Pause for Positivity

"The purpose of our lives is to be happy." - Dalai Lama

- By Dr. Lalitha Ragul

Bliss - a state of perfect happiness, oblivious of everything else! Often, we wish to update ourselves with bliss just like updating a new feature in an app. We cannot blame ourselves for that as it is the very core of our being in this world. We simply desire joy and contentment. In spite of our genes being engineered in a way to reach joy, fun and happiness during difficult times, these feelings are just flash in the pan and hard to find.

Cultivating happiness in our mundane life can sound challenging, but it's the best gift one can give themselves. Mindfulness is an excellent way to practice self-care, stress reduction and relaxation, wellness, growth and happiness. It has been a staple of positive psychology and interwoven into its very fabric.

Being a counselling psychologist, I got a relentless focus on practicing mindfulness in simpler forms. Mindfulness was originally a Buddhist practice known as sati, which can be defined as, “the moment-to-moment lucid awareness of whatever arises in the mind” (Sharf, 2014). Committing to mindfulness to even the shortest of practices (e.g., 5 minutes a day) can have significant impact on life.

Mindful coffee / Tea – In your first three sips of coffee or tea think of three things you are grateful for. Pause and take a deep reflective breath between each sip.