A Contagious Disease Called Happiness

Happiness is a state of mind which spreads like wildfire when shared. Just like the old saying, "Smile and the whole world smiles with you, but when you frown you frown alone." Happiness and good friends are like a 1000 watt lamp which brings light in one's life in the dark world of gloominess. It is said that misery seeks company but in happiness it is manifold.

Happiness according to Nicholas Christakis, a sociology professor at Harvard University, is like a stampede. He says cheerfulness need not come from one's own actions, behavior or thoughts but from people whom we have never known.

When we know someone is happy, the thought itself can make us happier by as much as 15% says research. It has been found that people with good cheer and happiness have more social networks and were also very effective in spreading their happiness among their friends and relatives. Their friends and relatives in turn spread cheer among their friends which showed that happiness is a positive emotion which spreads like forest fire when imparted.

According to the professor, questionnaires were prepared during research to measure happiness. They revealed that having one's loved ones, or close relatives like sisters or brothers increased the sense of happiness in a person. Happy friends also helped spouses to become happier.

Advantages Of Being Happy:

Happiness rejuvenates a person with physical and mental positive energy, which results in good health and cheer. When one is in good health they have very little risk of ailments. So people who are happy tend to live longer than the gloomy ones, even if they do have chronic ailments.

When a person is happy they become more motivated and productive. Happiness increases their productivity rate resulting in good profits. Good performance and productivity boosts the self-confidence of the person also.

For example when a waiter offers his service with a smile he gets a bigger tip as reward for his cheer.

A few Tips On How To Be Happy:

-Lend a helping hand to the needy. This will fill your heart with joy. Selfish activity leads to dead ends but a helpful activity never goes waste.

-Treat the other person the way you have always wanted to be treated. This in turn makes the person happy and his cheer will make you happy.

-Always forgive a person for his wrong. Remember the old saying "To err is human but to forgive is divine. So in this divinity you find happiness.

-Make you friend feel special by taking him/her to a movie or dinner. This will delight your friend and make both of you happy.

-Be very cautious when you speak. Never utter words which can hurt a person. Bless a person even if he is your enemy.

-Accept life as it is and also accept everyone as they are. Avoid comparing your life with others.

-Spend as much time as possible with your love ones. We need not wait for major events to happen in our life to be happy. Even a small incident or gesture can make a day happy.

Finally Spiritual Quest is known to induce more happiness than material wealth. So the search for our happiness is endless. Moreover the purpose for our life is happiness. We, the common man search for happiness in an ordinary and routine life whereas sages and the wise seek it spiritually. The objective is the same but the route is different.