Although you may have thought, as many people do, that happiness
comes from being born rich or beautiful or
living a stress-free life, the reality is that
people who have wealth, beauty or less
stress are not happier on average than
those of who don’t enjoy those blessings. People who are happy seem to intuitively
know that their happiness is the sum of
their life choices, and their lives are built on
the list which are below. If you have been looking for happiness, the
good news is that your choices, thoughts
and actions can influence your level of
happiness. It’s not as easy as flipping a
switch, but you can turn up your happiness
level. Here’s how to get started on the path to creating a happier you.
1. Invest in relationships Surround yourself with happy people. Being
around people who are content buoys your
own mood. And by being happy yourself,
you give something back to those around
you. Friends and family help you celebrate
life’s successes and support you in difficult times. Although it’s easy to take friends and
family for granted, these relationships need
nurturing. Build up your emotional account with kind
words and actions. Be careful and gracious
with critique. Let people know that you
appreciate what they do for you or even just
that you’re glad they’re part of your life.
2. Express gratitude Gratitude is more than saying thank you. It’s
a sense of wonder, appreciation and, yes,
thankfulness for life. It’s easy to go through
life without recognizing your good fortune.
Often, it takes a serious illness or other
tragic event to jolt people into appreciating the good things in their lives. Don’t wait for
something like that to happen to you. Make a commitment to practice gratitude.
Each day identify at least one thing that
enriches your life. When you find yourself
thinking an ungrateful thought, try
substituting a grateful one. For example,
replace “my sister forgot my birthday” with “my sister has always been there for me in
tough times.” Let gratitude be the last thought before you
go to sleep. Let gratitude also be your first
thought when you wake up in the morning
3. Cultivate optimism Develop the habit of seeing the positive
side of things. You needn’t become a
Pollyanna — after all, bad things do happen.
It would be silly to pretend otherwise. But
you don’t have to let the negatives color
your whole outlook on life. Remember that what is right about you almost always
trumps what is wrong. If you’re not an optimistic person by nature,
it may take time for you to change your
pessimistic thinking. Start by recognizing
negative thoughts as you have them. Then
take a step back and ask yourself these key
questions: Is the situation really as bad as I think? Is there another way to look at the
situation? What can I learn from this experience that I
can use in the future?
4. Find your purpose People who strive to meet a goal or fulfill a
mission — whether it’s growing a garden,
caring for children or finding one’s
spirituality — are happier than those who
don’t have such aspirations. Having a goal
provides a sense of purpose, bolsters self- esteem and brings people together. What
your goal is doesn’t matter as much as
whether the process of working toward it is
meaningful to you. Try to align your daily activities with the
long-term meaning and purpose of your
life. Research studies suggest that
relationships provide the strongest
meaning and purpose to your life. So
cultivate meaningful relationships. Are you engaged in something you love? If
not, ask yourself these questions to
discover how you can find your purpose: What excites and energizes me? What are my proudest achievements? How do I want others to remember me?
5. Live in the moment Don’t postpone joy waiting for a day when
your life is less busy or less stressful. That
day may never come. Instead, look for
opportunities to savor the small pleasures
of everyday life. Focus on the positives in
the present moment, instead of dwelling on the past or worrying about the future.
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