English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 11: Happiness Equation ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 09: Happiness Equation ☆

Factors under our voluntary control

“We cannot reach happiness by consciously searching for it. It is being fully involved with every detail of our lives, whether good or bad, that we find happiness, not by trying to look for it directly. The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”

William Morris

You feel happy after having chocolate or a serving of ice-cream. That happiness does not last long. It is momentary happiness.

You feel sad when you lose a game or fare poorly in a test. That sadness also does not last long. You return to your normal level of happiness soon. It is the enduring level of happiness that you experience most of the time in your life.

The enduring level of happiness is different from momentary happiness. Momentary level of happiness may change with small burst of positive feelings.

The Happiness Formula:

H = S + C + V

where H represents the enduring level of happiness, S is the set range, C is the circumstances of life, and V represents the variables under our voluntary control.

Set Range

Almost 50% of our inherent happiness level is genetic. This means that we can only be as happy as our parents or grandparents. That is the set range of happiness.

Furthermore, there are two barriers to becoming happier forever:

The Happiness Thermostat

Whether good fortune comes our way or misfortune strikes, the built-in happiness thermostat reverts us to our personal set range.

The Hedonic Treadmill

This causes you to adapt to good things rapidly. As you accumulate material possessions and accomplishments, your expectations rise.

Circumstances of Life

It is possible, but sometimes impractical, to bring about an increase in happiness level by changing the life circumstances. Only 10% of our happiness depends on the circumstances of life. Let us consider how some circumstances impact happiness:

Money

Wealth is necessary for life satisfaction but, beyond a certain level, added wealth brings no further life satisfaction. People who, value money more than other goals are less satisfied with their life.

Marriage

Married people are generally happier than unmarried people.

Health

Objective health is barely related to happiness; what matters is our subjective perception of how healthy we are. Moderate ill health does not lead to unhappiness, but severe illness does.

Education, Climate, Race, and Gender

None of them matter much for happiness.

Religion

Religious people are somewhat more happy and more satisfied with life than nonreligious people.

Place of living

To be happier, live in a wealthy democracy, not in an impoverished dictatorship.

Voluntary Activities

The good news is that 40% of happiness depends on factors under our voluntary control. If you decide to change them, and make the required efforts in the direction, your level of happiness is likely to increase lastingly.

You can make yourself happier by taking up activities, intentionally and voluntarily, that bring joy and happiness.

You can create your own happiness by engaging in exercise, yoga, meditation, helping someone, being kind, expressing gratitude, and savouring life’s little pleasures.

“Your acts of kindness can have a big impact on other people’s lives. But what about you? Don’t you feel better when you help someone?

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.”

Maya Angelou

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Please click on the following links to read previously published posts “Positive Education” 👉

 

English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 10: Myths and Reality ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

© Jagat Singh Bisht

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Weekly Column ☆ Witful Warmth # 39 – The Grand Plans of the Great Officer ☆ Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra ‘Uratript’ ☆

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Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra ‘Uratript’

Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra, known for his wit and wisdom, is a prolific writer, renowned satirist, children’s literature author, and poet. He has undertaken the monumental task of writing, editing, and coordinating a total of 55 books for the Telangana government at the primary school, college, and university levels. His editorial endeavors also include online editions of works by Acharya Ramchandra Shukla.

As a celebrated satirist, Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra has carved a niche for himself, with over eight million viewers, readers, and listeners tuning in to his literary musings on the demise of a teacher on the Sahitya AajTak channel. His contributions have earned him prestigious accolades such as the Telangana Hindi Academy’s Shreshtha Navyuva Rachnakaar Samman in 2021, presented by the honorable Chief Minister of Telangana, Mr. Chandrashekhar Rao. He has also been honored with the Vyangya Yatra Ravindranath Tyagi Stairway Award and the Sahitya Srijan Samman, alongside recognition from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and various other esteemed institutions.

Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra’s journey is not merely one of literary accomplishments but also a testament to his unwavering dedication, creativity, and profound impact on society. His story inspires us to strive for excellence, to use our talents for the betterment of others, and to leave an indelible mark on the world. Today we present his satire The Grand Plans of the Great Officer.  

☆ Witful Warmth# 39 ☆

☆ Satire ☆ The Grand Plans of the Great Officer… ☆ Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra ‘Uratript’ ☆

The great officer issued a decree—”The city must be clean, beautiful, and smart!” Orders spread from top to bottom, like a sudden high-voltage current in an old wire. Officials held meetings, tea and snacks were served, and it was decided that the first battle would be against filth. Posters were plastered all over town—”Clean City, Healthy City!” The public asked, “Who’s going to pick up the garbage?” The officials smiled—”The public, of course! We need everyone’s cooperation!” A gathering was held at the neighborhood square, where an elderly gentleman suggested, “Maybe start by installing dustbins?” The officials nodded—”The budget hasn’t been approved yet, but if the public becomes aware, what could be better!” The next day, newspapers screamed—”The city embraces cleanliness, citizens rejoice!” In reality, the streets were the same, the garbage was the same, only the newspaper headlines had changed—now flying around as litter. 

