Life Goals And How They Determine Happiness

Life Goals And How They Determine Happiness

So many people unfortunately are stuck in the ‘happiness trap’ which means they think the more they have and the more they achieve in the material world, the happier they will be.

In yoga we say that “happiness is an inside job” and what we mean by that is, your perception of your own reality is what will determine the lens you look out of and hence, you have conscious control over the way you feel.

Society and marketing bombard us every day teasing us with the notion that if we buy the bigger better car, the bigger better house, the designer handbag or the 5 star holidays, then we will reach a state of happiness and feel satisfied with life.

The reality is that many people attain this level of ‘success’, yet are still miserable and are feeling empty and disconnected.

I’m not saying that you shouldn’t be ‘successful’ and prosperous, I’m saying that it will be more enjoyable if you are coming from a place of being internally happy and satisfied with who you are.

So how can you start to feel good about your life, yourself and the journey to success (rather than just the destination of the goal)?

Here are 5 tips on how to structure your life goals to find authentic happiness:

  1. Pick a study or career, which aligns with your purpose, passion and skill set. This is referred to as finding your ‘purpose’. A purpose-driven life will be so much more satisfying than one, which ‘just pays the bills’.
  1. Aim to be as healthy as you can but also find balance in your lifestyle. Its wonderful to eat clean and exercise regularly but be sure to still enjoy your food and exercise rather than torturing yourself.
  1. Have FUN!. Too many people get way too bogged down in work only, which reduces the time you have to experience joy. By laughing, connecting with others and socialising, you will have a natural surge of feel-good hormones, which brings biochemical feelings of pleasure.
  1. Spend more time in nature. This will help you to become present and calm due to the natural ions in the earth and the warm rays of sunshine from the sun. Once again you will feel relaxed and this will help you appreciate the little things in life.
  1. Write in a gratitude journal every day. By starting to focus on the basic things in your life that you can be grateful for, your attention will start to shift away from what you don’t yet have to the simple and beautiful things you already have. This will automatically bring you feelings of satisfaction and appreciation for the journey that you are on towards reaching your long-term life goals.
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