Happiness  

 

Words by Anna Ruggiero  

Artwork by Nathan Robinson 

 

Life can sometimes be a little tricky for us sensitive human beings.  

 

We have an abundance of things accessible at our finger tips yet many of us are suffering with a dark feeling of misplacement.  

 

Whether your vice is drugs, shopping, sex or social media (the list goes on), we planetary creatures are stuck in a consuming loop and trying, in whatever way we can, to get that extra hit of happiness.  

 

We base our wellbeing on a plastic life and digital validation, and like addicts, we’re on a mission to be fixed. 

 

Being brought up in a capitalist society, it’s no wonder we believe that happiness comes from purchasing the bigger house, the flashier car, or having the perfect looking face and don’t get me wrong, these things can all make you happy.  

 

The only problem with constantly satisfying yourself from the outside in, is that you’ll always be seeking more and the wanting mind is a hard master to please. 

 

It’s hard to break free from a lifetime of materialistic indoctrination. But it has to end some time and maybe now is the time. The time to realise that all you have is enough. To realise that you’re enough. 

 

Happiness isn’t a word laced in gold with a price tag and it need not be in some far away place. In fact, all the happiness you’ll ever need is stored safely inside you and you have the key. 

 

To truly connect with authentic happiness, silent contemplation through meditation and creativity are both winners in my eyes. 

 

I spoke to Kelsang Lamchen who is a Resident Teacher at Amitabha Kadampa Meditation Centre on Gloucester Road, a great place to try out a variety of meditation classes.  

 

She told me: “Very simply, happiness is a state of mind and meditation is a method for developing inner peace which is the main cause of happiness.   

 

“Through training in meditation we can learn to develop and maintain peaceful, positive states of mind that naturally increase our happiness, resilience and well being.” 

 

The mind plays tricks and although you may see it as a trusted friend, it can sometimes be a dark enemy trying to trip you up at every corner. The key is to become the watcher of your thoughts and the observer of your mind.  This is especially good for those of you who have mental health issues that mean you tend to think more than the average Joe.  

 

If you allow the flow of negative thoughts to come and go like waves on a beach, you’ll find that moments of sadness and anxiety are much less controlling and daunting as you simply let the thoughts come and go without identifying too much with them.  

 

Turning negative energy into creating art and/or music will also help you see a lovely inner-transformation as again, it’s about releasing feelings rather than medicating on them and covering them up. 

 

Bristol is a hive of creativity and there’s never any shortage of spaces to connect and create.  

 

The Markershed at St Paul’s Learning Centre is an incredible creative space for “doing, making and learning new skills. 

 

Get writing too. Writing down your thoughts really helps to make sense of what’s going on inside your head and removes all thoughts from your mind to the paper, making room for more thoughts!  

 

I’ve found that keeping a gratitude journal is also a really cool way to remind yourself just how amazing your life really is. You’ll be amazed that when you stop and think about it, there are so many things in each day for you to be grateful for!  

 

So when you’re feeling low, try and remind yourself that you’re enough (and this 100% includes your flaws) and that you have enough for now.  

 

Once you accept your present situation, a lot of magic happens. You open your mind and heart to new possibilities. 

 

Don’t be afraid to tell others how you’re feeling too as you’ll often be amazed to hear that other people are going through similar struggles and their life isn’t just one big flawless Facebook selfie. 

 

Simply remember that you are doing your best and that’s good enough right now.