Hey everyone! It’s beeen a while since my last post, but I’m excited to reconnect and share some thoughts. Honestly maybe I am more of a winter writer becuase the warmth and sunshine does have me in the garden come spring and summer. 

Full Circle: Happiness as a Life Mantra

Returning to one of my core philosophies, which became the foundation of this blog:   Measure life in happiness.   If you know me, you know I preach this  Don’t chase money, chase what tickles your hear happy, everything else will flow. (And if it doens’t flow let it go). This comes from a marketing brand strategist trained to prioritize metrics like KPI’s and data analytics. Yet, when it comes to happiness, the KPI to track is your daily feelings. As humans, we seek elements of happiness and joy both personally and professionally and that drives us to find meaning and purpose. No matter where we are from, our age, or background, we can all relate and identify with the core fundamentals that make us happy.

The Science of Happiness 

There is scientific research supporting that when we prioritize happiness and wellbeing, it leads to a healthier and more fulfilling life. Happiness measurement, positive psychology, and mental health metrics all indicate that focusing on emotional wellbeing and psychological happiness enhances our quality of life. Rember what Bob Marley said? 

“Open your eyes and look within, are you satisfied wiht the life your living?” 

The Quality of  Relationships Matter 

Harvard did a study, one of the longest running studies on human happiness, which found that close relationships are the strongest predictors of long term happiness and health. Close relationships enhance your emotional well being and reduce major stress. Those daily check-ins with the fam jam or besties on text, those deep conversations over facetime, and those friends that turn into family get-togethers and dinners, all reinforce your bonds, enhancing emotional wellbeing and contributing to a longer, healthier and happier life. Building connections is not just about having people around, its about nurturing your close relationships and building a supportive, loving network that enriches your life. 

Mastering Your Mind

Struggle with self-doubt or maybe even a little anxiety? Feeling overwhelmed at times by negative thoughts?  Our minds often lean toward the negative, and it’s not your fault. It’s a combination of psychological and evolutionary factors, social and cultural influences and societal expectations and media portrayals that reinforce negative thinking. Our brains also default to negative under pressure. To break the cycle of negative thinking start use positive affirmations.  This along with behavioral changes can rewire our brains to focus on more positive experiences and outcomes.  The first step is becoming aware of your negative thoughts. Pay attention to your inner chatter and recognize when you are thinking negatively. Then challenge the validity of those negative thoughts, Are they based on fact or assumption? 

Bring on the Positive Vibes 

Positive affirmations are my jam, and they should be yours too, their essential. Feel that anxiety coming on, hit it with a positive mantra. Catch yourself thinking you cant do something? Replace it with a thought that you can handle whatever life throws at you. Everymornig, wake up and write positive thoughts, affirmations, mantra’s, intentions, anything positive into that cute little notebook you picked up, you know the one. Doing these practices can help rewire your brain over time into a more positive mindset. Practices like mindfulness and meditation can also help you stay present and reduce the impact of negative thoughts. Mindfulness teaches you to observe your thoughts without becoming attached to them, reducing their power over your emotions. A great book recommendation on this would be “The Power of Now” by Eckhart Tolle. In this book Tolle emphasizes the importance of living in th epresent moment and provides tips on on how to let go of past regrets and future anxeities to acheive inner peace. The mindfulness benefits are immense, promoting positive emotional balance and resilience. 

Return on Emotion as Life’s Best KPI

When you have a KPI that assesses the emotional return of our life choices and activities, that shifts the focus from materialistic and financial gains to the emotional satisfaction and happiness derived from your daily experiences. Regularly measuring your overall happiness quotient can help you understand what truly brings joy and contentment into your life. 

Women, especially, find themselves measuring life by milestones, accomplishments and comparison leading to stress and the feeling of inadequacy. When women shift their focus to measuring life based on their emotions, such as love, joy and contentment, it leads to a more fulfilling and joyous life. This approach to life encourages authenticity and teaches one how happiness can be sustained. It is when you focus on how the choices and activities you make have you feeling, you make more informed decisions that enhance your emotional wellbeing. 

Regularly reviewing your life satisfaction across personal, professional and social aspects are an essential component for maximizing emotional returns. Evaluating how fulfilling and enjoyable your daily activities are, and regularly measuring you overall level of happiness can help you understand what truly brings joy and contentment to your life. 

So, when was the last time you measured your life in happiness? 

Thank you for reading until the end, Ayerim

Ayerim Maduro is an award-winning destination marketer, multi-passionate creative entrepreneur, proud wife, and working mom of young adults, pursuing her dreams and passion for writing by sharing thoughtful advice and positive inspiration for everyday life.  For more ABOUT ME or related content you will find on Ayri Vibes my blog. These are a series of writings on topics I’m passionate about.  Such as my specialty in travel, tourism, & hospitality and sharing my expertise in digital marketing.  I also write about life experiences, uncovering one’s passion and purpose, and our family’s unique lifestyle.    Any, and all views, or opinions, expressed in this blog, are solely my own and do not represent the views or opinions of those people, institutions, or organizations that I may or may not be associated with in a professional or personal capacity unless explicitly stated.