Have you ever been around someone that just seems to be happy all the time? No matter what hiccup in life they encounter, they just seem to be able to roll with it?
Happiness is defined as “feeling or showing pleasure or contentment”. We can be happy by feeling or showing pleasure or contentment in something. Happiness can appear as having a sense of confidence in or satisfaction with (a person, arrangement, or situation). You can be happy with something someone else did for you, and you can be happy to help people out in many ways.
But what if you’re not happy? Are all of these smiling people really as happy as they seem? Some are just born happy, but others make an intention to design a happy life. That means that anyone can make a decision to work each day to find happiness. Below are ten ways to start designing happiness into your daily life:
- Giving. You can choose to give each day in multiple ways – even if you are broke! Giving can be showing kindness towards others, doing self-less acts, and even just saying thank you to someone.
- Find Happiness Within. Happiness doesn’t come from the amount of money in your bank account. Happiness from within can come from staying calm, embracing challenges, unplugging from a busy life, nurturing your own creativity, and even by taking risks.
- Do What You Love. Seek self-fulfillment and identify and pursue your passions. Accept that happiness is right here in the NOW, and not dependent on some future event (when I get married, when I lose weight, when I’m in shape, etc.). Happiness can be found in any exact moment in your life, and you can choose to find moments of enjoyment each day.
- Be Productive. Evidence shows that setting goals and then achieving (or exceeding) those goals can be motivating and exciting. There is no better feeling than the feeling of achieving something that is important to you (losing weight, starting a fitness routine, graduating from college, etc.). Having a purpose when you wake up each day starts with decluttering your life, staying organized and focused, and doing something important.
- Be Optimistic and Positive. Staying positive starts with being able to laugh at yourself, having fun, and being around positive people. Fix things in your life instead of complaining about them. Avoid spending time with the Negative Nellies and Naysayers as much as possible – they will just bring you down to their level. Be grateful for what you have, and stop sulking about what you don’t have. Staying positive and focusing on the good instead of the bad will bring you hopefulness in times of need.
- Take Care of Your Physical Health. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to love yourself just as you are today, but work on the areas that you know cause you harm. If you drink too much, do drugs, or smoke, you are the only one that can choose to stop. You not only take your own happiness away, but you take some of the happiness of those around you as well. Love yourself enough to choose a healthy diet and get regular exercise. Plus, when you eat healthy, exercise, and eliminate risky behaviors, you feel great…and when you feel great you will automatically be a happier person.
- Be Self-Aware. Hold yourself accountable and be honest with yourself. Figure out your weaknesses and work on improving those. Stop avoiding things that aren’t easy, and instead take them head-on. If there is something inside you that you know makes you miserable (the way you look, your relationship, something someone said that hurt your feelings, etc.), identify how it is making you feel and address it. You will never find happiness within until you can be 100% honest with yourself about your feelings.
- Reach Out. Never be the last one to apologize – even if you weren’t wrong. Let go of resentment and find a way to forgive. Be grateful for good friends and family and don’t neglect them. Tell them you appreciate them, and tell them how much they mean to you. Have healthy and happy relationships.
- Live For and In The Moment. Breathe. Meditate. Don’t sweat the small stuff and stop worrying about the future and agonizing over the past. Let go of things you can’t control. Stop right now and find something to be grateful for – even something as small as being grateful that the sun is shining.
- Love Yourself. Take care of your needs and find balance in your emotional health. Get help if you can’t do it alone. Replace the negative thoughts in your head (“I’m so fat!”), and replace it with positive thoughts (“I ate a healthier lunch today and I’m headed down the right path!”). Be kind to yourself and love who you are right this very moment. Appreciate your weaknesses and embrace your strengths.
There you have it! Ten ways to design happiness into your daily routine. Start right now and begin with #10…Loving Yourself. Because the saying “You can’t find happiness if you aren’t happy yourself” is absolutely the truth.
