Believe it or not people who were paralyzed in accidents are as happy as those that have won the lottery. Those paralyzed rate their pleasure in everyday activities just as high as people that have hit the PowerBall. In part, because people adapt more quickly to positive changes, such as becoming accustomed to having more money after winning the lottery. With a “That was so yesterday” attitude, the sudden influx of happy emotions fade faster. Versus a “Thank you for today” attitude of appreciating what you have one day to the next.
Fewer choices, result in higher satisfaction. Limiting choices is a difficult task in today’s society where even the drive-thru clerk at Burger King is trained to satisfy your every whim. One of the teachings in the Doctrine of Yoga is to strengthen your will-power through renunciation. “You must practice self-denial in fifty different ways” . Take a cold shower when you would prefer a hot one, greet those you would usually avoid, walk when you could drive. How far can I take this? Fiber instead of carbs... Water in the wine glass?
In the long run, this type of self-denial should bring a greater awareness and appreciation for all the wonderful things in our lives. I took a Happiness test so I can rate if my level of happiness increases with this exercise. I scored 8 out of 10, with 6.9 the average happy score. So, currently (without self-denial) I'm pretty happy. But, I will try the ancient teachings and be open to their lessons.
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