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“НАШЕ ЖИТТЯ”, ГРУДЕНЬ 2019 WWW. UNWLA .ORG 33 HOW TO END THE YEAR ON A HAPPY NOTE by Ihor Magun, MD, FACP Happiness is something everyone wants. It is tech- nically defined as “the state of being happy,” but this de finition is vague and doesn’t apply equally to everyone. The reason is obvious: What makes one person happy may or may not do the same for another person. But eve n though the specifics vary from person to person, the essential quality of “happiness” is uni versal and applies to everyone. Let’s start with the basics. Happiness can be divided into two categories: short - term happi- ness and long - term happiness. An exam ple of short - term happiness is achieving a good grade on a test or assignment at school. L ong - term happi- ness is more deep rooted and is based on long - term situations and life events — our friends, family, and work. The main prerequisite for being happy is to have a balance of short - term/long term happiness scenarios. Another basic component of happ iness is knowing what exactly makes you happy. This can’t be some fuzzy emotional pie - in - the - sky ideal; it has to be exact and tangible, and you have to work to achieve it. No one is immune to the stresses in life, but people respond to them in different ways. Those i ndividuals who have a happy disposition tend to process difficult situations differently from those who do not. For example, they can find meaning in stressful situations and see them as op- portunities rather than obstacles. At the core of t his positive approach to facing stress is the ability to understand that life provides us with many sit u- ations that are not pleasant and are coupled with uncertainty. Coping with stress and rising above it is much better than being stuck in it, and one of the ways to start coping well is to acknowledge how we are feeling and what we are feeling. We do not d o this with the assumption that other human beings are “happy” in a n unpleasant situation ; we do this by verbalizing our own feelings, which permits us to move on and work at achieving a better frame of mind. Below are some suggestions to help you get start ed on boosting your happiness: Start your conversations with others with an op- timistic spin . For example, you can say, “T he train was on time , and I e ven got a seat! ” Do not com- ment on the trash on the train. Pause a minute everyday on something tha t puts a smile on your face. If you can capture it in a photo — do it! If you look back in time, your smile will come right back. Practice gratitude. Ex press gratitude at least once every day to someone else. T his can be a coworker who helps you out , a waitress who looks stressed out and could use a kind word of thanks, or your favorite cashier at a place you frequently shop. Through this simple , three - point ap- proach, the brain becomes more optimistic and positive , and that translates into happiness. Hap- piness research has discovered that taking two minutes each day to think of three new things you are grateful for and why is good practice . It help s to w rite these things down and examine them at the end of the week. This simple exercise translates int o optimism and fuels happiness. I personally have found this to be an incredibly rewarding ex- ercise because i t orients me toward positive issues I might othe rwise simply experience and forget about . We are all faced with many challenges , and putting this new emphasis on happiness now and for the New Year can be a game changer. So l et ’s embrace 2020 with a good mindset and optimistic attitude. Life is about h appiness. Let’s t reasure it as an asset not a burden , and an accumulation of good stuff becomes our own personal source of strength and love. Wishing all of you happiness in this Christmas season and in the New Year!
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