Mumbai, March 20

On International Day of Happiness (March 20), 'Ballika Vadhu' actress Avika Gor, who is making her Bollywood debut with '1920: Horrors of the Heart', spoke about what makes her happy and how she stays positive and motivated in life.

She said: "My greatest strength is to forget the negative things people say and forgive them. It's not easy to do that. I've seen a lot of people forgiving, but not forgetting. And that kind of ruins the day as that's why they feel sad about a lot of things, and hold a lot of grudges towards people for a long time. I don't think I'm capable of doing that. So there's a lot of space in my heart for all the positives. And, I have zero regrets, zero negative emotions about anybody at all, no grudges, nothing."

"I think that is a big strength that I have, and I just let things go easily. It adds much positivity in my life and makes me feel really happy at all times, and when I see myself being happy, I see my loved ones happy around me. Just to see that happiness float around me I want to continue doing what I do," she added.

Avika asserts that being happy is more important than being successful.

"Being happy is way more important than being successful because if you are really happy and you know that, it reflects on your quality of work, then success just follows. That's why I'm a true believer of something like that. So I do stand by it," she added.

Happiness is also related to health and wellness, as she said: "They say that we should do things for ourselves, not just workwise but also healthwise and stay fit. I think happiness is something that you know makes us feel good about ourselves, about our lives. So it is very important to have that mental peace and satisfaction to develop a healthy body."

Talking about the things she enjoys most, she said: "The fact that I'm privileged enough to live a good life when so many people are struggling in their own way makes me grateful. So that is one thing that I really cherish and appreciate about my life. The second thing is the work that I do. I absolutely love my job. I enjoy going to the sets and performing every day."

"The third thing that I really cherish is having the time and being available for my family when they need me. My family is my priority, always. The next would be the happiness I bring into my life by enjoying all the feedback from the audience. The last would be my hobbies. I really enjoy singing, dancing, cooking and travelling. For me, I relate the word happiness with creativity," she concluded.

'Being happy is way more important than being successful,' says Avika Gor