Have you ever wondered what’s your happiness quotient? Right! I guessed so. Well, neither did I up until now.
‘Happiness’ is subjective. Every individual has her own definition of happiness. Some people can find joy in small things. While there are others whose happiness depends on their accomplishments. Whatever happiness may mean to you, it surely is what everyone aims for.
So, when I happen to know about this term ‘happiness quotient’ I did curious research. Growing up, back in those days, I never had to worry about measuring my happiness. As a kid, I was usually happy until I was scolded by my parents. That was enough to ruin an otherwise happy day. This was the case with nearly all children of my age then.
Life was simple. Our whims and wishes were limited. Small achievements were the source of our never-ending excitement. Sometimes I wonder what has changed over the years! And I realize that we have stopped being happy with ourselves. We, humans, are never satisfied with what we have. And we keep setting higher goals to rejoice. In the process, we forget what happiness feels like.
What is Your Happiness Quotient?
Happiness Quotient (HQ) is a model that makes it easier for people to objectively judge their happiness in various aspects. Your HQ basically helps you understand where you are at with the five factors of your life. (Usually, its seven factors but my experience makes it as close to five)
Ah! Who knew one day we would have to keep track of our happiness meter to really feel happy. Lucky guess, it’s the perks of a busy, complicated, and lonely lifestyle people are living these days.
Factors on which Your Happiness Quotient Depends
When tracked down my research I found, a person’s happiness depends on various factors. I have broadly classified these into five factors, namely
Emotional Well-Being
Physical Well-Being
Mental Health
Spiritual Growth
Professional Growth
Emotional Well-Being
Our emotions control our reactions to situations and/or circumstances we find ourselves in. In extremity, we either tend to be high on happiness or low when upset. The emotional quotient plays a pivotal role in deciding how happy we will be in any given scenario.
So, how do you keep your emotional well-being in check? It’s actually very simple and has always worked for me. ‘Change what you can, and accept what you cannot change’. This simple mantra in life can save you a lot of trouble and turbulence. You are the driver of your emotional mindset. Set the speed to peace, not chaos.
But it certainly is not easy to reach that level where acceptance sets in. So, till you work on being open and accepting of what you cannot change, try learning to keep your emotions under control. The best way to do so is to meditate. Begin by 5 minutes a day gradually moving to 20 minutes a day.
For free souls like me who cannot stick to one place, meditation is a gruesome process. For me, two things have proven to work - staying close to nature and having pets around. Pets work like magick. They not only love you unconditionally but also help you unwind after a tiring day. Your pet is the only one that can make you feel special every time you walk past them.
Physical Well-Being
Your physical health is equally proportional to your happiness. In a healthy body lives a happy mind. And isn’t happiness a mindset? So, it is good to maintain a fitness routine.
Exercise, gym, go for a walk in nature, yoga, aerobics, running marathons, anything that you do not have to compel yourself to do. Maintaining a healthy body is not just a priority but the results of a routine are gratifying.
A wholesome diet further adds strength and nourishment. Add a lot of fruits, salads, and nuts to your meals. Reduce fried and fatty foods. Don't hog on food at once. Rather eat small meals at regular intervals. It helps in promoting digestion. It simplifies the work of the gut to digest and absorb vitamins and minerals from the food. Also, you do not tend to put on those extra calories and stay energized throughout the day.
Mental Health
Mental health is considered the least important by many. It is still a stigma if someone comes up with a mental health issue. Considering the stressful times we are living in, it is essential to take care of our mental well-being as well.
Talk to a confidante when the times are tough and you are at your lowest. Sometimes, all we need to get back on our feet is a little empathy and a shoulder to lean on and cry. Make sure you have one such person in your life whom you can reach out to when going through a rough patch.
Give equal time and care to understand your mental health as you give to your physical and emotional well-being. The pain and agony your mind goes through are not seen but that does not make your experience less painful. Whatever hurts you, scarred or unscarred, it needs to be healed. Stop to listen when your mind says it is tired.
Also, try to be compassionate, understanding, and forgiving towards others more often. We never know what the other person may be struggling with. When you help someone in need it is usually returned by a feeling of contentment.
Spiritual Growth
Spirituality is your connection with your inner self. Though most people think being religious and being spiritual is the same. It’s a myth. You may be an idol worshipper, you visit religious places and read scriptures but that is only a religious practice you follow. It does not make you spiritual.
Being spiritual means becoming aware of your life purpose, and making a connection with your higher self. We don’t flaunt our spiritual nature. Rather we strive to work on ourselves to lead a better life.
Our spiritual happiness increases when we can find peace within. We become compassionate and tolerant of others. Spirituality helps us assess ourselves based on our core values. It is when - what we think, what we say, and what we do come in alignment that we become spiritually aware.
A simple way to achieve your spiritual growth is to ‘be in the moment and enjoy whatever you are doing’. Source your own happiness.
Professional Growth
We all look for avenues at work that help us make better professional choices, whether it is changing jobs, finding a friendly environment at the workplace, or learning new skills. Working in a competitive world, it becomes difficult to climb up the professional ladder if we do not update our skills regularly.
Career choice these days is not based solely on the purpose to earn money. People are choosing their passion as a career. This not only gives them the job satisfaction they seek but also they are happily busy doing what they love to do. When we go higher up in our career chart it gives us immense joy. It boasts our self-esteem and helps us challenge our own limits.
To grow professionally, set goals, have ambitions, but don’t get carried away in the race of ‘I will be happy when I achieve _____ (whatever it is)’. Rather, choose the profession that will help you stay happy. Growth follows a happy heart!
Life’s graph will not always go upward. There will be pits and falls. The least and the best one can do is learn to control their emotions, maintain a healthy lifestyle, and strive to maintain an equilibrium between home and work. The simple we keep our lifestyle, the easier it would be for us to stay happy.
And, along with that, I certainly believe that to attain true happiness it is essential that we keep all these five elements in our life balanced at all times. So, every time you find yourself dwelling in a not-so-happy place, don’t forget to check on yourself. Make sure you make necessary amendments that help you get back on your happy-you level.