What can nature teach us about being happy?-2
4. Be patient
When we plant seeds it takes time for them to grow shoots. Before the leaves start to show nothing seems to happen for a while, but things are going on beneath the surface of the soil. Like seeds, when we “sow” ideas and aim to be happier, it can take time to see results. Be patient.
5. Aim for balance in our lives
Nature thrives when it’s in balance. Plants and animals need enough water, nutrients and sunlight to flourish. Too much or too little and they can get ill and die; same with our bodies.
For extra happiness we need to balance how much food we eat, our body weight, stress levels and so on. High blood pressure, cholesterol and blood fats are a few signs that our bodies are out of balance.
Striking balance in our lives can be a challenge in our chaotic world. Here are some tips to help find balance.
Learn from those who are successful, happy and healthy. Ask them questions. Read their biographies or success stories. What philosophies do they have? What coping mechanisms do they use? What are they thinking, doing and believing that helps make them happy?
Find an area of your life that you’d like to have more balance in. Identify one or more ways that you could make it more balanced. Choose at least one way and put it into practice. Later on assess how successful it was. If necessary, do this with your other ideas.
6. Eat the way nature intended
I was listening to the news on the radio a few years ago when a vet came on air. He said that more and more dogs are becoming obese because their owners are feeding them junk food. He highlighted that junk food is not suitable for dogs and dog owners should not feed it to them.
As I’ve studied nutrition, I was very glad to hear this segment. I then wished a dietitian would come on the radio and say a similar sort of thing to parents about feeding their children junk food. “Scandal, junk food not suitable for dogs, but parents feed it to children!” is a headline I’d love to hear.
Our bodies are made to eat fruit, vegetables and other natural foods. Only in the last few decades have many societies started eating a lot of unhealthy and artificial foods.
A happy mind needs the right fuel. A balance of B vitamins, certain minerals, essential fats and so on can help make us happier. Not having enough omega-3 fats, for example, can cause depression.
UK nutritionist Patrick Holford discusses the link between food and mood in his book Optimum Nutrition for the Mind. He explains how healthy eating habits can raise IQ, enhance happiness, reduce aggression, and help treat and prevent mental health problems. Future articles on this website will cover happiness and nutrition in more detail.
Our bodies are made to eat fruit, vegetables and other natural foods. Only in the last few decades have many societies started eating a lot of unhealthy and artificial foods.
A happy mind needs the right fuel. A balance of B vitamins, certain minerals, essential fats and so on can help make us happier. Not having enough omega-3 fats, for example, can cause depression.
UK nutritionist Patrick Holford discusses the link between food and mood in his book Optimum Nutrition for the Mind. He explains how healthy eating habits can raise IQ, enhance happiness, reduce aggression, and help treat and prevent mental health problems. Future articles on this website will cover happiness and nutrition in more detail.
7. Continue to grow
Life is abundant with growth. Plants grow. Animals grow. We grow – spiritually, mentally, physically… – to survive. Do not stagnate. Keep learning, growing and improving.
We should aim to keep growing no matter what age we are. My late grandfather did a college course aged in his 70s. He died shortly afterwards, so he didn’t have much time to use it, but as he did something he wanted to do before he died, he was a happier man because of it.
We should aim to keep growing no matter what age we are. My late grandfather did a college course aged in his 70s. He died shortly afterwards, so he didn’t have much time to use it, but as he did something he wanted to do before he died, he was a happier man because of it.
Om Namah Shivay
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