ABCD of Happiness

It’s been 123 days and counting since India as a nation started to experience a lock-down which means we have spent close to four months within the confines of our homes. Our lives, our plans all put to a pause. Never in our dreams had we imagined what we are experiencing. Most of us started the lock-down on a happy note of getting time to spend with family, working in the secure walls of our houses but as the time progressed, we started getting impatient and negative. Disturbing news on increasing cases, suicides and deaths of celebrities, boredom, lack of physical activities, increase screen time etc. adding to the woes. Most of us have gone into a shell and are worrying for what tomorrow holds for us, thus, forgetting to live today.

Today is a gift and that’s why it is called present. We all have read / heard the statement many times but how many of us have been able to implement it?

In this blog, I’m sharing what I discovered in my pursuit of happiness during the lock-down and I call it the ABCD of Happiness:

Activities: Engage yourself. Keep yourself busy with thing you like to do or you wanted to explore. I believe this is the time to unleash your creativity. I’m sure all our family Whats-app groups are flooded with the dishes made by the new master chefs. For me, this lock-down has helped rediscover my passion for writing as well as spending quality time with my family. I never thought I’d be ecstatic to see my three-year-old draw a perfect circle. In fact, I never though I would be around when he would make it. This lock down has not only made us efficient but is also helping us catch up on with our family – both near and far.

Be sure you have a routine:  Many of us do not have a set daily routine and ‘hobble’ across their day. They have limited control on their day as they have not thought about creating a schedule to adhere to. As a result, many people feel like they are stressed, anxious, overwhelmed and falling short of their goals and true potential. Knowing that you have to WFH (work from home) from 0900-1800 hrs is not a schedule. It would be a schedule if we know what we are looking to achieve in those nine hours. The answer lies in carefully designing a routine that works best for each of us, one which helps us be productive, in control, and be the best person we can possibly be.

I know a lot of us view a routine as something boring, rigid and stifling but once we get into a rhythm, we realize that there is so much more we can do in the same number of hour. A schedule does not mean that you need to plan for every minute and each minute needs to be accounted with an action. It is important to have breaks built in as well. I realized this early on during my WFH when my lunch used to happen either very late or not even happen. I deliberately put 1315 hrs to 1400 hrs as a lunch break on my calendar. Other than that I make it a point to do at least 90 mins of workout activity to keep my self fit. Without making a routine, WFH can become very intimidating and blur the thin line between personal and professional lives leading to stress, fights etc.

Connect & Communicate: This is very integral to human life and it’s a key to both personal and professional happiness. Communication helps us express our ideas and feelings as well as at the same time, help us understand the emotions and the thoughts of others. It is important for one to express their views rather than holding them. It’s important to for us to accept ourselves and everyone as human beings with feelings. Let’s try not to deliberately hurt each other

De-stress & be grateful: One of the toughest yet the most important thing to do is to de-stress yourself. You may choose to do whatever makes you relax. For me it is cycling or running (with full protection and safety measures) that helps me relax. Another thing that I’m practicing is to stop comparing myself with other people – at the end of the day it’s your journey. You need to make peace with it and be grateful to what you have.

Gratitude is another vital key to unlocking happiness. Expression of gratitude and appreciation, in whatever form you prefer, promotes positivity. It is known to strengthen the immune system, especially when, as a group or in the family, you make regular efforts to showcase what was enjoyable and what you feel grateful for.

All the above are a few of the things we can do to be happy. These are dependent on our actions and our outlook on life. With the right mindset, we will be able to see the bright things in life and remain happy in trying times.

Remember, happiness is like a violin, needs to be practiced..

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