Most of us struggle at some time with the conundrum of how to be happy. There are things that happy people seem to know, just simple things that we really should all know.
The truth is that we do know, we just forget! There’s no big secret, just a few simple life changes can make a huge difference to our appreciation and enjoyment of life. Here’s a list of 7 easy tips to remember each day that will amplify your happiness…
1. Show gratitude
A simple thank you, to God, the sky, Mother Earth, to the universe or to no one in particular, is all it takes to ramp up your happiness levels. The simple gesture of gratitude is a sure way to make you notice the small but wonderful things that happen hundreds of times each day
A smile from your friendly neighbour, a rainbow on a cloudy day, a bird on your windowsill, the colour of the trees, the stars in the sky. Happy people know that we’re all blessed and lucky in special ways and that acknowledging it will bring more blessings and more luck their way.
2. Be optimistic
The world is over-flowing with opportunities, and happy people know this deep in their souls. To take an optimistic spin on every occurrence is not always easy but certainly a wonderful habit to cultivate.
When things go wrong, some see failure, some see an opportunity to learn and grown. Decide that your glass is always half full, never half empty and see how opportunities and happiness multiply! Discover ten easy ways to boost your optimism in my article on how to be optimistic.
3. Look after yourself
There’s an expression that if you don’t look after yourself then no one else will. While not entirely true, it really is important that you love yourself by getting enough exercise, enough fun and relaxation, sleeping well and eating healthily. These are gifts you can give yourself each and every day to help you relearn how to be happy, investments in your present and future that will pay off with massive increases in self-esteem, energy and happiness.
4. Slow down
If you’re rushing through life, multi-tasking and trying to get everything done as fast as possible, your life is flying past you and you’re simply not appreciating each beautiful moment of it.
Take a few deep breaths. Slow down. Look around, smell the air, listen for the tiniest sounds and get into the present moment. You’ll free yourself from the stress of rushing and find a deeper satisfaction and a happy life.
5. Enjoy absorbing hobbies
People who know how to be happy are often very passionate about their hobbies, they invest a lot of time and energy into them and reap huge rewards in return. Remember how you would play as a child, not thinking of anything other than the game? Well you can recapture this ‘flow’ as an adult by absorbing yourself in an activity, whether it be sport, making models, cooking or baking, or adult colouring books.
The key is to keep banishing outside thoughts and worries – be strict with yourself at first and force yourself to stay centred on your chosen hobby. You’ll soon find an effortless feeling of relaxed concentration that is transferable to any hobby or pastime you undertake.
6. Forgive
The ability to forgive is a powerful thing. Use it. A lot of people believe that forgiveness is to do with the other person, but it’s not; it’s to do with you and letting go of negative emotions. Forgive everyone and everything (especially yourself!) and feel the heavy emotions drifting away from you, like clouds on a summer’s day clearing to a beautiful blue sky.
7. Make time for friends
Too many people say that they just don’t have time to see or speak with their friends regularly. They see friendships as something to be slotted into life after all the ‘important’ things are dealt with. Happy people know that friendships are top of the list of priorities and time should be carved out to nurture these oh-so-important relationships.
Loneliness is a terrible thing that causes depression and related illnesses so invest time and energy into good friendships and you will be repaid in dividends by the joy these relationships bring to you.
Final thoughts
Happiness is easy if we’ll only let ourselves experience it and enjoy it. Take some time each day to remember these simple tips; you have nothing to lose and so much to gain and, at the end of the day, happiness is the one thing that can truly transform every area of your life.
