Some people aren't really sure if they are happy.
They feel like they're drifting through life, trapped in a sea of indifference. "Life's okay I guess," they might say, attempting to reason out their circumstances. But deep inside, they don't really know if they're happy at all.
Maybe they feel like they shouldn't be complaining; they've got a big house, a nice family, a good paying job, basically all of the things that should make them happy.
Perhaps they believe that happiness is nothing more than having financial stability and a full stomach.
Maybe they've forgotten what it is to even be happy, and unknowingly assume that being indifferent is the same thing as being happy.
These people are at risk of living an unsatisfying, passionless life, and they might not even realize it.
But luckily...
THERE'S A WAY TO FIND OUT
Can you relate to this scenario:
You're at work.
You look up at the clock and see that it's 4:45, "so close to quittin time" you think to yourself. "I just want to go home, sit on the couch, and do nothing." You look around, noticing your co-workers are itching to get out of there also. Apparently others have "something to do" at home as well. You look back up at the clock, it's now 4:49.
...Seem familiar?
How about this scene:
It's the weekend.
You're at home with the kids. It's the 3rd week in a row that you've stayed home and had to take care of them. You love them of course, but lately all it feels like you do is take care of the family or do something that's really unsatisfying. You start to think about what a typical day looks like; drive the kids to school; go to work; come back home; watch television; eat dinner; sleep.
Does that look like a fulfilling day to you?
"Wait a second," you're thinking. "What if some people like to do that?"
Well then, I guess the REAL question is...
WHAT DOES HAPPINESS MEAN TO YOU?
To many people, it means different things.
Do you love reading or writing? How about sports, are sports your thing? Is attending a social gathering something that gets you excited? Perhaps you're an animal lover, eager to get to the animal shelter each weekend.
These things are all great, and many people love them.
However, do you know what these things have in common that the earlier scenarios do not?
You actually want to make time for those things, and that's the key to real happiness.
As you'll see, the checklist here asks several times whether or not you make time for happiness. Are you ready to find out?
HERE'S THE HAPPINESS CHECKLIST.
1) Do you want to get out of bed each morning?
The easiest way to tell if you're happy is whether or not you're excited to start your day.
When you wake up, do you hit the snooze button? Do you hit it repeatedly?
If this is a regular occurrence then chances are you have little interest with doing the activities for that day. If that's the case, then it's time to get up and start finding a reason.
2) At the end of most days, can you pinpoint something in it that makes you happy?
Each day should have at least one thing that makes you happy. Question is, can you find it?
You'd be surprised at how many people have trouble with this. It happens when you start living automatically, doing the same things day in and day out. Suddenly, life is more about being indifferent rather than being happy.
Does this sound like you?
Find something in your life to be happy about. If you can't find it, make it. Otherwise you're on the fast track to dissatisfaction in life.
3) Do you have a fulfilling hobby that you do regularly?
This is a simple way to assess whether or not you take personal action to be happy.
How? Simple, anybody who has a hobby that they do regularly, is showing us that they are willing to make time for happiness.
If you don't have one, find one. Make time for one. It's all about finding that activity that you call "me time." It's the activity that allows you to unwind, relax, think, and grow.
Prove to yourself that you want to be happy by finding a great hobby to do.
4) Do you have friends or family that encourage your happiness?
Our surroundings are a major influence on whether or not we are happy in life.
If the people around us are encouraging, then we can become happy. If they're generally negative however, then expect them to drag you down.
This is the power that our family and friends have over us. Having good company can make the biggest difference in our lives, and sometimes it's the gentle nudge of a wonderful family member that gets you closer to happiness.
So you have to ask yourself, do your surroundings make you happy? If not, it's time to start making friends with encouraging people asap.
5) Do you have any trouble saying "I love the direction my life is heading?"
Okay, it's time to get really honest: can you say, with ease, "I love the direction that I'm taking my life"?
...Can you?
It's one of those questions that you might've pushed to the recesses of your mind, because deep down you know the answer might be "no."
But if you ever want change, if you ever want happiness, than it's time to bite the bullet and honestly ask yourself this question.
Cause if the answer is no, the next question has to be "how can I move in the direction of happiness?"
