Simple Ways To Be Happier
Some people seem to be just born happy. A sunny disposition, always looking on the bright side, never criticizing anybody or anything.
But for most of us, happiness is a lifetime of work. And a better word is happierness, because the true path to happiness is simply making ourselves just a little happier than the day before.
GIVE IT TIME
Meaning you have to devote time and thought to what you want from life, what you think will make you happier, and how to get there.
FOCUS ON HAPPIER
Assuming there’s no such thing as complete happiness, a more reasonable goal is simply to find ways to make each day or each week happier than the one before.
JUST SMILE
Not only can smiling trick your brain into believing that you’re happy and reward you for it, but appearing to be happier can make others want to be around you. And that’s good for you too.
BE GRATEFUL
So much unhappiness comes from focusing too much on what we don’t have instead of what we do have and why we should be grateful for it.
TRY A LITTLE KINDNESS
As you learn in some of the other lessons, one of the key ingredients of happiness in life is kindness. And it makes everyone around you feel better too.
SPEAKING OF KINDNESS
Don’t forget to be kind to yourself. Kindness starts at home, and a lot of unhappiness comes simply from being too tough and unfair to yourself.
FOCUS ON THE UNHAPPY
Most psychologists believe that the best path to happierness is to identify all the things you believe are making you unhappy, and focus on fixing them first.
FIND THE RIGHT PEOPLE
Surround yourself with happier people. Happiness is infectious, and the more joy in the people around you, the more joyful your life will become too.
FIND A PURPOSE
As you’ll also learn in some of the other pillars, purpose can often lead to the best possible life and make you much happier and more satisfied along the way.
FACE YOUR WORRIES
So much unhappiness can come from worrying about fears that might never materialize. Plan where you can and live every moment in between.
TRY VOLUNTEERING
I know we keep saying it but it truly is one of the best things you can do for your world and for the rest of the world. And because it includes things like purpose and kindness, it can unleash even more happiness. Sorry, happierness.