Wednesday 9 September 2015

[www.keralites.net] The Secret Behind Lasting Happiness [1 Attachment]

 

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

By Jessica Beltran, MS
~ 5 min read
 

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

Is happiness something we are born with or something we need to chase after? Is it bestowed upon us or is it something we must deliberately pursue?

Chasing happiness is like chasing a rainbow. We're never going to catch it. And waiting for it to fall into our lap is as effective as waiting for a miracle to happen. Especially if our genes are not on our side.

 

So where can we find happiness? The answer is nowhere. Happiness is not a destination to be found.

Lasting happiness is a conscious effort. A choice. A decision. It is something we create every day through each one of our actions.

What determines how happy we are?

Research studies have found there are three main factors that account for our happiness level:

1. Genetics

It's true that for some people it's just naturally easier to be happy than for others. Research shows that genetics account for 50% of our happiness. We are each born with a biological "happiness set point" that we can't change.

 

But this is not destiny carved in stone. It is just a predisposition. Nothing more. It makes it a bit more challenging (if the wind didn't blow in our favor), but not impossible.

Genetics do influence how happy we can be but do not determine how happy we become.

2. Life Circumstances

Our life circumstances influence our happiness only to a very small extent. Surprisingly, factors like marital status, income, and occupation represent only 10% of our happiness level.

We can assume that getting married or having more money will make us happier. Just like being victims of trauma would make us unhappier. Research has found though that is not completely true.

Good or bad events, even extreme ones (like winning the lottery or losing a loved one) do affect our well-being. But only temporarily. Once we get used to them (and we always do), our level of happiness returns to where it was before.

3. Intentional Activity

So where does the other 40% of our happiness come from? The activities we choose to engage in. This is the most promising way not only to boost our happiness but also to maintain it.

Our choices have the final say on our well-being. What we decide to do every day is what determines how happy we'll be.

Isn't that a great discovery! It means that happiness can be built through our efforts. That everyone has the opportunity to create a life full of joy and satisfaction. But also that happiness derives from a conscious and daily effort.

How can we create lasting happiness?

We can start by these 5 (scientifically proven) practices:

Engage in Positive Self-Reflection

It's easy to get caught up in our flaws and forget all our virtues. Shame is like that. It quickly contaminates our self-image like a grey cloud over a clear blue sky.

But to be happy in life we first need to be happy with ourselves.

Appreciating all that's good within us. Accepting all that is not. And loving ourselves regardless.

When we replay our highest moments the world around us just lights up. Instead of dwelling on our shortcomings, we need to celebrate our successes. Choosing to remember what's worth remembering. And letting go of those not-so-proud moments.

Learning to laugh at ourselves also does wonders. It takes a heavy burden off our shoulders. And helps us see ourselves in a more positive way. When we start having fun with ourselves we start to see life through a different lens.

Avoid Social Comparisons

As social beings we tend to compare ourselves with others. And usually do it with people who we believe are better off than we are.

To be happy we need to realize that we are each unique in our own way. That we're not better or worse than anybody else. That we are just different. And that nobody's journey is comparable to ours.

We each have special gifts that nobody else has. We just need to know what they are.

Realizing that we're extraordinary in our own way saves us from the "never enough" trap.

Because if we keep comparing our accomplishments with those of others, we'll always end up yearning for more. And this insatiable longing to outshine the rest will deprive us of the peace and contentment our soul needs for true happiness and satisfaction.

Be Optimistic

Our thoughts and ways of viewing the world determine our level of well-being. It is not what happens to us but rather our interpretation of it what makes the difference.

If we see an event as a life-ending catastrophe we have no control over then it will be. But if we see it simply as another curveball life throws at us and consciously choose how to react to it, then it won't threaten our whole existence.

Having faith and hoping for the best makes us happier. The easiest way to suffer is by worrying incessantly about everything that could go wrong.

It is when we're lighthearted that happiness blooms.

We must carefully choose the way we think and what we focus on. By changing the attitudes of our mind we can change our well-being in a heartbeat.

Pursue Meaningful Goals

Happiness is not only about feeling positive emotions but also about experiencing a high satisfaction with our life. Pleasure and meaning are both necessary for lasting well-being.

To be happy we must learn to enjoy the moment but also to work towards goals we find intrinsically rewarding. Happiness must combine both present and future gain.

When we pursue important personal goals we give our life a purpose. We become happier emotionally and more satisfied with our lives.

It's easy to get lost if we don't know where we're headed. Or to become frustrated if we know where we want to go but don't do anything to actually get there.

Structuring our pathway to strive for our dreams gives us a sense of control and motivates us to lead a meaningful life to enjoy more long-lasting happiness.

Practice Gratitude

Taking the time to count our blessings is life awakening. It helps us realize how fortunate we are.

Sometimes we tend to focus so much on what we don't have that we forget all that we do have. Even if we're going through a bad situation, there is always something that we can be grateful for.

