Project Happiness Articles — mindfulness

I used to be what you’d call extrinsically motivated. Meaning, when things went my way I was happy and when they didn’t, well, I was a pill. I didn’t get that allowing external circumstances (more often than not, beyond my control) to dictate my happiness was actually making unhappy...

The famous generation of young entrepreneurs, parents, and innovators – Millennials, sure have quite a reputation to uphold, and equally numerous stereotypes to debunk. They are slowly overtaking the customer throne from Baby Boomers, and are becoming the largest pool of consumers in the world. Many of them are still struggling with student loans, paying off their debt, and making their way in the competitive startup world, all at a single go.

I wasn’t born an expert on self-care; the truth is, I was that person you see running around taking care of everyone’s needs and letting her wellbeing take a back seat, like, way back. Career always came first and so did the needs of my friends and family. My idea of self-care was to get a complete physical every year or so, to slather on some sunscreen and moisturizer and get on with my day.

Anxiety – what is it? There are so many different levels of Anxiety and some can be so severe that could lead to a panic attack (which if you haven’t experienced - can be so overwhelming it almost feels like a heart attack! ).

When you’re feeling down and out, or generally just low, do you ever feel pressured to pull yourself out of it as soon as possible? To constantly appear happy? But what if we accept that not being okay, is very much part of being okay; how might this impact our personal journey?

What if, regardless what we're going through, we choose to see our minds as a tool, a friend, a co-creator in our path towards freedom and wellness? What if we see the issue, label or whatever we're annoyed at our minds for, as a separate entity i.e. not part of the mind itself, but a passing albeit unwanted visitor?

If someone had told me a year ago that I would be meditating twice a day and that it would be changing my life, I would have laughed. It’s not that I didn’t believe that meditation could work, I just didn’t believe that it could work for me. Last January, I was proven wrong.

It’s surprising how often each of us worry about our social situation or experience loneliness and lack of connection, yet how little time we spend exploring ourselves. I’ve learned that spending time by myself actually enhances my ability to connect with other people. It turns out that as I spend time understanding myself it helps me understand and connect with others.

When was the last time you did something for someone without being asked, without the thought of a reward or payment of any kind, and without anyone else knowing what you did? A few minutes ago? Last week, month, year? Ever?

So, tell me, did I sleep through the portion of Home Ec where they taught us that in addition to sewing on a button, we needed to learn positive self-talk? Did I miss the college course: “Care for Thyself Fundamentals?” At what point are we taught to love and honor ourselves as individuals and human beings?