The trumpet of the Smart City project was sounded. The great officer declared—”Now both the city and its people will become smart!” The citizens beamed—”Wow! Our children will study in smart classrooms instead of just being glued to smartphones!” Some curious minds asked, “Sir, when will these smart classrooms be ready?” The officer replied, “First, we’ll widen the roads, install traffic lights, put up CCTV cameras… then we’ll talk about education!” The next day, trees along the roadsides were mercilessly chopped down—”Greenery out, development in!” Another newspaper headline boasted—”Winds of progress sweep through the city, people delighted!” But the dust storm of this progress was so thick that no one could see where development was actually heading. 

A stampede of contractors rushed to the municipal office—”Give us a chance to serve too!” Contracts were handed out—some for installing fountains, some for replacing park benches, others for repainting old streetlight poles. The public asked, “Wasn’t a fountain installed here just last year? Why replace it?” The officials grinned—”That was an old model. Now, we have new technology!” The public argued, “But the old one didn’t have water either!” A contractor clarified, “That was because there was no water in the tank. This time, we’ll make sure there’s water too!” The public suggested, “Then why not build the water tank first?” The officials sighed, “The budget hasn’t been approved yet, but if the public becomes aware, what could be better!” 

The great officer then turned his benevolent gaze toward the city’s hospitals. “Health is wealth! We will now provide facilities in government hospitals equivalent to private ones!” The next day, a massive banner appeared at the hospital entrance—”MRI, CT scans, heart surgeries—everything available here!” The sick rushed in, only to find… no doctors! The nurse shrugged, “Doctor sir is in a meeting. Come tomorrow.” The next day, doctors were present, but the machines were missing. Complaints reached the great officer, who responded wisely—”Go to a private hospital, bring us the bill, and we’ll reimburse you!” A patient hesitated, “And if we die?” The officer smiled—”Then you won’t have to worry about reimbursement!” 

Digital transformation was the next grand mission—”The city will go digital!” People cheered—”Now even government offices will go paperless!” The clerks chuckled—”Oh no! The files will remain the same, but the advertisements are now digital!” The great officer announced another groundbreaking initiative—”Government offices will now have five-star facilities!” The public gasped—”Wow! Now work will be done faster!” Offices got central AC, new leather sofas, coffee machines. The public thought—”Finally! No more begging the peon for a cup of tea!” But when they visited for actual work, the response was—”The system is down, but would you like some coffee?” 

Plans were laid out to renovate city parks. “Each park will have an open gym, fountains, and shiny new benches!” The next week, a grand inauguration board was placed—”City’s first open gym, now operational!” But within a day, all the gym equipment mysteriously vanished. The public asked, “Where did the gym go?” The officials responded, “Someone took it overnight!” The citizens sighed, “Why didn’t you assign a security guard?” The officer sighed too—”The budget hasn’t been approved yet, but if the public becomes aware, what could be better!” 

Another master plan was launched for cleanliness—”Every ward will have dustbins, and every alley will have sanitation workers!” The next day, brand-new dustbins appeared across town. People felt relieved—”Finally, no more littering!” But within two days, the dustbins themselves disappeared. The officials explained, “Someone stole them! But don’t worry, next time, we’ll install iron ones!” The public rolled their eyes, “Then why didn’t you install iron ones in the first place?” The great officer smirked—”Development happens in phases. Everything can’t be done at once!” 

Then, one fine day, the great officer was transferred. A grand farewell was arranged. Officials delivered poetic tributes—”He has taken this city to new heights!” The public stood silently, wondering—”Whose heights were actually raised? The city’s or the officer’s?” But the speech continued—”His vision has secured the city’s bright future!” The public nodded—”Yes, indeed! The future looks bright… because the present is completely dark!” 

A new officer arrived. In his first meeting, he declared—”The city must be clean, beautiful, and smart!” The public smirked—”Ah, here we go again!”

****

© Dr. Suresh Kumar Mishra ‘Uratript’

Contact : Mo. +91 73 8657 8657, Email : drskm786@gmail.com

≈ Blog Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM ≈

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 10: Myths and Reality ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 09: Myths and Reality ☆

Happiness BRINGS success

“One of the greatest obstacles to attaining happiness is that most of our beliefs about what will make us happy are in fact erroneous. Yet they have been drummed into us, socialized by peers and families and role models and reinforced by the stories and images ever present in our culture.”

