Find a Blissful Moment Every Day
What is bliss? The dictionary has two definitions for bliss. The first is: perfect happiness; great joy. The second is: something providing such happiness.
First of all, happiness starts from within, but a few simple things, done every day, do help. Blissful moments are different for everyone. Here are mine:
1. My morning cup of coffee. The moment I wake up, I look forward to my cup of coffee. Why? It is such a simple thing: hot liquid in a cup. To me, it is so much more. My senses awaken every time I hold a cup of coffee. The cup warms my hands which are always cold (even in the summer). The warm liquid is smooth, creamy and delicious. The smell of fresh brewed coffee reminds me to be thankful for being alive and to cherish these simple moments. I close my eyes and I am in the “now.” I focus on all the happy sensations this one simple beverage does for me. Then all of a sudden, the cobwebs evaporate from my foggy brain and I am able to start my day as a happy, content and grateful human being.
2. Meditation. I must meditate daily. My mind takes me on a turbulent ride and if I don’t sometimes get off, just like in Thelma and Louise, my “car” will drop off a cliff. I keep saying there is something wrong with my brain, but I am told otherwise. Perhaps other people feel the same as I do… it is nice to know that I am not alone. Meditating slows down that ride to a nice Sunday jaunt. I meditate in the morning with the aid of an app downloaded to my tablet. It is time specific and a beautiful ringing bell sounds as the meditation counts down. I close my eyes and my thoughts race, but every time I hear the bells I return to the moment quickly and easily. I have found that meditation has made me feel happier. I am able to handle the stressful moments in my day easier. I also look at people differently because I am not judging them or criticizing them if they take their anger out on me. I just remember that they are having a bad day and try not to take it personally. Meditating calms my mind so that I can let go of external conflicts and put my mind at ease.
3. Driving home from work. This is the time I take to relax and prepare to finish my day on a good note. If you don’t like your commute, find something that you enjoy doing that you can incorporate into your drive or train ride. Listen to the radio and focus on how the songs make you feel. Listen to a motivational CD and focus on improving yourself. If you are taking the train, read a good book, take a nap or make conversation with the person next to you. Everybody has a great life story to tell. If you are constantly stuck in traffic, or the train is late, take those moments to focus on the “now” and enjoy “being.” Don’t focus on the negative. Try turning this moment into something positive: a time to meditate and focus on your breath. Learn to enjoy the moment instead of indulging the negative emotions building up inside of you. Once you arrive at your destination you will no longer feel agitated or angry, but more focused and able to get on with your day in a positive mood. If you are arriving home after work, you will be able to greet your family in a happy mood.
4. Brushing my teeth and washing my face before going to bed. That simple everyday activity is both calming and soothing. As the electric toothbrush whirls, I focus on the positive aspects of my day and let go of the experiences that weren’t so great. I focus on the day’s events that I am grateful for and cherish those moments. When I am done brushing my teeth, my mouth feels fresh and clean. Next I wash my face. The suds erase all the impurities. My face feels tingly and I am left with a clean slate. I am ready to do it all over again the next day.
Your blissful moments could be different from mine. Perhaps when you come home, you get to greet the pet you’ve missed terribly all day. Other blissful moments could include: cooking a great meal, working out, talking to some friends on the phone, or doing yoga to alleviate some stress. Pick your blissful moments and make them count each and every day.
This is what life is about. Simple, blissful moments.
About the Author
10 Reasons to Make Inner Peace a Priority
Inner peace is the eternal quest for seekers everywhere. What used to be a rather vague and ephemeral concept has since been backed by modern science as a worthwhile quest towards accessing better health and happiness.
If you’re wary about the real-life importance of making peace of mind a priority, you’re not alone. The monkey mind is a cultural norm and, for most people, daily life consists of a constant stream of chaotic thoughts based in the past or the future.
Rarely do people make the space for presence and the experience of simply being. But when you do, you’ll be astonished how life can shift from tumultuous to serene, from judgemental to accepting. You can find inner peace even in the midst of external chaos.
1. Increased Intelligence
Perhaps one of the most popular benefits that inner peace can bring is the potential to grow your brain, literally. A study done at Harvard University showed that people who practiced mindfulness meditation (quick definition: accepting and paying attention to your thoughts and feelings without judgment) increased the thickness of their prefrontal cortex.
The prefrontal cortex is the part of the brain responsible for regulating emotions, planning, decision making, and regulating social behavior. Just eight weeks of regular meditation practice also shows increased gray matter in MRI scans.
Turns out that seeking peace helps you gain greater intelligence and a stronger, healthier brain.
2. Rewire Your Brain for Positive Feedback Loops
You can change your brain and it’s as easy as being aware of the transience of every experience. Most people go into a fight or flight stress state at least a few times a day, but when peace is your primary pathway you can change that mental habit.
This is because our unconscious thoughts and worries (aka the monkey mind) engage the amygdala, the reptilian part of our brains responsible for keeping us alive in dangerous situations. When the amygdala is engaged we experience anxiety, tension, faster heart rate, and poor digestion, all things modern humans are very familiar with.
When peace is the primary pathway you can consciously comfort your amygdala with the assurance that all is well and the world is NOT ending. Because our brains are plastic and changeable you can change the tendency to activate the amygdala and remain calm even in the midst of chaos.
3. Grow Your Compassion Muscle
The Dalai Lama says that “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Yet often we’re too absorbed in our busy lives to experience wholehearted compassion for both ourselves and our fellow humans.
A study published in the journal Psychological Science found that the practice of meditation and the allowing and acceptance that comes along with it increases the internal experience of compassion. Another study showed this affects the brain even when you’re not actively engaged in meditation.
