Think Happy!

After I’d written my recent post on Thinking Yourself Happy, I came across this article from a Chinese Business paper.

Most of us are aware of the existence of endorphins, those happy hormones that make us feel good…

“You can reduce stress, promote self-healing and make positive life changes by invoking your endorphins,” says therapist Bodel Rikys, who has practised meditation for more than 30 years.

“It’s not a case of emptying your mind - that’s very difficult to do. It’s about filling it with pleasurable thoughts, which in turn will produce a feeling of wellbeing. The endorphins will turn off the stress hormones, adrenaline and cortisol, and have a positive impact on your body chemistry.”

The exercise that the article goes on to describe is one that I use for relaxation. It involves relaxing the muscles, by ’scanning’ the body and hovering over any tense or sore areas. Then, you are to think about something that makes you feel happy, which can be an activity, a memory, a place, etc. Like the author, I initially found it difficult to really fix on something, so settled for ‘colours and hazy impressions.’ Even now, I simply think of the colour green.

This article has plenty to offer those who are trying to learn how to be happy. My only concern is that it doesn’t provide a long-term solution to lasting happiness. It is, after all, a brief exercise. As such, it’s great if you simply want to relax or re-gain a sense of composure. Yet, even then, the author found it was difficult to go through the exercise on his own.

So, in terms of the key to happiness, it lies more in changing your thinking about yourself and the world around you, than in Endorphin Meditation. But that doesn’t mean you can’t add this exercise to your daily routine for a quick burst of positive energy and happy refreshment. After all, there’s no law on being too happy!