Sonja Lyubomirsky

There are several myths surrounding happiness.

One of them is: “I will be happy when I am successful.”

Look at what Emma Seppala has to say in this regard:

“People generally have the misconception that, to be successful, they must postpone their happiness. Ironically, what research is showing is that happiness is the fast track to success.

“If, instead of overworking and burning out, you take time to relax, to cultivate calmness, to stay present, and to be compassionate to yourself and others, you will be more productive, more resilient to stress, more charismatic and influential, and more creative and innovative.”

Viktor Frankl advised, “Don’t aim at success – the more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue… as the unintended side-effect of one’s personal dedication to a course greater than oneself.”

I Will Be Happy When I Am Rich

The most common myth about happiness is: “I will be happy when I have plenty of money.”

Money, of course, is important but only up to a certain level. You need money to satisfy your basic needs and beyond that to fulfil some security needs. Once you are decently well-off, any additional income will not add to your happiness.

On the contrary, if you focus too much on money matters and are money-minded, you are never satisfied in life. Yearning for money and constantly chasing it could be a cause of discontent and unhappiness. Additional resources give you more freedom, choice, and security but may not make you happier.

Some other myths about happiness are:

“I will be happy when I find the right partner.”

“I will be happy when I have a palatial house.”

“I will be happy when I have a luxury car.”

“I will be happier when I look more beautiful.”

“I will be happy when I have a muscular body.”

“I will be happy when I find the right job.”

These are myths, far removed from reality. Benjamin Franklin rightly observed, “Happiness consists more in small conveniences or pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom.”

Thomas Lemuel Hawke said, “Often we imagine that we will work hard until we arrive at some distant goal, and then we will be happy. This is a delusion. Happiness is the result of a life lived with purpose. Happiness is not an objective. It is the movement of life itself, a process, and an activity. It arises from curiosity and discovery.”

“Those who seek happiness in pleasure, wealth, glory, power, and heroics are as naive as the child who tries to catch a rainbow and wear it as a raincoat.”

Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Please click on the following links to read previously published posts “Positive Education” 👉

English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 01: Fundamentals of happiness and well-being for children and their parents ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 09: Positive Health ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

 

© Jagat Singh Bisht

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 09: Positive Health ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆Positive Education # 09: Positive Health ☆

“Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.”

World Health Organization

Health is rightly said to be the greatest of all gifts. It is also the first requisite of happiness. Sound health brings good cheer and a positive outlook of life. Both physical and mental health are equally important for leading a balanced life.

Joseph Pilates, founder of pilates workout, aptly observes in his book, Return to Life,

“Physical fitness is the first requisite of happiness. Our interpretation of physical fitness is the attainment and maintenance of a uniformly developed body with a sound mind fully capable of naturally, easily, and satisfactorily performing our many and varied daily tasks with spontaneous zest and pleasure.

“To achieve the highest accomplishments within the scope of our capabilities in all walks of life we must constantly strive to acquire strong, healthy bodies and develop our minds to the limit of our ability.”

Childhood is the best time to inculcate the habit of physical exercise and playing hard. Children should participate in a lot of physical activity – athletics, football, basketball, cricket, badminton, etc. It must be included in their daily routine. There should be no day that goes without play.

Play

Play is good for health and happiness. Physical exercise generates feel good hormones, known as endorphins. Going out and participating in sports and games also broadens and builds inter-personal skills and emotional intelligence.

Sachin Tendulkar, legendary cricketer, believes, “In our quest to make children academically strong, we must now also focus on their physical development. We must include sports as part of the curriculum. After all, it has been proven without doubt that both of these are closely linked and contribute together to shape individual personalities.”

According to Stuart Brown, “As children we play a great deal, but then we “mature” and stop having fun. Play, at any stage, contributes to our psychological and physical well-being: it makes us more resilient, strengthens our immune system, enhances our creativity, and improves our relationships.

“Remembering what play is all about and making it part of our daily lives is probably the most important factor in being a fulfilled human being.”

Along with sports and games, the practice of yoga, tai chi, and martial arts sharpens the mind and reflexes, and enhances concentration and patience. A balanced mix of exercise routines can do wonders for your child.

“Yoga is an ancient art based on an extremely subtle science, that of the body, mind, and soul. The prolonged practice of yoga will, in time, lead the student to a sense of peace and a feeling of being one with his or her environment.”

