is just repeating the positive thoughts. If you want to see positive change in your life, you can use affirmations. Create a routine in which you start each day with something positive. 

2. Focus on small but good things 

Obstacles are a part of life. When you face that, focus on the good things, no matter how small they are. If not immediately, you may get the silver lining in the cloud. For example, if one of your friends cancel the plan to meet, focus on the free time to catch up on something you like.

3. Practice positive self-talk.

You are the best critic for yourself. Don’t be hard on yourself; this will cause you to have a negative opinion. Instead, you need to practice self-talk, wherein you can respond with positivity during challenging situations. This small change can help you to regulate thoughts and behavior under stress. 

4. Convert negative thoughts into positive ones 

Learn to identify negative thoughts. You need to check whether those thoughts are logical and helpful. If not, try to convert those thoughts into positive ones. You should find thoughts which that are helpful, logical, and evidence-based and hold on to them. Come up with new positive thoughts. 

5. Live the moment 

You need to let go of thoughts related to the past and future. Live your life consciously and be aware of what is happening around you. Don’t feel guilty for the past actions and worry about them. Don’t be judgemental about the future. 

Also, don’t be distracted by the gadgets around you. Enjoy the present and savor the good moments of your life.

6. Create a positive environment around you

Have friends mentors with a positive mindset. Positivity is contagious. Know with whom you are spending time. You might have noticed a friend who is in a bad mood would affect the entire bunch. Being around positive people can increase your chances of reaching goals as they encourage you. They help to improve your self-esteem.

7. Be grateful for what you already have.

Make an elaborate list of what you are most grateful for. You can share that with yourself or with any of your friends. You can feel more appreciative of the good things you have in your life. Remind yourself to express gratitude for all the things you have in life. Think of people, things, and moments that bring you joy, and try to express gratitude every day. 

8. Use positive words and encouraging words while speaking

Use powerful and positive words in everyday conversations. Using words such as love, good, happy, solution, secure will make people around you cheerful. It will strengthen the relationship with others. They will admire you. 

9. Make others smile 

Smiling is a small action but makes a big difference. You smile at others and also help others to be happy. You will be friendlier, outgoing, and spread positive energy to others. Give yourself permission to laugh and encourage others to laugh as well.

10. Don’t complain often.

Whenever there is a problem, it’s easier to complain. Instead, try to solve the problem. Try to see things from a different perspective that is more positive and challenge yourself to stop complaining. Ditch those negative thoughts and focus on finding solutions. 

 11. Have a goal and work towards achieving it.

Having a goal and working towards it is a massive confidence booster. People around you will pick up on your empowerment and see that you value yourself and your dreams. 

12. Savor the good moments

It’s the human tendency to notice negative things in life than positive ones. You need to focus on the positive to enjoy life. Notice the things that lead to greater happiness. Know what is happening around you and savor the good moments. 

13. Appreciate and help others

When you talk with others, appreciate what is good about them. It makes them, and you feel good. Give compliments when someone does something that you admire. Appreciate them to create an instant boost in your mood. 

14. Be kind to yourself and others. 

Recognize your thoughts and honor them when you are feeling down. Treat yourself with compassion, forgive yourself, and try again with new things. 

Be generous to others. Offer to help your friends, help your roommate clean up, tip a waiter, leave a kind note to a co-worker. When you are generous to the people around you, you will see a nice shift in the atmosphere and attract positive energy. 

15. Be brave and try to solve the problems.

People who often have positive thoughts are brave. They are creative and do not run away from the problems in life. They stay and try to solve it.

Positivity is not always being cheerful and happy. It is one’s optimistic perspective of life and tendency to focus on all good things in life. Practice this, and it can do wonders for you.

Stay positive, think positive, and do positive.

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Modern life is fast and hectic. Practicing Mindfulness can help you cope better with stress associated with that. 

Mindfulness is keeping aside a quiet time every day just for yourself. 

When you practice mindfulness, you are creating a space for yourself. It’s a space to think, to breathe, and space for your reactions. Your minds are used to get carried away in thoughts. Mindfulness helps you to recognize that change and brings your mind back. Mindfulness is all about returning your attention again and again to the present moment and living it.

Here are six simple tips to have a mindful life:

1. Give mindfulness a try –

Mindfulness is about paying attention to your experiences. It is learning to live the moment. You can practice yoga and meditation to control your mind and feelings. It will help you to relax and improve your concentration.

Try to incorporate a few mindfulness practices into your daily life. Perform these activities first thing in the morning.

• Sit on the bed/chair with a relaxed posture
• Take deep breaths
• Relax and calm your mind
• Think about all the things you are willing to do today and their purpose

You may notice that you will be more conscious of your intentions for each day. You will also know how the quality of your communications, moods, and relationships shift.

2. Practice mindful eating –

Breathe before eating. Slow down a bit and allow for a calm mind to have food. Enjoy each bite of your food. Just think about the taste, flavor, and smell and eat slowly. You will know after some time, you will develop a healthier relationship with your body. 

3. Take a mindful break –

PauseTake a pause from the routine activities and try out something new. It will help you rewire the brain. Mindfulness makes your brain slower but stronger. It enables intentional actions, willpower and helps you to make decisions. 

4. Relax and try a mindful workout –

Exercise is good for all. The intense workouts or simple exercises can lift your mood, help you sleep better, and reduce stress. It will help you to synchronize mind and body. It will strengthen your capacity to bring energy to the task at hand. Warm-up initially and settle for a rhythm. Steadily slow down and stop. Notice your body and mind. It will be calmer.

