I wonder how many of us remember that we have just one life and we are already half way through. When we feel this deep down your heart, anger, frustration, pride, and even selfishness appear very stupid. And we begin to miss something: our footprints on this earth.
Often I think for hours if I am living the right way. There may not be any right way, in fact, for so much depends on perspectives. But all of us would agree that a life entirely spent on earning money is ironical. I know it happens to you as well. All of us often wonder if we could make life more fulfilling, more satisfying for ourselves as well as others. Here I suggest five small things that you can do to improve your life. If you do these, I strongly believe, you would be more satisfied with life and more at peace with yourself. In the process, you may even leave behind something to be remembered for.
Contribute to the Community
You think contributing to the community means losing something, don't you? You may have to part with your hard-earned money, or scarce time. And you get nothing in return! It's amazing how much harm wrong thinking can cause. I am tempted to discuss here what community is, but I will keep it simple. Just remember that every time you give something to this world, you only create an opportunity to get it back manifold. It is not obvious, and easy to miss, but if you think deeply about any aspect of your life, you would find that it's true. Even the Warren Buffets and Bill Gates of this world have realized it; that is why they keep donating huge amounts of money to charity.
Even better than donating money is donating your time and skills. If you are a teacher, you can spend a few hours every week teaching handicapped or marginalized children. Or you can take the inmates of an old-age home for a picnic every quarter. The least you can do is lend your car or any other possession for community service. There are a myriad ways in which you can contribute to the community. The only thing that can stop you from doing it is your own unfounded fear of losing. You need not be religiously regular, but you must do it with a pure heart.
Charity can be a huge boost to your self-image. You will feel more confident about yourself and your place in the community. Often positive self-image is all it takes to be happy in life.
Offer Help
Offering help is not the same as community service. You can offer help to just about everybody, including yourself. The attitude of offering help indicates a happy and mature person. Only a person happy with himself or herself offers help to others. Also offering help can make one happy.
When a colleague has an important project to complete in no time, ask if you can do something. When the car behind you is honking furiously to overtake you, let it go. You never know why he is in such great hurry. When your friend's mom suddenly requires a major operation and she has got no money, use your savings. Small help from you can save another's life, but nobody gains more than you in the process. You gain your colleague's loyalty, the other driver's respect, and your friend's mom's blessings, all of which are invaluable. It is these small things that make life fulfilling.
Plant a Tree
Yes, it is simple. Just find a place and plant a tree. It is good if you own the land, but it's not necessary. Any land is fine as long as the owner doesn't mind it. You know what trees are good for, but trees are also symbols of stability, sacrifice, and purity. If you plant a tree and spend a few minutes everyday taking care of it or just watching it grow, you will feel much better about yourself. Gardening has the same positive psychological effects, but you may not want to invest the time and effort unless it's you hobby. And if you force yourself to do it, the positive effects are all lost. Taking care of just one tree needs little effort and time, and you will start to enjoy it sooner than you think. Begin today. It's really very easy and very effective.
Develop a Hobby
Before proposing this suggestion, let me clarify what I mean by a hobby. A hobby, to me, is something you do because you enjoy doing it and not to gain anything other than pleasure. Some would say there is nothing better than having your hobby turn into your profession. I think there is one thing better: having a hobby other than your profession. Any profession is demanding, and your livelihood hinges on your profession, unless of course you have a lot of money. That takes the sheen out of your professional activities. A hobby should give you a break from what you do (or have to do) for a living. Thus you remember there is more to life than livelihood. In fact, the most satisfying and fulfilling activities in life are those that do not give you anything other than pleasure.
For example, writing for Triond and a couple of other sites is one of my hobbies. I also do a lot of writing as part of my job, but that involves money, deadlines, and supervision. I am not free to write whatever and whenever I like. And even though I enjoy writing, enjoyment without freedom is like a bird without wings. But when I write for Triond, there is no deadline or supervision, and the money is peripheral. Some of you may be taking the earnings from writing for a website very seriously. If you do, you should have another hobby. A hobby that is the primary source of earning for you is not a hobby at all. It is a profession, and your profession only will not make you happy in life.
Love Someone
Life is getting so complex for us, even love is now a fairy tale for many. We can't blame anybody, for even the diehard optimists among us get cynical sometimes. But take a couple of hours off for yourself and think deeply about all aspects of your life. Just imagine a situation where you have everything in the world except love. Nobody has any feelings for you and you feel for none under the sun. Will such a life sustain you? Will it be a satisfying, fulfilling life?
I know it isn't possible to love everybody, and you should not try it too. But you must love at least one person on this whole earth. There must be at least one person who would bring a smile on your face every time you see her or him, with whom you can be yourself, and whose very presence would stop you from getting cynical. If there is no such person in your life now, find her or him. Who knows your love may be just round the corner!
Best of luck to all of you! I sincerely hope this article would help you get happiness and contentment in life.