B K S Iyengar

Walk

Getting up early and going to a park in the neighbourhood could be a rewarding habit to develop. It gives you a whiff of fresh air and sunshine that makes you feel energetic the whole day. Once you add it to your routine, you will start looking forward to the morning, and it will become a rewarding hour of the day for you.

Start with a gentle walk and then walk briskly. Twenty to thirty minutes of walk every day can do wonders for you in the long run. It is good for your circulatory system and relaxes you a great deal.

Watching the trees and the flowers while walking gives a healing and soothing touch to your senses. It relaxes your eyes and is good for your eyesight too. Walking is not just an exercise, it reduces stress. You feel relaxed.

“Walking is the best possible exercise. Habituate yourself to walk very far.”

Thomas Jefferson

Exercise

Exercises are not only good for your body. They bring happiness and well-being. Whenever you feel low, get up and move out to the neighbourhood park.

Physically active people are happier. Also, they have better life-satisfaction, and higher self-esteem. Exercise reduces depression, anxiety, stress, and panic; it betters mental processing, creates longer life, improves sleep quality, and strengthens the immune system.

It is exercise itself that infuses us with happiness. Among various types of activities, exercise is the most reliable happiness boosting activity.

Walking, coupled with some freestyle exercises in a relaxed manner, brings multiple benefits. It stretches your skeletal structure, improves your blood circulation, and is good for your muscles. It is good for your heart and the respiratory track. This, in turn, activates your endocrine system.

Find a quiet corner for yourself and just stretch, bend, twist, turn, and whirl your body in a freestyle manner. Do not worry too much. Nothing is right or wrong. Do whatever you feel like doing.

Exercise freestyle. Do not stress, let it be fun. Stretch, bend, twist, turn, whirl, move, and jump.

Strenuous exercises may sometimes be harmful but light and freestyle exercises are always good. Go back to your childhood days, remember all the funny exercises you used to do, and try to re-create them. Gentle jogging, half jumps and stretching-bending exercises could be great fun, especially when done with children. The children would also be happy if you join them occasionally.

No equipment is needed, and you are not required to follow strict schedules. No membership fees and no registrations. Just have fun and get all the benefits. Include freestyle exercises in your routine. You will feel free and relaxed throughout the day.

“Positive mental health is a presence: the presence of positive emotion, the presence of engagement, the presence of meaning, the presence of good relationships, and the presence of accomplishment. Being in a state of mental health is not merely being disorder free; rather it is the presence of flourishing.”

Martin Seligman

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Please click on the following links to read previously published posts “Positive Education” 👉

 

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 08: Positive Accomplishment ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 08: Positive Accomplishment ☆

Development of individual potential

“People with a fixed mindset—those who believe that abilities are fixed—are less likely to flourish than those with a growth mindset—those who believe that abilities can be developed.”

Carol Dweck

Accomplishment is an element of well-being. Deep absorption in an activity brings achievement.

Achieving your goals in life brings happiness. The winning habit can be a motivation, a pleasurable feeling, and a source of happiness. When one looks back at one’s life, he feels happy about his achievements.

Setting and achieving goals enhances happiness. The goals you seek to achieve may not be lofty ones but the ones that you value. When you achieve them with your efforts, you can cherish the memories forever.

Children can maximize achievement with self-discipline. It is the queen of all the virtues, the strength that enables the rest of the strengths. An extreme trait of self-discipline is grit.

Grit

Grit is the combination of very high persistence and high passion for an objective. That is why extraordinary achievement is very rare. But one can always set goals for oneself and have the satisfaction of achieving them.

Grit is defined as perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Components of grit include self-regulation, discipline, and sacrificing short-term results for long-term gain.

Natural talent and intelligence are important components of success, but commitment, perseverance, and regulated effort also play crucial roles.

Seligman provides an example of a piano player who practices for thousands of hours prior to becoming world class. He or she may be born with musical talent, but without frequent practice and effort natural potential would not result in world class ability.

Positive accomplishment is defined as the development of individual potential through striving for and achieving meaningful outcomes. Positive accomplishment involves the capacity to work towards meaningful goals, the motivation to persist despite challenges and setbacks, and the achievement of competence and success in important life domains.

Institute of Positive Education

“There must be a beginning of any great matter, but the continuing unto the end until it be thoroughly finished yields true glory.”

Francis Drake

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Please click on the following links to read previously published posts “Positive Education” 👉

 

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 07: Positive Purpose ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 07: Positive Purpose ☆

A meaningful life

“They only live who live for others.”

Swami Vivekananda

Meaning, or purpose, is an important element of happiness and well-being. You cannot imagine a life of authentic happiness without meaning, or connection to something larger than life.

We derive meaning by developing the best within us and serving something beyond ourselves.

It is our duty to take care of our body and mind. Equally important is the welfare of all other beings around us.

