We all want to be happy, and the good news is that we all can be, most of the time.
Happiness is a mood, a feeling, but it’s been said that happiness is also a state of mind. So barring a tragedy or a really serious setback, we can all train or condition ourselves to be happy all the time, or at least, most of the time.
Here are eight things you can do to steer yourself towards the path to happiness.
Count your blessings.
It’s so easy to take your blessings for granted when you have them all the time, but every once in a while, it would do you a world of good if you stop and consciously appreciate the things you have.
Look at your partner and be grateful that they’re with you; a lot of couples aren’t together for a myriad of reasons. Gaze at your children and be thankful that they’re within arm’s reach and you’re not worrying about them. Appreciate all your material possessions and acknowledge how they make your life easier, more convenient, and more enjoyable.
Only when you consciously value all of the blessings you have will you come to realize how lucky you are.
Be content.
In our consumerist world of I got to have this and I got to have that, there would always be that gnawing feeling inside of us that what we have isn’t good enough, big enough, or new enough, so we spend a lot of time looking for whatever is better, bigger, or newer. It’s in this mindset of seeking and longing that we begin to feel deprived, incomplete, and empty, despite having all that we need.
We would all feel happier if we stop desiring the latest and the greatest, aspire only for what we need, and stop keeping up with the Joneses.
Live in the moment.
Sometimes you get to a point when every minute of your life is spent on the future—either you’re preparing for it, planning for it, or worrying about it.
While it’s true that planning and preparing for the future is wise, you should not allow yourself to be consumed by it. Set aside a day every week, or maybe even just a few hours every day, when you don’t have to think about the future, and just live in the moment.
Feel it. Be in it. Enjoy it.
Groom yourself.
There will always be times when you would feel down and out, either because you’re tired or sad or both. During these times, you’d probably look as bad as you feel, and seeing that in the mirror will most certainly make you feel worse.
So even if you don’t feel like it, even if it’s the last thing you want to do, you have to force yourself to get up, drag yourself to the bathroom, turn on the shower, and start turning things around.
After drying off, putting on some fresh clothes, and maybe spritzing on some cologne, you’d realize that even if you’re not completely out of the doldrums, you’re feeling a lot better.
Be with loved ones.
They’re your support group, your happy place, your charging station.
For your own sake and sanity, make sure you regularly spend time with your family and friends. Get dinner. Have a picnic. Watch a movie. Go on a road trip. It’s a time for drinks and laughs, but it can also be a time for venting, blowing off steam, consoling, and comforting.
Don’t have much time? Do a video call, or just say hello via the old-fashioned mobile phone. Staying connected to loved ones is your way of reminding yourself that you’re not alone in your journey, and that can be a great source of comfort and calm.
Indulge in your favorite activities.
Whether it’s as simple as binging on Netflix or as intricate as creating sculptures, you should always make time to indulge in your hobbies, no matter how busy you are. These are the activities that give you instant happiness and let you to detach from your day-to-day worries and concerns, and thus, allow your mind and body to recharge.
Indulging in recreational activities like playing video games and getting a makeover is like giving yourself a treat for a job well done, and we all perform better knowing that a little incentive is waiting for us after doing great work.
Rest.
Ideally you shouldn’t work more than forty hours a week. There’s no harm in doing a little overtime and some weekend shifts once in a while. Just make sure it doesn’t become the norm.
Countless studies have shown that people who maintain an optimal work-life balance are more productive, more efficient, and most importantly, happier. But we who have experienced burning the candle at both ends don’t need any research to know that working long hours is unhealthy. The proof is in the eyebags.
Rest often and rest well. It makes you better and happier.
Surrender.
You do what you can do, and control what you can control. But sometimes, despite your best efforts, terrible things will happen that are beyond your control. You can wallow and fester, as you sometimes should, but the sooner you surrender and accept what had happened, the sooner you would be on the road to recovery.
While you should take on the responsibility of making yourself happy, you should also acknowledge the fact that you can only do so much. You may not feel happy right away but eventually, you’d feel a tinge of pride and contentment when you’ve finally overcome these challenges.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio from Pexels