Recently, I was having a conversation with my elder brother.
Now, for someone living in Singapore, at least, I imagined myself being happy, carefree and having the time of my life, especially as I wanna get out of India before I get any older. But there, a different set of problems exist: extremely high rent, a stressed work environment and, well, to be blatantly honest, you gotta be filthy rich to enjoy life the way you wanna. There's only so much one can do and earn as a PhD student at NTU.
Visiting Singapore and living in Singapore are two entirely different sides of a coin. From the outside, it can look like an entirely different life. But once you actually live there, you realise that every place comes with its own problems, compromises and peculiarities.
His perspective about the reality of life was insightful. If I can't be happy where I am at the moment, how will I be happy if I do go abroad and things don't go my way? I can't keep postponing happiness to some hypothetical future where everything finally falls into place. Because what happens when it doesn't?
Maybe the problem isn't the surroundings. It's our disposition towards them.
But then how does one be happy in their current situation?
I feel that you have gotta voluntarily extract it.
From moments. From difficult situations. From feelings of gratitude.
Happiness is a state of mind, in the sense that no external environment can guarantee long lasting happiness. Long Lasting Happiness comes from within.
And then how do you get it from within?
1. Deliberately create happiness.
Well, you've gotta deliberately larp it, to some extent. Sometimes you gotta just watch something or remind yourself about something funny and put a smile on your face, especially if it's 2pm and you haven't even smiled once.
Why would you do that to yourself? Wanna be a grumpy old person when you grow up or something?
Deliberately creating happiness.
2. Take yourself lightly.
You have gotta take yourself lightly. Cause it's very rare that something is actually serious.
It's not even half the month and your bank account is almost 0?
LMAO. Let's see how I get out of this one.
3. Be grateful.
Do you realise how lucky you are to be reading this and having the knowledge (thanks to your parents putting you in school) to be able to read this? Or to have that device for yourself through which you are reading this?
I am personally grateful for my parents.
I am grateful for my genius brother.
I am grateful for my iPad, which is responsible for the success of UniCheatSheet.com.
I am grateful for my iPhone that helps me reach out to you all and create content.
I am grateful for my ASUS laptop (on its last breath but is a good boy and works for me :)).
I am grateful for my fully functioning and healthy body, which I am refining further at the gym.
I am grateful to be able to afford all the facilities and services which I use frequently.
I am grateful to my cats that have made me so much more loving and affectionate.
I am also grateful to have someone to love with all my heart. ;)
And there's so much more!
Life is so beautiful, and there's so much to look forward to and enjoy.
And throughout your day, you will find many moments to just laugh at, be it yourself or others, and don't hold back on it. Laughing and smiling are equally important as sleeping and eating, as they contribute to your happiness and trigger neurochemical changes in your brain.
There are 2 ways to live life. And I would rather be the HAPPY dude on the other side of the bus because it'll help the tough times of life pass by and help me enjoy the good times to the fullest.
Pick your side of the bus. — Illustration by Genildo
Life will inevitably throw adversity at you. There will be shitty days, difficult situations and moments where nothing seems to be going your way.
But You can choose how you experience them.
I'd rather be buoyant through the bad times and completely immersed in the good ones.
So, might as well enjoy the ride.