If Only It Was This Simple
Last month I was interviewed for a piece in the Sunday Times Style section on happiness and what it mean to me. It really got me thinking as happiness, is a word that conveys so much but has so different meanings to everyone. It is the elixir of life, the intangible that everyone wants to make tangible.
Recently I asked an old friend if, after a particularly challenging year, that they were happy. My friend replied saying that he thought so, but when pressed about why he only ‘thought’ rather than ‘knew’ he asked what I thought happiness was, per se. Is it walking down the street with a smile permanently attached to your face? Was it making sure the mortgage was paid? Seeing your kids happy and doing well at school?
How can Happiness be quantified when it means something different to each person.
According to dictionary.com, happiness results from the possession or attainment of what one considers good. From my point of view, happiness something that can only be created within ourselves. Of course peoples actions can foster a happy feeling in us, but it is our own inner emotions that trigger the feelings of happiness. I couldn’t make you be happy unless you decided that was how you wanted to feel. If I was to pin you down saying ‘be happy now’ you wouldn’t be able to do it, unless you wanted to.
Food is something that can be used as a crutch to create happiness. It is very easy to gain a feeling of fulfillment through eating foods that give you that buzz… things that are ‘naughty’ those treats that you give yourself when you’re feeling shite. My weakness is a good chocolate brownie or a hot chocolate fondant dessert and ice cream with biscuits coming a close second. These days it is rare that I succumb unless I am at a restaurant, but it has taken a lot of tastebud training to be this way. To be completely honest, the best way I have found to acheive this is to not have the offending articles in my cupboards, If it is not there then I am not tempted. Although, if I’m with someone who wants to sway me, I am the first to break my rules but sharing is caring, after all!
It is easy to replace things that are missing with food or other stimulants such as coffee, sugar or alcohol and it is only when start to feel at the end of our tether that we begin to look at our diets when in fact it would be ideal for it to be the first thing to assess. Food is the foundation of our health and if we are feeding ourselves badly then how can we expect our bodies to function optimally?
With the dawn of 2010 upon us, why not take the opportunity to look at your diet and see what amendments can be made? If you can’t face taking things out, why not start to add more wholesome foods into your diet. As habits are altered, changes will happen with less pain; however in order for the change to be permanent perseverance and a little (mental) pain may be involved. But it will only be temporary until the brain is trained to a new way of thinking. Think of all the changes you have made in your life, either consciously or not, things do not stay constant good habits are as created to be made as bad. It is just a matter of perception.
Go for it, you can do it, we all can… if you want to read more about how to make resolutions and how keep them, read my post on bitchbuzz.com
Image by jaja_1985
