There is a lot of information to be had on the subject of contentment. How you get it, ways to keep it and why it is so important.

Happiness is vital to our physical and mental health. When we are happy, each day is a joy to greet, we look forward to being with others and eagerly anticipate our future.

There is a reason for this. When we are happy, those feelings of positivity connect us with the universe. When we are in sync with nature, we are aligned with the vibration of love, joy and contentment. Attuned to the universal flow of energy, we accumulate support and guidance and are able to receive what it is that we most desire. Wow, that sounds powerful, doesn’t it?

So why is happiness so elusive for most of us?

First, you need to maintain the right environment. It’s inevitable that when I falter in my eating habits or don’t get enough fresh water in my day, I become irritated. It’s difficult for the brain to generate happiness when its atmosphere is so cluttered with debris! To top it off, those seem to be the nights when my sleep patterns are most disturbed. I wake at 3am and my mindset flows to worry, doubt or other negative thought patterns. In order to avoid these episodes, I am getting more and more diligent with establishing habits that are conducive to a contented nature.

And, even after maintaining a healthy lifestyle, there will still be those days when you receive unpleasant news or feel frustrated with the way things are going.

Here are some of my best tips for rebounding back to happiness:

• Surround yourself with those that will help to promote your well-being. Remove yourself from negative situations if you can.
• Get vigorous, daily exercise.
• Go outside for a dose of sunshine – this is an automatic uplifter for me. If you live in a more wintery climate, then try to find a good true spectrum light source.
• Read, listen to or watch a motivating piece. This week, I am focusing on the book, “Super Attractor” by Gabrielle Bernstein.
• Meditate or journal on what you are grateful for each day. You cannot help but be more appreciative or content with your life when you recognize your blessings.

I hope this will help keep those winter blues at bay.

Remember you control your destiny. Aham Brahmasmi!

As promised, I am now using this blog to supplement my new book, Yoga Posts: Building a Steady Yoga Practice One Day at a Time. This week’s post refers back to Chapter #14: How Happy Are You? If you wish to start at the beginning of our journey, please look to my first post.