How often do you smile?

Have you ever noticed that children and babies laugh more (easily) than adults? Somewhere along the way we lost that habit or ability….to laugh easily, freely and unconditionally or without a reason. Grown-ups think that they have to become serious to be well-seen or respected. We go through life and things happen: working for your career, paying the mortgage, planning for holidays, too much work, ups and downs, etc…. After a while, we condition ourselves to be very serious and we become busy all the time…and tired.

Sometimes we continue the same things, maybe with less stamina and energy. When we spend too much time in one (or more) main emotion(s), with time it becomes an ever present mood. Our faces and bodies then take the shape of our emotions. Then our thoughts become repetitive and we become stuck in a way of being. ‘Seriousness’ is an adult’s illness.

Sometimes we look for a change and decide we want to live life fully and passionately…

The key to happiness

One day I looked at my reflection in a window as I was walking home after a busy day. What I saw was a long face. “I am tired”, I said to myself. All of a sudden, Laughter came up and that feeling went away instantly as if just dropped. I was laughing at myself, at “my face” and all “my tiredness”. We can drop the “being tired” attitude (thoughts, feelings) instantly, even after a long day.

The key to happiness is to become aware. Awareness is the only thing that can get us out of our moods, out of ourselves, out of the stories that we tell ourselves.

What is this Awareness? Awareness is subjective, as it can only be experienced. Simply put, Observe Yourself being Yourself 🙂 Then go one step further and Observe Yourself Being Observed.

The first observer is our selves, through which we feel, touch, smell, hear, think. The second one, the Observer, is the One that observes impersonally the thoughts, smells, tastes and sounds as if they happen out there, which is still Inside.

I usually experience actively this awareness when dreaming and I can’t perceive my body. When we dream, we are aware we exist, we can move, have thoughts, notice emotions…but body-less, as if we are floating. We look at ourselves from the outside.

How do you increase your own Awareness?

Meditation and Laughter Yoga are some great tools I use. I become more relaxed, light, at peace, and they remind me that Happiness is not only Inside, but it is a choice. Now it is up to us to practice that choice. No need to leave it up to other people (i.e., the mentality that someone should make us happy) or other things (e.g. a new car, dress, course, necklace).

We don’t have to postpone happiness until everything is perfectly aligned. It just is here and now, accessible whenever you desire.

The question is: How much do we really desire to be happy? The switch can be instant. However, our attachments to being and thinking in a certain way prevent us from letting go (of the thoughts and emotions we are experiencing) and just be happy.

We cannot be happy and unhappy in the same time. So whenever you feel unhappy, ask yourself: Can I let this go, just for now, with a laugh, a smile or with a deep breath?

I hope your answer will be “yes” most of the times.

Remember to smile as often as you can, even if you think you don’t have a reason. Smile at yourself in the mirror in the morning, smile at a colleague, a stranger, the sky…Smile at Life and Life will give you in return more smiles.

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