It’s definetly been a year of challenging what we thought was important. As we head towards a new year I think it has got to be almost unanimous that we are all looking to the new year with a sense of hope and a shift in the energy, vibe, events, circumstances that were thrown at us over 2020. And in this time of allowing a bit of looking back, one thing I’m grateful for is the education I’ve received on what we should and can be doing to make ourselves content and happy.
Being involved in the Happiness for Cynics podcast has reinforced my beliefs that I was on a good path and the right direction with the things that I had already bought into and the practices that I have aspired to include in my daily, weekly and yearly life. It’s nice to think that I managed to get onto these things fairly along in my journey through life, and whilst some of my wide eyed, naive innocence has been replaced with a hefty sense of realism and documented evidentiary support - ultimately I am still coming out with the same understandings. I’ve been able to now back up my thoughts and opinions with science based facts and research that shows that the yoga loving, free spirit that I’ve always tried to be, is actually a good perspective with which to view the world
Through the podcast and the book SELF CARE IS CHURCH FOR NON BELIEVERS, I’ve proven to myself that things such as gratitude, meditation, goal-setting and spirituality are really healthy for our brains. They release epinephrine, dopamine, seratonin and oxytocin into our synapses that make us smile at wombats, laugh at children doing their fantastic expressive behaviour and generating healthy functioning in our brain that feeds into our body and organs, making us a strong and balanced person.
Things such as taking some time during the week regularly to nurture yourself or to indulge in a practice such as giving thanks, being grateful can be the simplest way to ensure you are taking stock and investing in your happiness. Spending time talking with loved ones specifically about what it was in the week that was their highlight, things that you found made you laugh or brought you a sense of peace and contentment… these are all wonderful focus exercises that take our mind and brain away from our worry-some and negative headspace. It brings lightness to our face, contentment to our countenance and makes us breath that little better. And all the science supports that these factors all have chemical reactions in our brain and body that make us healthier and help to keep disease at bay.
Planning these sessions and adhering to that regular practice is one of the best things that I have learnt this year from my research on positive psychology. For me, a regular spiritual practice helps to keep a perspective in a sense of awe and wonder which we know helps with production of happy hormones and better health. Likewise the indulgence in quiet reflection or meditation is essential to helping these happy hormones do their best, slowing our heart rate, lowering our breathing and resetting our ability to calm our system, give it time to rest, change tempo and reinforce our body with regeneration that ultimately allows our system a break from constant barage of input and stress that we deliver on a daily basis.
Knowing these things and making sure you do them is another thing. We can all wax lyrical about how we are into yoga and meditation and that self improvement is a focus, but how many of us have that regular session where we sit down and commit to reading and reflection? How many have a folder in which they place their thoughts and dreams… how many of us own a journal? I remember choosing to write as a younger man. I even set up makeshift desks in my accomodation or went to cafes and wrote for my lunch hours. The day I decided to stop writing in my journal about all my worries and concerns, and instead to focus on the best things from the day and the positives that I was experiencing was a revelation in my own contentment. It didn’t matter that I was in London and it was miserable and raining, the winter was a chance to wear fabulous coats!!! That simple shift can make all the difference when you have been dealt a year that has had as many challenges as what 2020 has. Use that camera lens to frame the stuff you want in your life and not focus on the things you want to get rid of.
From this platform we can launch ourselves at the world and feel resilient in the knowledge that we have given ourselves the best opportunity to be ready for positive influences to come into our sphere. Getting out in those blue and green spaces, taking the week or two off to be in the mountains and sit for hours over looking the valley. Even being bored to harness creativity! These things are all the important aspects that we should be focusing on trying to achieve at least once a month in the coming year. It’s in our power to make the new year the best year and if we commit to the process and do the work -well we may well just pull off the best year every.
I hope you’re excited and pumped for it. Now get out there and do some positivity! :)
