The 3 B’s of Happiness: Balance, Beauty, and Bliss
Finding Balance in Life
Some days you eat salads and go to the gym. Other days you eat cupcakes and wear sweatpants. It’s called balance. It’s not something you find; it’s something you create. Whether you are a student or a business owner, a parent, a caregiver, or retired, you must find balance in life.
When you have a deadline, for instance, you must balance your time, when to begin work and aligning it to your deadlines. When you prepare a meal you balance what you eat so you have some protein, veggies, but also some fun (dessert). It is about exercising hard, working hard and playing hard. Balance is key to happiness.
When you find balance you feel comfortable, centered and aligned in your strategies and potential. For me, balance comes from my yoga and my gratitude practices. I find balance, focus and inner strength on my yoga mat. One of my yoga students, who has repatriated, wrote me a note saying the class gave her balance “and will always be part of my life, and always linked to my mental and physical strength and happiness.” I treasure that note!
Seeking Beauty in Everything
Beauty is another key to happiness. Looking out at the ocean, watching children play, walking along a path or a trail are all ways to enjoy nature’s beauty. When we take time to enjoy our surroundings, we discover an inner peace and connectedness. I have enjoyed beach days this summer. I love the sand on my feet, the warm ocean water and the warm breezes. There is great abundance in nature. The beauty surrounding us is a true gift, and a great source of happiness.
Bliss in the Simplest Things
Bliss is happiness overload. Talking with my daughters, reading a message from a far-away friend, being surrounded by my “framily” (friends chosen as your family), I have a full heart and an enormous sense of bliss. ‘Pasta Night’ is a happy gathering time for our friends to get together over the weekend. We eat, tell stories and enjoy our abundant life. I leave the table so full, in my belly and my heart, that bliss is the best emotion I can verbalize. When you are in good company, your happiness (oxytocin) levels rise, you make better choices, and day by day, in every way, you get happier.
To heed the words of Abraham Lincoln, “And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that counts, it’s the life in your years.” Choose to find the balance, beauty and bliss in every day, and choose to be happy!
