Formula for happiness

Source: http://qz.com/245275/this-is-the-mathematical-formula-for-happiness/

Yes, finally they made it. They were able to come up with a mathematical formula for happiness. Please feel happy to see that formula above.

When I saw the formula first, I was reminded of those not-so-happy days of my life. In my calculus classes, where I struggled to compute volume of complex objects like a “chopped cone” midway and fixed with a hemispherical round on the top. I am yet to use those computations in real life!

Having said that, I am pretty sure lots of effort has gone in to arrive at this conclusion. If you google this you would find many sites providing good explanation and interpretation of the formula. It’s definitely useful for doctors who would like to treat certain helpless people, who are not able to manage their over-happiness or over-sadness.

While the above mathematical scheme of things looks a bit complex, let’s get into some simple techniques.

First thing in the morning, smile and see a smiling face in return – the whole day might turn out to be a happy one. Probability of somebody smiling in my house - that too early in the morning is pretty less. Everybody is busy; there is no time for it. Even if we had tried, it would look a bit formal and artificial! But I found a way out, quite accidentally.

As I step out every day from home, early in the morning to take my dogs out for a walk, they just go on the road with no clue or direction. Neither do I, while fairly good part of my body and mind is still sleeping! I just go wherever they go! 

That is the time that big 35 seater semi-deluxe bus coming from Kannur passing through our front road. To be parked in a disputed land close to my house, all disputed lands have some public uses like that, right ? From a distance I started looking (rather staring) at the driver, just to make sure that at least he has some clue as where he is heading. Especially after driving for 12 continuous hours through dangerous and uneven roads the whole night. He started smiling at me and I had to smile back. I think he understood my staring at him well, these days he started waving his hand just to convince me that he is fully awake ! Only problem is that I get this opportunity only on alternate days, the other days he must be waving hands at somebody else on the road, with or without dogs, at Kannur!!

Sharing your happiness will double your happiness. I am not sure how much the receiving party would get happier. Once I felt really happy. I was feeling extremely uncomfortable since I could not share it with enough people to double it. This was when I passed my 10^th standard board exam with decent marks. Only a few people in that village knew what 10^th standard meant, my options were limited. So I decided to go to my home town and share this big news with my relatives. No phone, no FB, no whatsApp, no twitter, only option was to get into the train with a pack of toffees, early in the morning and meet them personally.

I picked my uncle’s place as the first venue. He has a big land surrounding house with full of coconut trees and a pond in the middle. I would have loved to stay there much longer, but dictum to me was to return by the same day. Once the news was broken and chocolates were eaten up I went around with my uncle seeing those trees and the pond. Due to some reason one big coconut tree was felled and was still lying there unattended. “the upper most part of the tree, you would find a soft stem which is edible and it's so sweet” when my uncle told me this, I could not resist the temptation of trying it out. Axe was brought in and my first hit went well. My second hit went equally well but with a minor deflection after it hit. The axe fell on my right foot just above the toe. The wound was staring at me wide open and I almost fainted. Dr. Sudakar had to put exactly five stitches to close its mouth and he declared – “next few days come daily to get the wound dressed”. All my temporary unhappiness went off ! I could stay there for one more week looking around those trees, though by a bit of limping !! I would get one more permanent visible identification  mark on my body, a few weeks back only my class teacher had struggled hard to find one while filling up a form !! I didn’t have to return the same day, instead, uncle went to my house that evening to convey my "happy” news to my parents!!!

Had Facebook existed in those days, I could have just typed one single line and with press of a button the happy news would have reached many with in no time. But then, at times one can get hurt so badly in FB, even any number of stitches will not be able to close that wound! One of the reasons why people stop visiting that site abruptly without looking for interesting stuff further (like my coconut trees!) is these wounds, as per last year FB users ‘survey. 

Find opportunities for humour, the joy you get out of cracking a joke is much more than what the listeners get. It’s easier said than done though. I still strongly believe all have that capability. Do not focus on only one subject area, show interest in multiple areas. Also be spontaneous; do not get constrained too much by the worry as how other people will take your joke. As long as it does not hurt anybody.

Feel the happiness like sadness, equally if not more. Skill of getting aware of what you feel in a happy situation is something diminshes over a period of time if not used

If your mood is not lifted after reading this much, please google and you will find tonnes and tonnes of tips on how to become happier. Still not successful? It is time for you to see that mathematical formula closely and analyse it more seriously!!!!