“Make Yourself Happy”

Try it. Close your eyes and make yourself happy. Wait 10-20 seconds because this takes time.

What happens?

Did you think of something? Maybe family, friends, a new purse, food you get to eat tonight, the warmth of the sun.

Did you become happy? Or at least more happy?

There is a good chance that, in fact, you did. Because you recognized and appreciated the value of the things or the life you have.

This feeling of happiness will wear off. The thoughts and the feelings will fade. You may notice this, too, if you wait a few more seconds. You might need to think of another thing to replenish the feeling.

This is how happiness works in real life. But it works in real time, not in a controlled exercise like we just did. Thoughts come and go. Recognizing that, and recognizing the good ones, and holding them just a moment longer is how happiness works. Your mood is just your thoughts.

Happiness is a product of appreciation. Appreciation is a product of recognition. Recognition is a product of awareness. Awareness, like observation, cannot be done while distracted.

Inspiration from Baruch Spinoza’s, Ethics, where he discusses the independence of thought (the mind) from the body.

• K