Being happy is tough. Life these days does not always
lend itself to being happy. We are coming out of/still in a pandemic, people
are sick, politics is making people angry and so many other things are
happening that just make it easy for us to be unhappy.
Even with all the tough things in life there are habits
we can build to make our lives happier.
Gratitude
This is number one on every happy person’s list. When you’re happy you’re not focusing on the things in life you don’t have you’re focusing on the blessings you do have. I’m not talking about #blessed Instagram fake gratitude either I’m talking about being grateful for the real blessings in your life.
Focusing on what you have in your life to be grateful for will help you to stop looking around at what other’s have and comparing.
I know a few people who like to keep a gratitude journal. This can be a great way to really think about what you’re grateful for each day. A few years ago I did the #100happydays challenge where I took time each day to share something I was happy for that day.
Don’t be envious
We are living in a time where this is extremely difficult. Between social media like Instagram where you’re seeing people’s Instagram perfect lives and tv shows like Keeping up with the Kardashians where their insane wealth is on display each week it can be really difficult to not be envious.
Don’t envy people for the success they’re having. You might not be seeing all the work that goes behind it. Or the pretty photo might be a complete sham. Keeping up with the Jones is out! Just be happy for that person and don’t let it affect you.
Know your priorities
Happy people know that they won’t be able to have it all in life. They’re aware that in order to make the most out of life they need to figure out what their priorities are so they can make the choices and be happy. What brings you joy in life? Are you making time to prioritize those things so you can be happy?
Take care of yourself
What do the flight attendants tell you about your oxygen mask? Be sure to put yours on first! What that means for happy people is that they make sure to take care of themselves. From working on your health like making sure you get enough sleep and eat healthy. To the more intangible areas of life like making sure you don’t keep your emotions bottled up or meditating.
Build the right relationships
I read somewhere a number of years ago that you are most like the 5 people who you spend the most time with. I never thought that was a very accurate statement until I was spending time around toxic people. The way I was acting at home was almost exactly like those people, granted I didn’t have much choice since they were work people but I soon started working on getting into a new, not toxic position.
Surround yourself with positive, uplifting friends and family. As much fun as drama can be when it’s on the screen having drama in your life is not fun. So work to not spend time with the people who cause drama in your life, this will help you have a much better outlook on life.
Find the solution, don’t dwell in the problem
Life is hard. It’s always going to be hard there is no getting around that no matter who you are.
When you have problems don’t get down in the doldrums though take the time to open your mind and approach it from a solution mind set.
Who knows what can happen when you approach problems from a solution-oriented mindset. Many great discovery, invention or creation was started from trying to tackle and fix a problem.
Don’t focus on keeping up with the Joneses
Having stuff doesn’t make you happy. It might be able to give you a little bit of freedom but it won’t buy you happiness.
Don't focus on keeping up with the Joneses you will only find yourself consumed with what you are missing in life instead of being happy with the blessings you have. Work to be content with what you already have.
Instead, if you must spend money spend it on things that will enrich your life in the long run. Decide what those things are for you.
Don’t hang on to resentments
I don’t think this Is actually how the saying goes but I feel like resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die. Being resentful doesn’t hurt anyone but yourself because you’re the one living with the negative thoughts in your head.
Forgive them and move on. Don’t let the bitterness of resentment stay in your life longer than it needs to. Keeping negative emotions in your life only makes it more difficult to be happy.
Enjoy the moment
While you work to build a better future don’t forget to enjoy the moment and the journey. When anything good happens, stop, and savor the success. Do this for the small and the big moment. It’s much easier to enjoy happiness in the moment, without expectation. Happiness is in the journey, not just the destination.
Building new habits does not happen overnight. It doesn’t even happen in a week but if you work on building these habits over time, you’ll be well on your way to a healthier and happier life.
Start small, with just one habit. Strive for small changes and positive thoughts every day. Happiness is a state of mind. We just have to choose to be happy!
Post a Comment