When we practice gratitude we appreciate our life more. We start to value all the little things that can give us more happiness than we give them credit for.

We savor the joyful moments. We find awe in everyday wonders. We begin to see the magic in what we usually perceive as ordinary.

It doesn't mean we settle. Or that we stop fighting for more. It just means that we allow ourselves to be happy with what we have today while we continue to pursue that which will make us happier tomorrow.

At the end of the day, only you can determine what actions and attitudes will make you happier. You can find these through trial and error experiments or by asking yourself insightful questions.

What matters is that you realize that lasting happiness is possible. You just need to cultivate it. Every living day.

Happiness is not a destination, but a never-ending journey we must consciously choose to embark on.


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[www.keralites.net] Some of the Craziest Airport Runways

 

Some of the Craziest Airport Runways of our World 16 of them are given

1. Gisborne Airport, New Zealand

This North Island airport is one of the few in the world that has a railway line running through its runway. Both the railway and the airport are active, so lets hope they are precise about their scheduling.

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

2. Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport, Saba Island

Blink and you might miss it. With only 400m in length, this Caribbean island has the shortest commercial air strip on the planet. Obviously, this tiny runway is only suitable for small aircraft.

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3. Courchevel Altiport, France

This airfield high in the French Alps is a convenient yet treacherous drop-off point for wealthy skiers at the chi-chi Courchevel slopes. In fact, there are ski runs no far from the 1,762 ft (537 m) mountaintop runway. Frequent fog, snow, ice and low clouds make it even more extreme. You'll want to make sure your small plane or helicopter pilot is well trained.

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4. Don Mueang Airport, Thailand

There aren't many airports in the world that have an 18 hole golf course right amongst the runways. Fore!


Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

5. Tenzing-Hillary Airport, Nepal

If you're planning on trekking to Mount Everest, chances are you'll arrive via this small Nepalese airport in Lukla. It has a short runway with a 9,334 feet (2900 meter) drop off the edge. Not for the faint of heart.

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6. Agatti Aerodrome, Lakshadweep, India

This 4000 feet long island runway doesn't leave much margin for error. A few more inches, and passengers are going to be swimming sooner than they bargained for.

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7. Barra International Airport, Scotland

Barra International Airport, on a remote northern island in Scotland, has the only beach runway for scheduled flights in the world. At high tide, some of the runways are underwater.

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8. Gibraltar International Airport

Winston Churchill Avenue, a major thoroughfare, intersects the airport runway in Gibraltar. This is one red light you don't want to run.

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9. Gustaf III Airport, Saint-Barthélemy

This runway is so tiny, only planes with a maximum of 20 people can land here. That helps keep St. Barts an exclusive up-scale Caribbean haven for the rich and famous.

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

10. Kansai International Airport, Japan

With land at a premium in Japan, they decided to build this major airport on an artificial island offshore in Osaka Bay. If its ocean setting doesn't give you chills, its also regularly subjected to earthquakes, typhoons and storm surges.

Oh, and the island is also sinking. Thisairport's construction and constant reinforcement makes it the most expensive civil works project in modern history.

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

11. Madeira Airport, Portugal

The previous airport on this Portuguese archipelago was notoriously challenging due to its short runway surrounded by high mountains and the ocean. So, they extended it with an impressive – yet frightening – platform supported by 180 columns off the edge of the land.


Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

12. Narsarsuaq Airport, Greenland

This runway is short and sweet whether you're coming or going. It is considered one of the world's most challenging approaches. Pilots have to fly up a fjord known for its turbulence and wind gusts.


Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

13. Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport

A pair of grave makers are embedded into Runway 10 at this airport, in remembrance to the Dotson Family who use to own the land. One of the graves dates back to 1857. The law states that next of kin need to authorize the moving of family graves, and when theycouldn'tbe located, the airport engineers let them be.


Fun & Info @ Keralites.net


14. Wellington Airport, New Zealand

This airport in New Zealand's capital city has a short runway, so only smaller aircraft can land there. It's known for turbulent landings due to thechannellingeffect of the Cook Strait creating gusty winds.

Fun & Info @ Keralites.net

15. Princess Juliana International Airport, Sint Maarten

This beachside airport on the Dutch side of Saint Martin is right across the street from Maho Beach. It is known for its extremely low-altitude flyover landing approach, and tourists flock here to experience the rush of the planes overhead. Definitely one of the craziest airport runways you got to see to believe.


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16. Ice Camp Barneo, North Pole

This snowy strip not far from the North Pole is open for just 4 weeks per year. Built on a drifting ice base, it's a fully functional runway suitable for cargo planes like the Antonov AN-74. Perhaps Santa Claus uses it too.


Fun & Info @ Keralites.net


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Posted by: "K.G. GOPALAKRISHNAN" <kgopalakrishnan52@yahoo.in>
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[www.keralites.net] DON'T FALL IN LOVE

 

Don't fall in Love


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Posted by: Ateeq Ahmed Siddiqui <ateeqahmedsiddiqui@gmail.com>
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