Stay calm = be Happy :)
Moving from the hustle and bustle of Tel Aviv to Miami’s low key atmosphere was one of the best things I have done for myself.
At first, I didn’t know anyone in Miami, which played a huge role in allowing my mind to relax, and for me to gain the “enlightenment” that life is SO much better when slowed down. These days, I don’t rush into ANYTHING (unless it’s a real emergency or a Crossfit workout).
I also made a promise to myself. To never raise my voice for any reason and to stay calm when negativity or stress presents itself. I will be the first to admit that I’m not perfect, but after putting things into perspective, I have learned to be better at staying calm simply because I set the intention to. I now rarely act on impulse and feel happier and more confident with the everyday decisions I make. Staying calm allows me to have the least amount of annoyance and distress, and most of all, happiness :)
Even though I don’t meditate (yet!), reading about meditation helped learn about living in a meditative state of mind. The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation is a great short book that taught me to be aware of my breath, and how controlling your breathing calms you down and makes you more present. I know people throw out the word mindfulness a lot, but my interpretation is — if you focus hard on any action you do, stop multitasking and/or thinking about different things — you become more present, and thus mindful.
When you slow down you have a much better chance of really figuring out who you are, what do you want in life, what things are most important to you, and what truly makes you happy.
The author of the book, Thich Nhat Hanh, gives an example about washing the dishes: take pride of your craft in washing a plate. I know, it may sound like a stupid concept to some but mindfully washing dishes goes a long way and it’s not easy. Especially in this day and age, as our minds are constantly swarmed with information and we are a society obsessed with our phones and social media notifications.
Don’t get me wrong, technology is awesome but is also the source of some pretty bad habits. Mental clarity will not be solved with more technology but rather with a change in human behavior and perspective. My impression is that by slowing down and really focusing on even the smallest actions you do — from washing dishes all the way to important business ventures — you have the greatest chance of becoming happier, enjoying every activity by being aware of your breath and giving ALL of your attention to each task individually.
Before you leave, my suggestion to you is to try this: put your phone on “Do Not Disturb” mode, away from you, ideally in a different room, for 30 minutes (or more), and try to focus and enjoy an activity (ideally off a computer). Need help with what to do? Try reading, cooking, hiking, playing a sport, playing a game, playing an instrument, talking to your significant other, talking to your friend, talking to your family…
Enjoy :)
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