Ten Techniques to Be Happier in 2016 (Part 2 of 10)

Technique #2: Meditate

In a nutshell, meditation is a “training of the mind” which has been practiced by individuals and certain religions for centuries with the goal of promoting relaxation, concentration, and building internal energy.  Even today, however, meditation tends to be misunderstood as some sort of weird mind-control hocus pocus used by hippies and yogis, when in fact it is nothing more than a collection of techniques and tools used to quiet the mind and increase one’s focus. 

In today’s day and age, our minds are very busy – creating problems, solving them, and creating new ones.  Meditation assists us in ceasing that vicious cycle of thinking, allowing the mind to remain still and empty for a short period every day.  People who regularly practice meditation describe themselves as feeling calmer, more in control, better able to face the challenges of the day with greater equanimity, and decreased susceptibility to road rage and other violent outbursts. 

 

One of the key benefits of a daily practice of meditation is holding one’s attention in the present.  In his 1971 book on meditation, yoga, and spirituality, Ram Dass reminds us to Be Here Now.  Believers of this philosophy will tell you the past contains nothing but pain and disappointment and the future only fear and uncertainty, leaving the present as man’s only refuge of solitude and peace. Meditation is a simple tool to help you get present and stay there longer, thus increasing your level of happy. 

 

There are many terrific books, recordings, and apps introduce to meditation.  One of my favorites is Headspace simple easy to follow 10 day instruction that will teach newcomers how to meditate.  Simply Being is another good one.  Both are available in the iTunes and Google Play stores.  There are dozens of meditation and self-hypnosis apps out there as well.

Om-m-m-m-m-m.

Ten Techniques to Be Happier in 2016 (Part 1 of 10)

Technique #1: Unplug

Technology:  it’s everywhere.  Yes, it increases our productivity.  Yes it helps us to stay in constant contact with family and friends.  Yes it allows us to track the activities and whereabouts of our favorite celebrities from dawn to dusk.  And yes, in enables us to anonymously keep tabs on old high school crushes.  Plus, with an entire world of information at our fingertips, we all are now subject matter experts on every conceivable topic from making a perfect Apple Brown Betty to replacing the solenoid in a 1973 Buick Electra, or performing a DIY root canal. 

Make no mistake, however – technology is changing who we are.  Studies have shown that technology is rewiring our kids’ brains, organically intertwining their minds with the devices they use, and causing them to process information in an entirely different, more computer-like way.  My twelve year old, for example, can set up a home entertainment system faster than I can tie my shoes, and my sixteen year old becomes anxious when she’s without her phone for more than five minutes, as it has become the sole portal into her social existence.

The American Academy of Pediatrics blames overexposure to media as a leading contributing factor in aggressive behavior, obesity, poor school performance, sexual promiscuity, cyber bullying, and hemorrhoids (kidding).  And while visual media are fast replacing old fashioned textbooks in the classroom due to the greater ease in keeping instructional materials up to date, Psychology Today suggests the act of reading printed media tends to develop reflection, critical thinking, problem solving, and vocabulary better than the electronic counterparts. 

So in the new year, I challenge you to unplug.  Pick a day – even a half day to start – and shut off your electronics.  See how you feel.  Based on personal experience, at first you may feel out of touch, uninformed, alone, and desperate for a drink.  Then, ever so slowly, the quiet becomes cozy, almost comforting.  When nothing bad happens, you relax, coming to realize you’re not really missing out on anything important.  Your stress level goes down; your happiness quotient creeps up.  What do you have to lose (except maybe your hemorrhoids)?