Quiet Time Can Bring Happiness

Today's tip to help us find true happiness goes along really well with yesterday's tip. It is that we should pray, meditate, or enjoy some quiet time because doing those things can bring us happiness. In order to do that, we need to slow down.

Now, this can look a little different for different people. As a Christian, I enjoy taking some time to pray as well as read my Bible or do a Bible study. However, I have friends and family that don’t share my beliefs. That is absolutely okay. 

I wholeheartedly believe what I believe, and I am always willing and open to having a conversation about my beliefs. On my page, you will see bible verses and references to my beliefs from time to time. I will not shy away from sharing what I believe, but I also will not belittle anyone for having different beliefs or try to bully anyone into believing what I believe. It is my belief that we all have to make our own decisions. My rule in life is to be kind to everyone whether they agree with my beliefs or have completely different beliefs.  

So, if praying is not your thing, that is okay. Maybe you would enjoy meditation. Some may even want to do yoga which is meditation with movement. I enjoy quiet meditation from time to time, but I have not tried yoga. For some reason I don’t think I am coordinated enough to do yoga, but maybe someday I will give it a try. 

The idea behind any of these types of activities is that it slows you down and calms your brain. These activities move our brains away from trauma responses (fight, flight, freeze, and fawn), and it allows us to think clearly and make mindful decisions. These activities can also release hormones that help us feel good. Who needs drugs and alcohol when you can get those natural happy chemicals?

Another way to increase your happiness is to spend more time outside. I read a study that said you should spend at least 20 minutes a day outside. I've got to be honest, I don’t do that. However, I do love to go sit outside a couple of times a week and just soak in all the sights, sounds, and smells. I enjoy listening to the birds, seeing the trees and flowers, and smelling the fresh air. Even just a few minutes of this can help boost my mood.

For the first two years after my husband’s death, I joined an area lake that you can only go to with a membership. It was a lake that we used to go to together. Jeff used to fish there and our kids would swim, but we had let our membership lapse. Being at the lake helped me feel close to him as well as God. Being around the beautiful scenery also helped me feel calmer and more at peace. It was such a difficult time, and I just needed those quiet, peaceful moments surrounded by nature. Now, I find those moments everywhere that I can…our backyard, area parks, public lakes, etc. 

I believe that slowing yourself down and taking some purposeful time to pray, meditate or soak up quiet time, in nature when possible, can help calm your spirit. And once your spirit is calm, you will start to feel free and happy. It’s a beautiful feeling! Of course, it is something that you have to do often to help you remain in that calm and peaceful state. Your body will signal when it is needing that time. Give it a try!

#happiness #prayerandmeditation #quiettime #nature