Mahatma Gandhi said, “The best way to find your self is to lose yourself in the service of others.”

Martin Seligman defines a “meaningful life” in these words:

“The meaningful life consists in belonging to and serving something that you believe is bigger than the self, and humanity creates all the positive institutions to allow this: religion, political party, being green, the Boy Scouts, or the family.”

Finding Meaning in Work

We spend a large part of our life working. We are talking of work in a broader context – work in the office or a factory, working as a student (study), raising children and single parenting, working in the fields, and milking cows.

In the modern world, people can find goals and flow in many settings, but most people find most of their flow, or deep engagement, at work.

Thomas Carlyle wrote, “Blessed is he who has found his work; let him ask no other blessedness.

When asked for his recipe for happiness, Sigmund Freud gave a very short but sensible answer, “work and love.”

It is true that if one finds flow in work, and in relations with other people, one is well on the way toward improving the quality of life.

In Maslow’s famous hierarchy of needs, once people have satisfied their physical needs, such as food and safety, they move on to needs for love and then esteem, which is earned mostly through one’s work.

People approach their work in one of the three ways: as a job, career, or calling.

Jonathan Haidt describes them, “If you see work as a job, you do it only for money, you look at the clock frequently while dreaming about the weekend ahead, and you probably pursue hobbies, which satisfy your effectance needs more thoroughly than does your work.

“If you see your work as a career, you have larger goals of advancement, promotion, and prestige. The pursuit of these goals energizes you and you sometimes take work home with you because you want to get the job done properly. Yet, at times, you wonder why you work so hard.

“If you see your work as a calling, however, you find your work intrinsically fulfilling – you are not doing it to achieve something else. You see your work as contributing to the greater good or as playing a role in some larger enterprise the worth of which seems obvious to you.”

Csikszentmihalyi observes, “Occasionally cultures evolve in such a way as to make every day productive chores as close to flow activities as possible. There are groups in which both work and family life are challenging, yet harmoniously integrated.

“The most striking feature of such places is that those who live there seldom distinguish work from free time. It could be said that they work sixteen hours a day each day, but then it could also be argued that they never work.”

Leo Tolstoy wrote, “One can live magnificently in this world if one knows how to work and how to love, to work for the person one loves and to love one’s work.”

Finding Meaning in Life

“That is happiness – to be dissolved into something complete and great.”

Willa Cather

Researchers believe that a genuine sense of meaning in life must be rooted in a person’s own thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Blindly embracing someone else’s sense of meaning won’t bring about happiness and growth.

Life is more meaningful when you are pursuing goals that are harmonious and within reach – for example, when you have the time, the ability, and the energy to devote to your most important goals, whether those goals involve rearing children or developing as a writer.

“We all have a journey to make in our lives, in search of our meaning or ‘song’: finding our path, if a human one, will make us happy. Not finding it, makes for an aimless life.”

Anthony Seldon

Creativity – in the arts, humanities, and sciences and even in self-discovery – can impart a sense of meaning.

Religion, spirituality, and faith have been developed as pathways leading to creating meaning in life.

You can choose a life built around increasing knowledge, learning, teaching, educating your children, science, literature, journalism, and so many more opportunities.

One can carve a life around increasing one’s power through technology, engineering, construction, health services, or manufacturing.

You can contribute your services for increasing goodness through the law, policing, firefighting, religion, ethics, politics, national service, or charity.

Either find work that is meaningful or find something meaningful in your work.

Serve the humans who are suffering and need healing. Prevent cruelty to animals. Be instrumental in educating of the poor.

Take care of the girl child in the developing countries. Rescue child labourers from bondage. Feed those who are hungry and starving.

Teach yoga and meditation to the ailing and those suffering from trauma. Give them a healing touch.

Create awareness about sustainable development, green technologies, and environmental resources management.

“Practicing compassion, caring for others, and sharing their problems, lays the foundation for a meaningful life, not only at the level of the individual, family or community, but also for humanity as a whole.”

Dalai Lama

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Please click on the following links to read previously published posts “Positive Education” 👉

 

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 06: Positive Relationship ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 06: Positive Relationships ☆

The richest source of happiness

“Friendship doubles joy and cuts grief in half. The number-one predictor of well-being is not money or prestige, not success or accolades, but rather the time we spend with people we care about and who care about us.”

Tal Ben-Shahar

You can be happier if you cultivate good relationships with your family, friends and even strangers whom you meet in your day-to-day life. A warm greeting, an authentic conversation and a goodbye full of loving care can work wonders.

Do you know that the richest source of happiness in life are other people? If we could build good relationships with them, we would be much happier.

