The Secret ingredients to healthier living....
Everyone wants a quick and short cut to good health & happiness. I can tell you actually there are some very basic shortcuts and tips to lead a more fulfilled life! Now before I share my personal top secret recipe for lifelong happiness and good health, let's first try and understand the lack of it!
My personal experiences has taught me some very basic truths!
- First, most people are unhealthy because they are not happy.
- Second most people are not happy because they are trying to hard to be in control.
I use "most" people in both my statements, because this is just one of the most common causes but not the only cause for unhappiness and poor health.So my first recommendation to everyone is to understand the meaning on control. I believe that 90% of the people are unhappy because they are trying to control things beyond their control.
So what can you truly control? And more importantly what should you try to control? I have tried to stay away from the usual recipes of food and beverages filled with healthy diet of greens, plenty of water etc and tried to focus on elements most often neglected and overlooked by the best of us.
So here is my short five point secret recipe for happiness and good health - please try and control these.
(i) Gratitude - Try and control your thoughts to have a sense of gratitude. Be grateful for everything you have and do it everyday. And see how your life becomes more blessed and fulfilled before you know it. Developing a habit of gratitude can empower you to face seemingly impossible hurdles and build resilience within you.
(ii) Attitude - Try and inculcate a positive attitude. Wake each morning with a smile. Smile at strangers, smile at problems, demonstrate a sense of positivity and confidence. Before you realize your life will be different, even your body language will start demonstrating power and influence, charming everyone you meet.
(iii) Breathing - Funny but it's something most of us don't even notice. Its not for no reason that ancient yoga texts have pages after pages dedicated to just breathing exercises.Your life, your mind and your body is controlled by every breadth you take. Start paying attention and control on how your breathe voila you'll notice something that's short of a miracle.
(iv) Sleep - Sleep is as important as everything else on the list. There is even yogic teachings on sleep called Nidra. Your sleep patterns control everything from success, happiness, health, emotions, immunity and host of other body functions. I cannot tell you enough on the need for good sleep for a better living.
(v) Mental chatter - I've saved the best for the last. Among all other things, how much we allow our inner voice to speak, is very important. Our inner voice can make our past look rosier that it was or it can paint a scarier version of the future. Blessed are those who can channel their inner voice to inspire them rather that create hurdles. Control your thoughts, try to mediate and get your mind to be still. Achieve mental stillness and you'll soon begin to witness power to control your life, your health and your happiness.
I'll leave you with my favourite prayer by the famous American Theologian Karl Paul Reinhold Niebuhr . If you can follow this word to word everyday, you'll surely be happy and healthy.
