FOCUS:Resolutions for a happy new year

2009 has passed away and a new year is beginning. It should not be just another date in the calendar but a day to begin a new and better era in life. New Year greetings exchanged should not remain mere words but materialize into reality. The most common wish exchanged is to have a happy new year. This means to express the wish that the coming year should bring in happiness for all How to obtain this happiness? There are different ideas about happiness among different people. Some associate happiness with prosperity and material comforts. For some it is good health and or a happy family life. True happiness is a combination of these factors in a small amount. But major part of happiness lies within. Unfortunately majority of people search for happiness outside but seldom try to look at the inner source of joy lying within one’s self. First step to bliss lies in good health. Good physical and mental health is the prerequisite for happiness. A sick person cannot enjoy the pleasures of this world, howsoever rich he or she may be. A healthy person will always enjoy the situation in which he/she is. A healthy person will readily face any stressful situation and not buckle under stress. Thus he/she is not disturbed by stress which robs people of their mental peace and happiness. Another important factor is the thought process, which affects the state of a person. Every individual needs to have some ambition and set high goals as per his/her potential. One may not reach at the top of the ladder, but can possibly reach the higher steps. Positive thoughts keep the mind happy and cheerful. They also help a person to obtain material gains in his daily life. It is also important to convert these high and positive thoughts into action. Seeing big dreams but not working for fulfilling them leads to frustration. Each individual needs to work hard in a proper organized way to accomplish the desired goal. Satisfaction is yet another important element necessary for happiness. After working to achieve higher goals if one does not get the desired results, there should not be any disappointment More than half of the problems of the world are because of dissatisfaction. Increasing consumerism is leading to increased dissatisfaction, which is hurting mental peace of people. Every year a new improvised model of some electronic good comes in the market and a false need is generated among people for it. This creates an unhealthy competition between those who buy it readily and those who are incapable of doing so. The desire to buy everything new coming in the market, irrespective of its need or buying capacity of the individual is unhealthy and leads to misery. What one has should be considered best and a person should be satisfied with his lot. Habit of sharing and giving is equally crucial for a person to be happy. Even if there is a single piece of bread, one should be ready to share it with friends, family and any needy person. Sharing gives deep satisfaction and happiness to anyone. Similarly giving your skills, other things voluntarily and happily for the benefit of others is one activity which generates profound joy. A person feels happy on getting something good but being happy in other people’s happiness generates more joy. Greed and jealousy are great obstacles in the path of happiness and one should avoid them. It will be super human to be rid of them absolutely but a person can try to keep them out of his mind. The first step towards it would be to be happy in achievements of others. Thus the resolutions for a new year should be to keep oneself healthy physically and mentally, dream big and work hard, share whatever you have with others, give generously, remain happy and keep away negative thoughts. Then only all will be truly happy and generate happiness and peace in the world. Ends