Just close your eyes for a while and think of the happiest moments of your life. Probably, you will find yourself surrounded by people – friends, family, and well-wishers.

Human beings derive a lot of joy from good company. Everything seems to be in sync when we are in between our own folks. One feels relaxed and assured.

Some of the most intense and meaningful experiences in people’s lives are the result of family relationships.

Our behaviour toward other people – colleagues, family members, friends – sends out ripples that impact those we meet, and beyond. Always choose to spread calm, warmth, and loving kindness. Be nice. Be kind towards others.

Whenever you feel down and low, just go out and help someone. Even a small act of kindness lifts your mood and makes you feel good.

Scientists have found that doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise they have tested.

According to George Vaillant, the master strength is the capacity to be loved. Is there someone in your life whom you would feel comfortable phoning at four in the morning to tell your troubles to? If your answer is yes, you will live longer than someone whose answer is no.

Family and Friends

Play like a child when you are playing with children. Become fully involved with them. Be like them, get into their mindset. Parenting gives you unlimited opportunity to be playful, creative, and affectionate. Do not miss the precious moments of your life. Spend good time with children.

Elders and parents need your attention too. Be understanding and patient with them. Spend quality time with them, keeping away all the gadgets for some time. They are full of wisdom and experiences of life. Listen to them patiently. Give them your love.

Our family and friends are treasures that we should cherish. Always keep in close touch. Include them in your moments of happiness. Celebrate their moments of success with joy as if the success was your own and feel as joyous as them.

As social animals we need friends. Friendships are made based on trust and warm-heartedness. Be warm and trust others.

Never utter any words that may hurt anyone, no deed of yours should harm anyone, and you should not think ill of others even in your dreams. Say sorry and forgive others with a large heart. Accept people for what they are.

Dalai Lama says, “Even more important than the warmth and affection we receive, is the warmth and affection we give. It is by giving warmth and affection, by having a genuine sense of concern for others, in other words through compassion, that we gain the conditions for genuine happiness.”

Happy people are good at their friendships, families, and intimate relationships.

Friendships do not just happen, they are made. One prominent psychologist suggests that the magic number is to have three friends or companions you can really count on.

Lyubomirsky says, “Show interest in other people and offer them encouragement. Once a friendship forms, create rituals that allow you to get together and be in touch on a regular basis – a weekly date to go to the gym, a book club, a monthly dinner out, a joint vacation, or a daily e-mail. Be helpful and supportive when your friends need it. Affirm their successes.”

Happy Couples

One of the secrets of successful marriages is that the partners talk a lot. Happy couples have five positive interactions for every negative one. That means that for every negative statement or behaviour – criticizing, nagging, lecturing – there are five positive ones.

Couples in the happiest relationships bring out the best in each other. They help each other get closer to becoming their “ideal” selves. This is known as the Michelangelo Effect.

Go along with your partner to learn a skill – yoga, meditation, or even zumba. After coming back, practise it daily with your partner. You will observe that your happiness level goes up.

Choose an activity – hobby or voluntary, charitable work – that you can both do together over the weekends. You will feel happier.

People with strong social support are healthier and live longer. An intriguing analysis of three communities of very long-living people – Sardinians in Italy, Okinawans in Japan, and Seventh Day Adventists in Loma Linda, California – revealed that they all had five things in common. At the top of the list were “put family first” and “keep socially engaged.”

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

Leo Buscaglia

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 05: Positive Engagement ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 05: Positive Engagement ☆

Total absorption in an activity

“A good life is one that is characterized by complete absorption in what one does.”

Jeanne Nakamura and Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

One thing that brings happiness, for sure, is flow. It is deep engagement in an activity – may it be hobby, work, or play. You lose sense of time, feel completely immersed in the act, and become oblivious of the surroundings.

You must have observed great players perform with highest concentration, despite challenges from the opposition team and distraction from thousands of cheering fans.

Happiness is like a flowing river, not a stagnant pool. It consists in activity – go for a long walk, exercise, do yoga, meditate, sing, dance, paint, play football, swim, travel, or learn a new skill.

Whatever you do, engage fully. Go deep into it, immerse yourself fully – like a musician who becomes one with the musical instrument and the music.

Engage deeply – be it play, work, love, or parenting – and you will experience flow. When you are in flow – deep into music, play, work, reading, or smiling with your child – oblivious of time and self, you are in paradise.

Flow

Flow is total absorption in an activity – you lose sense of time and self. What more could you ask for when you are fully present, immersed in something worthwhile, and there is an exhilarating feeling of transcendence!

Csikszentmihalyi developed a theory of optimal experience based on the concept of flow – the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it.

