A famous psychologist whose works are the subject of much debate all over the world, Carl Jung writing has not lost any of its value over the passage of time.
We live in a very fast-paced society where we are forced to compete almost constantly with everyone around us. It’s hard to be truly happy when you have to run the rat-race every day but that hasn’t stopped people from searching for it every day.
Psychologists too have been trying to discover the secret to happiness and there’s been a lot of work that tells us we need to look within ourselves to find it. Carl Jung was the first exponent of this theory.
Read 30 Life Altering Lessons To Learn From Carl Jung
According to him, there are five things we need to do to be happier.
1) Pay Attention To Your Own Well-Being
“I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” – Carl Jung
We all know that we need to look after our bodies by getting regular exercise, maintaining a well-balanced diet, ensuring that we rest and looking after our mental well-being in order to actually be happy in this life.
Not only does exercise ensure that we build our stamina and burn excess fat that can cause a lot of diseases, it literally makes us happier.
This is because exercise stimulates the brain causing it to release more endorphins into the body. Endorphins are also called ‘happiness hormones’ and they can make you happy in the same way that eating your favorite chocolate can.
Eating a lot of chocolate will have adverse effects on your health. Rather, make sure that you do some form of exercise for at least half an hour every day. You will feel much better for it.
Read How Being Nuanced with Your Emotions Enhances Your Well-Being
2) Strengthen Your Relationships With Others
“For two personalities to meet is like mixing two chemical substances: if there is any combination at all, both are transformed.” – Carl Jung
Human beings are social animals and so we all need love and affection. For those, we look to all the people around us.
They all have the power to give us what we need. But then, no one can love all the people around them at all times and there will be conflict now and then.
But the truth is that a person who has been given a lot of affection and who prioritizes their relationships will undoubtedly be happier than a person who does not. Not only does spending time with others make us happy, doing things for others out of love can also serve that purpose.
When we don’t put ourselves first and we prioritize others, we can obtain a lot more satisfaction which will invariably lead to the happiness we are all looking for.
3) Focus On All The Beautiful Things In This World
“Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
Just the other day, I set some milk to boil and went about my work. I forgot all about and by the time it struck me that I needed to check it, it would have already boiled over if my friend hadn’t noticed it and turned it off before it could do any damage.
We all lead very hectic lives and often we forget that we are simply human and that we need to take a break now and then.
For life to be better, we need to stop, take a deep breath and just appreciate everything we have. Take a picnic lunch, sleep in the shade of a tree, look for pretty flowers, help a stranger, hang out with friends, and just be thankful for all the beautiful things this world has given us.
Since we are always rushing to be somewhere, we barely set aside time for these things. There’s always more and more work to be done as soon as possible.
So take a moment to just feel content and this can make you happier and less stressed out.
4) Have Fun Working And Living
“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being.” – Carl Jung
We don’t all feel the same way about the work that we do. There’s a deep gulf between those who are living just to work and those who are working in order to be able to work.
When people actually love doing their jobs, they become much happier. This happens because it doesn’t feel like their lives outside of work and their work lives need to be kept apart.
They feel like they are necessary for work to be complete and they feel like they are doing something with positive outcomes so they feel happier.
Quite a few just works because they have to but those who actually take an interest are more satisfied and tend to earn more income.
Read 13 Practical Strategies To Handle Being Mad or Angry
5) Have Faith In Some Belief
“I find that all my thoughts circle around God like the planets around the sun, and are irresistibly attracted to Him. I would feel it be the grossest sin if I were to oppose any resistance to this force.”
You don’t necessarily have to be part of a formal religion but Jung believes that faith in a concept that is bigger than all of us can make us happier.
Knowing that death is not the end of everything can give us hope and help us through tough situations.
When you are having a hard time finding happiness, focus on a particular part of your life that you can work and make better.
There are times when this small effort you make to develop yourself or get out of a tough spot can satisfy you and make you happy enough to find the energy to move forward and get out of the rut you found yourself stuck in.
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