✨ Curate & Unlock Your Inner Spark

In our lives we are a lot of things to other people, with many roles that come to define us to a large degree. These connections & experiences help us grow, etching the grooves into our surface that makes us completely unique. Ultimately we should try to remember that the journey is about change & discovery. This is simply a reminder that this discovery is about how to truly make now the best time of our lives. 

Humans are wired with an innate, neurological potential for happiness, but whether this potential eventually becomes reality depends on how we choose to live our lives.

Happiness is a personal state of physical, emotional, & spiritual well-being that we can experience anywhere, at any time. It can be something as simple as breathing in the scents of our gardens or spending a few happy moments playing with our pets.

Feeling Sublime In Your Prime

Many people may believe that young people have the advantage in the happiness department, but you might be surprised to learn that age seems to increase a person's overall likelihood of being happy & that we are much more likely to experience happiness the older we get. The reasons why are quite simple really & if you're like myself, you may be lacking in some areas. But it's definitely something anyone can work to improve. Because as we age:

• We are more likely to become confident about what we like & don't like in life.
• We amass a wealth of life experiences & wisdom that help us to deal with life's ups & downs.
• We develop strong relationships with friends, family, & our communities that serve to support us in our endeavors. 

Benefits of Positive Emotions

We should strive to protect our health with the power of positive thinking. It not only feeds our brain but the benefits include everything from an improved immune system to enhanced creativity. Yet it goes even deeper because positive emotions undo the effects of stress, which protect our overall health in the long run. As more attention is brought to this it's been found that something as simple as a light touch on our hand from a compassionate friend can lower our blood pressure.

Expand Your Mind & Broaden Your Focus

Wonder, curiosity, love, excitement, contentment, joy - all these positive emotions expand our focus of attention. When we become frustrated or angry, our focus narrows. Think about when we get excited about something - our mind opens up, & there's a free flow of ideas & intellectual possibilities. Our brains work best when it's high on happiness, so try to let past worries or resentments go & embrace the days ahead. 

Laugh at Our Problems

When we are frustrated & having trouble solving some problem that confronts us, what we really need is a good laugh. Laughter unfreezes our stuck brains. Humor is the perfect lubricant that allows the wheels of our thought process to move towards a solution.

 

The mechanism that underlies effective problem solving is creativity, which is your brain's ability to come up with unique answers to life's many challenges. Broaden your focus.

Stockpiling Resources Over Time

Although we may slow down physically & mentally, as well as narrow our social circles to those people we have the most in common with, it's important to make a conscious effort to demonstrate positive emotions. For this can enrich our lives & cultivate these resources:

• Social: Human beings naturally gravitate towards positive people. Think about how you would want to be treated. More often than not, we get the same in return. When we greet people with cheer & influence their lives in some way, even briefly, we give them a smile to take home. That positive memory will linger & be mirrored outwards like a ripple effect into the universe. Smiles boosts our spirits & helps put us into a positive frame of mind.
• Intellectual: By having a positive frame of mind, we get more out of new activities & learn better. Remember that teacher who always made learning fun? Their excitement sparked wonder & caused excitement. Laughter makes kids pay attention & attention is the key to learning. 
• Physical: People are more playful when they're happy & more inquisitive about activities. Happy people are also more likely to exercise on a regular basis, which helps create stronger muscles, increase flexibility, & improves heart-lung function. 

Managing Our Feelings

Positive & negative emotions can rarely exist at the same moment in time. Embracing one often negates the other. Humor defuses a desire for vengeance, happiness is one antidote to rage, & it's nearly impossible to be angry if you have a grateful heart.

The next time you're feeling angry, sad, or upset, see what happens when you try replacing that negative feeling with a positive one. Think about something that excites you or someone who makes you laugh. Doing so may provide just the escape you need from your dark moods. But preventative care is also the wisest course of action.

Be Wise With Our Time

Ignoring as a form of wisdom...highlights how strategic silence & ignoring certain people or situations is sometimes the best choice to conserve our energy & maintain inner peace. It draws a parallel between different levels of character & intelligence. Ignoring someone can be a sign of strength & intelligence, especially in a situation where engaging would be futile. Arguing with wise individuals is unnecessary because they can offer valuable perspectives. While engaging with fools is counterproductive, especially when it only leads to frustration & no positive outcome. 

"The art of being WISE is knowing WHO to ignore, WHAT to overlook, WHERE to leave things, WHEN to move on, & WHY it's all necessary." ~ William James