5. Take a mindful approach to everyday life –

Once you have control of your mind, you need to take a more mindful approach to your everyday life. Whether you are inside or outside, try mindful exercises. Go out for a walk and sense the nature around you. You can even practice breathing exercises at work.

6. Consider a digital detox –

Technology distracts you, and it makes you avoid noticing things around you. Be strict with yourself and limit the usage of your phone. If you require scheduling a short session to check, everything is fine. This can help you to enjoy simple aspects of life without any distractions.

Once you have understood the benefits of being mindful, you can incorporate them into your daily routine. Whether it means spending 10 mins a day meditating, jogging, paying attention to the food you have, spending time to tune your muscles and senses, or all of these, you will notice the change. You will start seeing the impact on your emotional and physical well-being.

Get more mindfulness tips from Joyscore.

Everyone wants to be happy. But you have preconceived notions about what makes you happy. It may be money, a dream job, a perfect relationship, or possession of some luxury item. The list goes on. Some of these might bring you joy, but you cannot be truly happy. It is a continuous process, wherein you may spend the rest of your lives chasing dreams that make you happy one day.

You often worry about the future or think about the past. With the hectic schedules and growing number of responsibilities, you are vulnerable to be stressed and unhappy. But if you slow down a bit, you can understand what is happening at this moment. You can live this moment, decrease stress and improve your ability to deal with sadness/anger. 

What is being happy at the moment? 

It means no longer worrying about what happened in the past and what will happen in the future. It is enjoying the present moment and living for today. Here are seven amazing reasons to be happy at the moment.

1. The most important people you love depend on you –

You would do anything for your loved ones, right? It’s the best reason to be happy. No matter how bad things happen, there will always be someone who loves you unconditionally. You have to choose happiness for people who love you and are dependent on you. It will make your life happier and more enjoyable.

2. Life’s change is inevitable –

Life is unpredictable. Anything may happen. You might lose your job, lose someone you love, or realize you have a life-threatening disease. It’s just that you never know. Don’t wait till tomorrow to be happy. Be happy at the moment and enjoy every single minute of your life.

3. Joyful people are more productive –

A person who is optimistic, happy, and driven is productive compared to a person who is wasting his energy complaining about how his life isn’t fair. Happy people are more productive and more likely to achieve success than unhappy people.

4. Be grateful that you are still alive –

Be happy that you are alive and healthy. No matter how tired or sad and bad the circumstances are, you should be grateful that you are still here. Make an effort to spend time with your loved ones most. Relax laugh and live these moments.

5. You will be healthier –

The best reason to be happy and enjoy every moment of your life is to be healthier. Happier people are generally healthier. They tend to take better care of themselves by exercising and following a healthier diet.

6. Better at managing relationships –

When you choose to be happy, you are likely to be better at managing relationships. Your happiness can have an impact on your relationships. When you are happy you spend more time with loved ones and the relationship will become stronger with them. 

7. You can avoid negative people and situations. –

It’s not always easy to avoid people who have negative thoughts. But when you are in a better mental state, you can offer help to them. You can drag them into a good and positive environment.

The key to happiness is to be mindful of the present moments. You must know what is going on around you right now. Don’t wait until tomorrow. Choose happiness now!

Download the JoyScore app to get tips on mindfulness and happiness. 

Self-care is anything you do good to yourself. It is being kind to yourself. It is considering yourself as an active agent in managing your health. It is integrating self-compassion into your life in a way that helps to prevent even the possibility of burnout. 

“Self-care is anything that you do for yourself that feels nourishing,” says Marni Amsellem, a licensed psychologist.

Self-care is just looking after yourself. You can avoid fatigue and illness. The benefits of self-care are endless.

Here are a few excellent benefits of self-care that you shouldn’t ignore. 

1. Connection with self

Taking time out helps you to develop a healthy relationship with yourself. You may be devoted to other people in your life, but you are the important person in your life. Enjoy self-reflection by evaluating yourself and let the problems work themselves out in the back of your mind. 

2. Increases positivity in life – 

When you practice self-care, it produces a positive feeling and boosts confidence. The list of self-care activities that you create will make you feel good. You will be optimistic and always be in an environment with positive vibes.

3.Improves productivity –

Self-care is nothing but taking some time out for yourself. Practicing that every day makes you feel refreshed and energized. Thus you will have more energy to do other important stuff in your life. 

4. Helps to fight fatigue and illness –  

Not caring for yourself might be disastrous. Neglecting self-care can lead to stress and disease. You might not be able to take care of and support your loved ones if you are unwell. This is where self-care practices are a must.

5. Reduces stress –

Taking a break from a busy schedule can help you to escape a stressful reality. A mental and emotional vacation can trigger relaxation and reduce stress. 

6. More connected to the world –

If you perform self-care activities, you will likely have higher engagement levels. You will be happy and feel more connected to the world around you. The relaxation will make you more aware of what is going on around you.

7. Boosts your immune system –

The rest and restore mode gives your body to decompress and re-energize. A good routine can help you cope with a hectic lifestyle. This provides the body the opportunity to build its defense against cold bugs. Self-care practices can help to decrease the number of sick days. 

8. Self-awareness –

You will be aware of your mindset by practicing self-care. The more you understand yourself, you will be more compassionate towards yourself. Self-talk can take the form of self-care in itself. You need to view yourself as a part of the collective human experience rather than in isolation. 

Are you wondering how to start with self-care? Read our latest blog post on Steps for self-care routine.

In conclusion, make self-care your top priority. You can make the rest of the to-do list later. Committing to self-care can improve your overall well-being. Only ‘YOU’ can take care of yourself. Know the benefits of self-care and offer yourself self-care every day, throughout your day. 

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