When was the last time you felt happy? Can you remember that feeling and whether it stayed with you permanently? In most cases, happiness is a fleeting emotion, no matter how much we want it to last a lifetime, and sometimes it can only be achieved through physical and mental transformations. Once it’s achieved, it affects both your mind and body.

Why happiness is important

When it comes to overall well-being, mental health is undeniably one of the most important aspects , and here’s why: physical health can be improved through medication and a healthy lifestyle; however, improving mental health can be far more complicated. Emotional well-being plays a crucial role in the quality and length of our lives. 

For instance, James W. Pennebaker, an American social psychologist , along with colleagues, conducted research and proved that people who hold back from expressing their feelings also tend to suppress their immune response. This leads to increased susceptibility to diseases.

People with mental health conditions are more likely to experience sleeping or eating disorders. Depression causes many chronic illnesses. Thus, when you are not mentally well, it does affect your physical health as well. This is why it is important to practice mindfulness. 

Psychologists have developed many methods to achieve positive emotions. These methods are part of positive psychology-the scientific study of what makes life meaningful-and the goal is to teach people how to be mindful.

It is scientifically proven that the human capacity for happiness consists of three major factors: 50% genetics, 10% circumstances, such as ethnicity, nationality, sex, income, etc., and 40% intentional activity, such as your mindset, personal decisions, and the way of thinking.

This means that you have significant control over your mental state, so go ahead and seek happiness for yourself. You must learn to notice and recognize those fleeting emotions when you feel content with your life and experience emotional fulfillment.

How to “create happiness”

Happiness is something you must cultivate in your lifestyle. There are plenty of ways to elicit the emotion of happiness and mental fulfillment, and here’s what you can do to achieve it:

Start writing a gratitude journal.

Make this a habit and get yourself a bedside journal where you write down all the positive aspects of your day: everything that made you smile, provoked positive emotion, or simply brightened your day. Write about everything you feel thankful for: your family, your dream job, or the dog that brings you joy. 

Don’t forget about simple things, such as those beautiful flowers that grow in your backyard or a friendly neighbor who waves at you every time you pass by them on your way to work. 

Every little thing matters. In fact, our life consists of all those positive things and happy moments we share with others.

Notice all of them and be present in the moment Meditation is also an excellent way to identify your feelings and achieve peace of mind. You do not have to be a spiritual guru to meditate.

Meditation is simply an exercise that helps you slow down the flow of your thoughts and feel stet calmness-that peace of mind that is often missed while we are too busy living our everyday routines.

So, close your eyes and just think about something nice.

Work-life balance is also extremely important, as emotional burnouts profoundly affect mental health. If you work hard and worry too much about the future, there is no way you will feel happy in the moment. You’d simply be too busy to identify that feeling.

Train your body and mind.

Your mind and body are interconnected and work simultaneously, and you must take good care of both. When it comes to your body, stay active, and I am not talking about going to the gym daily. 

Go outside, walk to your favorite park, or ride a bike along the lake. Feel the breeze on your face. Stay physically active while remaining mentally mindful. 

When it comes to your mind, train it to be present in the moment and to recognize all the feelings. Your mind has to “notice” everything that is going on around you, filtering and processing both the negative and positive moments of your life.

Negative incidents do happen; however, it is important to be able to work through them and not be affected by the damage they might cause.

Seeking happiness in everyday moments is the most effective way to stay mentally and physically healthy. You may have thousands of reasons to be happy; however, you may unintentionally ignore all of them.

Remember, life is a journey, so make the most of it by realizing there is something special in every single moment.

Viktoriia Kolomiiets | Contributing Writer