Flow is what we feel when we are fully alive, involved with what we do, and in harmony with the environment around us. It is something that happens most easily when we sing, dance, or do sports – but it can happen when we work, read a good book, or have a good conversation.

Flow is the psychology of optimal experience. During flow, people experience deep enjoyment, creativity, and a total involvement with life. The experience of flow makes our life richer, more complex, and intense.

To experience flow, find an activity that you find interesting, that you love to do, that gives you a sense of satisfaction and fulfilment. Do it with full concentration and absorption. Go deeper and deeper into it.

Engage fully to meet the challenges that the task offers by upscaling your skills by continuous learning. Find ways and means to repeat the activity again and again.

Some activities are more conducive for flow experience and seem to have been designed for optimal experience – like singing, making music, rock climbing, games, sailing, and chess.

Yoga and the martial arts are activities that ingrain in us the control of body and its experience. They could be considered as the ultimate exercises leading to optimal experience and flow.

Csikszentmihalyi observes, “The similarities between yoga and flow are extremely strong; in fact, it makes sense to think of yoga as a very thoroughly planned flow activity. Both try to achieve a joyous, self-forgetful involvement through concentration, which in turn is made possible by a discipline of the body.”

You may have an optimal experience with deep involvement in intellectual and scientific pursuits, including reading, writing and poetry, and work.

If one finds flow in work, one is well on the way toward improving the quality of life. People who learn to enjoy their work, who do not waste their free time, end up feeling that their lives have become much more worthwhile.

Plateau Experience

Abraham Maslow coined and defined the term “plateau experience” as a sort of continuing peak experience that is more voluntary and one that requires a lifetime of long and arduous effort.

According to him, “Such people who appear to be in harmony with their lives often have moments of an extraordinary occurrence called ‘peak experiences’.

“These are profound moments of intense rapture and well-being, along with possibly the awareness of ultimate truth and the unity of all things. Accompanying them is a heightened sense of control over the body and emotions and a wider sense of awareness.”

“The best moments in our lives are not passive, receptive, relaxing times. The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Optimal experience is thus something that we make happen.”

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 04 : Positive Emotion ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

 

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 04: Positive Emotion ☆

Satisfaction about the past, optimism about the future and happiness in the present

“Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter into your life and into the lives of all those around you.”

Eileen Caddy

It is generally assumed that feelings of delight, elation, euphoria, playfulness, and cheerfulness denote happiness. But happiness could also exist in contentment, peace of mind, hopefulness, optimism, and serenity.

All of these are positive emotions and many more could be added to the list – ecstasy, glee, jubilation, merriment, joy, pleasure, laughter, exuberance, enchantment, and mirth.

Positive emotion contributes towards our happiness and well-being. Gratitude, forgiveness, savouring, mindfulness, optimism, and hope are some of the positive emotions that we can feel.

Positive emotion may be about our past, present, or future.

Past

We may feel satisfaction, contentment, fulfilment, pride, or serenity about our past.

According to Ed Diener and Robert Biswas-Diener, “Happiness does not just exist in the present but also can be drawn from past events. Try savouring past successes, enjoyable experiences and other golden memories by making a habit out of looking at memorabilia or trading stories with a spouse or friends.

“You will be surprised to find that you can draw actual happiness– right now– from events that have taken place long ago. Rather than looking for increased happiness in a better future you can mine your past experiences to pay out happiness dividends!”

Present

We may feel joy, ecstasy, calm, zest, ebullience, pleasure, or flow in the present moment.

Henri Matisse suggests, “Derive happiness in oneself from a good day’s work, from illuminating the fog that surrounds us.”

Future

Positive emotion about the future includes hope, optimism, faith, and trust.

Dalai Lama says, “Transforming the mind and cultivating a positive, altruistic, and responsible attitude are beneficial right now. Whatever problems and difficulties we may have, we can thereby face them with courage, calmness, and high spirits. Therefore, it is also the very root of happiness for many lives to come.”

Positive emotion – satisfaction about the past, optimism about the future and happiness in the present – may be enhanced with real effort.

One is truly happy is one has positive emotion about the past, present, and future but that does not happen in all cases.

Some people may be satisfied with the past, but sour in the present, and pessimistic about the future.

There can be several other combinations of positive emotion relating to the past, present or future.

Positive emotion – satisfaction about the past, optimism about the future and happiness in the present – may be enhanced with real effort.

Positive psychologists have devised happiness activities to increase positive emotion.

“May you play more, laugh more, give more, receive more and celebrate more. May you sparkle and glow more with joy and magic. May your laughter refresh the world daily.”

