What is the secret to happiness? Welp, the obvious start would lend another question, “What makes you happy?” Ah-ha! That’s where many of us get all tripped up. If you’re anything like me, this is a loaded and multi-faceted question. There are many things that make us happy. Well then, there must also be more than one road that leads to it and more than one route to measure it. At the end of the day, it all boils down to your definition. What are you looking for and how do you define it?
Securing a life of ‘happiness’ and narrowing down what it takes to achieve it can feel like a nebulous task. To make it a bit easier, let’s take a few minutes to get a jumpstart.
Get Ready. Get Set. Let's Roll! A happier you is in your view!
1. See The Bright Side. Think Positive Thoughts.
Make every effort to be mindful of the way you look at things. Always look for the bright side. If you allow it, the mind will drag you down! Don’t go there. There is always someone worse off than you. Try harder. There’s always a positive side to every situation.
2. Be grateful.
If you are consciously aware of the good in your life, it becomes harder to be bogged down with the bad. Nevertheless, remember the bad, it’s the foundation for your happy. When you think about the difficult challenges that you’ve overcome, you are better able to stand on the foundation of gratefulness.
3. Embrace ALL of your feelings.
Accept that you will experience emotions of all types. Be okay with that. Sadness, disappointment, frustration and uncertainty will all help to create a more realistic view of your world. It’s normal. If for no other reason, negative feelings help us to keep our expectations in check and to keep a good grip on life.
4. Take care of your spirit – Actively practice prayer and meditation.
Be inwardly free and trust God to take care of the things that are most important to you. Allow yourself to be calm and focused and to concentrate without distraction.
5. Don’t stress over the things you have no power to change.
I mean… why? If you can change it, do it. If you can’t, stressing won’t do it either. Place it in God’s hands and be okay with moving on.
6. Make every mistake a lesson.
A mistake is only a bad thing if you don’t learn from it. Don’t mess up a good mistake by not grasping the lesson. Failure is an opportunity for learning. Embrace every misstep as a tool for knowledge.
7. Watch what you say – Happiness goes far beyond your thoughts and mood state.
Words have power too. Don’t kill off your good morale with vile words. Speak goodness, prosperity, peace and joy into your life. Hear what you are saying to yourself. Take it in the power of your own positivity. Speak LIFE!
8. Keep It Simple – De-clutter your life!
Too many things and too much stuff can be the source of stress, frustration and anxiety. Clean out old contacts. Rearrange your office space. Spruce up your house. Make your home your sanctuary, free of everything not needed.
9. Keep it moving – Get in a little exercise.
It doesn’t have to be strenuous or a full-blown workout. Exercise not only helps in the battle against stress and negative attitude states, but it also releases endorphins the help improve your mood.
10. You are the company you keep - Good vibes are contagious.
Happy people tend to shift the atmosphere and rub off on others. If you’re open to receiving it, it’ll catch on. It seems that happy energy is infectious. You should then, as much as possible, keep happy people around.
11. Help someone else – Do at least one thing a day for someone else.
Practice generosity with no expectation. Pay a kind act forward, even when you don’t ‘feel’ like it. Treat everyone with kindness. When you make someone happy, you in turn become happy. The gratitude you gain may shock you.
12. Stay healthy – Maintaining good health is one sure way to maintain happiness.
Get enough sleep. Eat properly and be mindful of your diet. Avoid comfort eating. Good physical health is as important as good mental health.
13. Fresh air – Take in a mental break with nature.
Mingling with nature may help to hit the ‘refresh’ button in the moment. Even if only for a few minutes, step out, breathe in and exhale. Good. Now you’re ready to get back at it!
14. Set goals & celebrate achieving them.
Of course you have a long-term goal or two, but have you identified the short-term goals necessary to reach them. Lace your 5-year plan with 5 one-year plans. Celebrate every milestone. Don’t forget the things you’ve already accomplished don’t dwell on the things you didn’t.
15. Do what you love.
Especially on hectic days, take a break to do something you enjoy. It can be something small like, go to lunch, reading a book, take a bath, eating your favorite snack, texting a good friend or taking a catnap.
16. You deserve it – You are worthy to be happy.
You lived to see another day but instead of feeling contented and satisfied, you feel unfulfilled. Don’t subconsciously sabotage your own efforts to achieve joy. It’s not fair to you. Go ahead. It’s okay to treat yourself to something good, big or small.
17. Think happy thoughts – Think about the solution and not only the problem.
When you find yourself dwelling on negative things – refocus with positive thoughts. The Bible says in Proverbs, “A cheerful heart brings good healing, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.”
18. Listen to good music – Music soothes and uplifts.
Put it on your favorite tune and let it play as you go about your day.
19. Laugh a little - Engage in a little comedy.
Be it a show, a comic strip or a funny person, laughter is still the best medicine. It’s good for the mind, body and soul.
20. Smile – It suits you and matches your outfit well.
When it’s all said and done, it’s your attitude that dictates your mood. Bad things happen but you give it a label. Don’t allow your happiness to be determined by outside forces. Instead, choose to be happy and do what you can to add to your happy life! Live it on the bright side!
There's always a silver lining. You just have to be willing to find it!
When it’s all said and done, it’s your attitude that dictates your mood. Bad things happen but you give it a label. Don’t allow your happiness to be determined by outside forces. Instead, choose to be happy and do what you can to add to your happy life! Live it on the bright side!