I recently heard a Buddhist Teacher confess that it is much easier for him to talk about suffering than happiness. His theory as to why: suffering is universal and we feel relief hearing we are not alone in it, but happiness is a topic that feels heavy because it brings up our personal responsibility for our own. His advice: Don’t focus on being happy, just do happy.
For me doing happy looks a lot like reaching out to others in simple ways: holding the door for someone, looking people in the eyes, saying hello to strangers, playing ping pong with teenagers, or slowing down to really listen. In short it is paying attention – a skill our yoga practice is sharpening.
What does doing happy look like for you?