Another New Year is upon us and brings with it the promise of glad tidings and happier times. Humankind has forever felt uplifted at the dawn of a new annum, except perhaps those who are the truly unfortunate ones, and cannot afford to feel upbeat by reasons of poverty, ill health or gross misfortune. Yet, even in the most hard and ill-fated lives, there is bound to be a spring in the step once a new year shows up, even if only a slight one.
Personally speaking, I have resolved to help more youngsters in leading meaningful lives in the times to come. But six universally applicable individual goals come to mind, which I am glad to share with all those who are feeling receptive enough to adopt them!
Physical Fitness: This is a no-brainer, of course. Health and fitness have taken on positions of paramount significance in recent years, in almost everyone’s priority lists. There are still some who love hogging the couch for hours in front of the telly box accompanied by potato crisps and gallons of beer or coca cola. But several others have realized the importance of stepping out and spending time with nature and its wonders along with the need to walk and run and play, the need to balance their diets and also to get enough sleep. The international year of millets is being celebrated this year and awareness about that too should enhance fitness levels of large sections of the populace.
Mental fitness: The mind is where the battle of life is verily fought and our minds have to be calmer than they usually are. This is the era of a series of irrepressible, unstoppable, activity which is bound to take its toll on our fragile mental health. Restlessness and its sibling, over thinking, are snuffing out the energy from large sections of the young population of the world today. By making conscious efforts at regular meditation, creative activity, reading more books and healthy conversations, we will enable our minds to tackle and even flatten the internet- propelled forces of distraction and despair.
Spiritual fitness: The practice of scientific meditation not only leads to calmer minds, and focused concentration, it also caravans us forward in our divine quests. The scriptures of all religions of the world enlighten us that God is within us and we simply must strive to find Him. By becoming more aware of our souls and developing a closer, loving relationship with God, we enable ourselves to lead more fulfilling, and happy lives. But, we have to make the effort ourselves. No one else can meditate on our behalf!
Familial happiness: Each individual makes earnest efforts to ensure that his or her family is in fine fettle and is comfortable while being in good cheer. Relationships usually end up with stresses and strains but the family is of mammoth importance in each human being’s life. The mistake that we usually make is to work harder in our careers in order to provide more resources for our children or loved ones. What we perhaps need to focus equally upon is the need to spend more quality time with them, for the kids grow up really fast! We are then left to rue the fact that we did not prioritise family time enough during our busy years.
Societal happiness: Each of us can surely do more to empathise with those who are lesser privileged and take some constructive, concrete, steps to facilitate their happiness a little bit. The youngsters of today in fact display much more concern for those whom life has treated shoddily, compared to grown-ups who are well placed and should know better than to chase after money, power and fame without pausing.
Personal happiness: As a motivational speaker I often ask young audiences what the goal of their lives actually is, and when a shy student mentions the word “happiness”, I know that they’re thinking rightly. By prioritising happiness instead of madly running towards unseen materialistic goals, each one of us can find the ultimate treasure within our own selves!
Here’s wishing you all happiness in the New Year!
vivek.atray@gmail.com
Justin