I was asked recently “What makes me happy and if I had any New Year’s resolutions?”
At a time when most of us make decisions for betterment for the upcoming year – I thought I would share what anchors me, makes me happy and keeps me positive.
So, I personally don’t make resolutions – not that I can’t improve – just that I keep working on what makes me happy…
- I wake up early – Almost always before 6 am – my late father was in the Air Force and he instilled in me (and my siblings) that if we did not get up early – we were wasting the day! In fact, it wasn’t just a statement – we were made to get up early and it is a wonderful habit that I have until this day. There is something amazing about being up before most people are – those early hours give me choices as to how to manage the time before all the interactions of the day.
- I plan out my day – it gives me a feeling of control over what I would like to accomplish – this is true whether it is a workday, a Saturday or a vacation day. I feel as if a plan helps me set goals and understand my “day’s journey” and provides for a wonderful feeling of achievement.
- I exercise- I will admit that over the course of my career, this is one of the rituals that I have abandoned first – with the usual excuses – even though I had enough time for everybody and everything else. We recently moved to the West Coast of Canada and a large part of the motivation was to enjoy the outdoors – hiking, biking etc. – I am much more creative and engaged when I have spent time outdoors.
- I read…A LOT. I spend 2-3 hours a day reading – all that I can – a multitude of topics – I don’t limit myself and I find that there are so many cross-references that I am able to find the connection points. I have found that working on RehvUp that I am reading a lot about things I had no knowledge of in the past – it is amazing how much information can be consumed in a short amount of time when reading is a habit.
- I always have time for the people most important to me. The older I get; I realize that I probably get more out of it than they do. It gives me renewed energy when I return to my own tasks.
- Being able to disconnect. Technology surrounds us, it is easy to be constantly immersed and connected. Again, this is a constant work in progress for me and I find I think more clearly with some time away from the tech!
- A good night’s rest and sleep. There is a difference between rest and sleep. I always try and decompress and rest before I go to sleep. Some examples such as listening to music, reading, meditating are all forms of “rest” that work for me and invariably contribute to a better night’s sleep.
This by no means is a complete list, however, these are greatly impactful to me. I don’t necessarily have a perfectly happy day every day, however, it is part of my plan and my overall success – good days and bad days – but the goal is happiness every day!
Are there key things you do to achieve happiness?
Written by Shamial Sheikh – Co-founder and President at RehvUp Technologies