Aine Belton

© Jagat Singh Bisht

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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English Literature – Articles ☆ Positive Education # 03: Happiness and Well-being ☆ Shri Jagat Singh Bisht ☆

By Hemant BawankarNo Comments

Shri Jagat Singh Bisht

(Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker.)

Authored six books on happiness: Cultivating Happiness, Nirvana – The Highest Happiness, Meditate Like the Buddha, Mission Happiness, A Flourishing Life, and The Little Book of Happiness. He served in a bank for thirty-five years and has been propagating happiness and well-being among people for the past twenty years. He is on a mission – Mission Happiness!

☆ Positive Education # 03: Happiness and Well-being ☆

Positive Emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning and accomplishment

“Happiness is the meaning and purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.”

Aristotle

Happiness means different things to different persons. For some, it is a feeling of cheerfulness and merriment. For others, it may be calm and inner peace. Some gain happiness by buying a new mobile phone or car, others derive happiness in giving and compassion. One feels happy racing a bike at high speed and another by sitting still in a tranquil forest.

What actually is happiness and what it is not?

Happiness is the experience of joy. One may jump and shout to express joy, but it could also be a quiet feeling of contentment and inner peace.

Thich Nhat Hanh is absolutely right when he says, “Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.”

You feel happy when you are deeply involved in your hobby, when you have been kind to someone, or when you have achieved something worthwhile.

Making someone happy, makes you happy too. Dalai Lama says, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.’

No one else can make us happy or unhappy. We are responsible for the happiness or unhappiness we experience. We can all make ourselves happier.

Anthony Seldon has some good advice for us, “The still and the harmonious mind is happy and joyful; the unhappy, disturbed, or violent mind is never still. Mindfulness, contemplation, meditation, and prayer are pathways to greater stillness.”

Kindness and goodness make us happier: selfishness and unkindness make us unhappy now or in the longer term.

Happiness is the experience of joy, contentment, or positive well-being, combined with a sense that one’s life is good, meaningful, and worthwhile.

According to Matthieu Ricard, “Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing, not a mere pleasurable feeling or fleeting emotion but an optimal state of being.”

What happiness is not

One must also understand what happiness is not.

According to Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, “Happiness is not something that happens. It is not the result of good fortune or random chance.

“It is not something that money can buy or power command. It does not depend on outside events, but rather on how we interpret them.

“Happiness, in fact, is a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated, and defended privately by each person.

“People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives, which is as close as any one of us can come to being happy.”

“Happiness does not come automatically. It is not a gift that good fortune bestows upon us and a reversal of fortunes takes back. It depends on us alone.

“One does not become happy overnight, but with patient labour, day after day. Happiness is constructed, and that requires effort and time. In order to become happy, we have to learn how to change ourselves.”

Luca & Francesco Cavalli-Sforza

Well-Being

Martin Seligman, known as the father of positive psychology, developed the ‘PERMA’ model, which identifies the five things necessary for wellbeing – positive emotion (P), engagement (E), relationships (R), meaning (M) and achievement (A).

Well-being is a construct, and happiness is a thing. Just as weather is a construct of temperature, humidity, wind speed, barometric pressure, and some other factors; well-being is a construct of five factors, as under.

The five elements of well-being are:

  • positive emotion,
  • engagement,
  • relationships,
  • meaning,
  • and accomplishment.

Positive Emotion includes the feelings of joy, excitement, contentment, hope, and warmth. There may be positive emotions relating to the past, present or future.

Engagement denotes deep involvement in a task or activity. One does not experience the passing of time. One experiences flow in sports, music, and singing but one may also experience it in work, reading a book, or in a good conversation.

We feel happy when we are among family and friends. The quality and depth of relationships in one’s life make it rich.

Meaning is connecting to something larger than life. 

One strives for achievements in life. They are a source of happiness for us.

Each of these elements contributes to well-being. The good news is that each one of the above may be cultivated and developed to enhance the level of well-being.

“If you observe a really happy man, you will find him building a boat, writing a symphony, educating his son, growing double dahlias in his garden, or looking for dinosaur eggs in the Gobi Desert.”

Walter Beran Wolfe

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

© Jagat Singh Bisht

Master Teacher: Happiness & Well-Being, Laughter Yoga Master Trainer, Author, Blogger, Educator, and Speaker

FounderLifeSkills

A Pathway to Authentic Happiness, Well-Being & A Fulfilling Life! We teach skills to lead a healthy, happy and meaningful life.

The Science of Happiness (Positive Psychology), Meditation, Yoga, Spirituality and Laughter Yoga. We conduct talks, seminars, workshops, retreats and training.

≈ Editor – Shri Hemant Bawankar/Editor (English) – Captain Pravin Raghuvanshi, NM

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