I have had the pleasure of sitting with Nyima Dakpa Rinpoche, founder of the Yungdrung Bön Center, a few times. He recommended meditating on happiness for at least 20 minutes, once in the morning and once before bed.

If it helps you, start by remembering something that has brought you deep happiness in the past, so that you can connect with the feeling of it, but once you are practiced at this, don’t associate your happiness with anything outside of yourself.

As you focus on the feeling, allow it to grow through you, touching every cell in your body, filling and clearing your chakras.

Sit in that feeling, focusing on it, to exclusion of all else.

Obviously, this will take some practice, because focus (and meditation) is a muscle that needs to be exercised, like most spiritual tools. Eventually, your life will become happier, because you are starting and ending your day with happiness, and it will permeate the rest of your life.

I would add that, especially at first, treating the noise in my head the distractions, the chaotic thoughts like they were a radio station in the other room. Can’t turn it off, but it has nothing to do with me right now and does not require my attention.

If 20 minutes is too much for you at first, start with 3 minutes. Just make sure you’re doing it every day. The repetition and the regularity count for more than the “quality” of your meditation. Just do your best, whatever your best is in that moment. Some day, 3 minutes will feel not-impossible. So bump it up to 4 minutes. Keep bumping up the time, slowly, getting used to the practice, establishing some discipline. Eventually you will make it to 20. Research as found, though, that if you are meditating every day, 8 minutes is all you need in order to receive all of the physical benefits of meditation.

It’s worth a try…?