Many people spend their lives waiting to be happy. You
may think, “if only I had more money,” or “could lose weight,” or
you fill in the blank, then I would be happy.
Well here’s a secret: you can be happy right now. It’s not always
easy, but you can choose to be happy, and in the vast majority of
circumstances there’s no one who can stop you except for yourself.
The truth is, happiness doesn’t come from wealth, perfect looks
or even a perfect relationship. Happiness comes from within.
This is why, if you truly want to be happy, you need to work on
yourself, first.
What’s the secret to being happy? You can learn how to do it,
just as you can learn any other skill. Those who are happy tend to
follow a certain set of habits that create peace in their lives; if
you learn to apply these habits in your own life, there’s a good
chance you’ll be happy too.
The featured article compiled 22 such behaviors that you can use
to enhance your life and your happiness:1
1. Let go of grudges
Forgiving and forgetting is necessary for your own happiness,
as holding a grudge means you’re also holding onto resentment,
anger, hurt and other negative emotions that are standing in the
way of your own happiness. Letting go of a grudge frees you from
negativity and allows more space for positive emotions to fill
in.
2. Treat everyone with kindness
Kindness is not only contagious, it’s also proven to make
you happier. When you’re kind to others, your brain
produces feel-good hormones and neurotransmitters like serotonin
and you’re able to build strong relationships with others,
fostering positive feelings all around.
3. Regard your problems as challenges
Change your internal dialogue so that anytime you have a
“problem” you view it as a challenge or a new opportunity to
change your life for the better. Eliminate the word “problem”
from your mind entirely.
4. Express gratitude for what you have
People who are thankful for what they have are better able to
cope with stress, have more positive emotions, and are better
able to reach their goals. The best way to harness the positive
power of gratitude is to keep a gratitude journal or list, where
you actively write down exactly what you’re grateful for each
day. Doing so has been linked to happier moods, greater optimism
and even better physical health.
5. Dream big
Go ahead and dream big, as you’ll be more likely to
accomplish your goals. Rather than limiting yourself, when you
dream big you’re opening your mind to a more optimistic,
positive state where you have the power to achieve virtually
anything you desire.
6. Don’t sweat the small stuff
If the issue you’re mad about will be irrelevant a year, a
month, a week or even a day from now, why sweat it? Happy people
know how to let life’s daily irritations roll off their back.
7. Speak well of others
It may be tempting to gather around the office water cooler
to get and give the daily gossip, but talking negatively about
others is like taking a bath in negative emotions; your body
soaks them up. Instead, make it a point to only say positive,
nice words about other people, and you’ll help foster more
positive thinking in your own life as well.
8. Avoid making excuses
It’s easy to blame others for your life’s failures, but doing
so means you’re unlikely to rise past them. Happy people take
responsibility for their mistakes and missteps, then use the
failure as an opportunity to change for the better.
9. Live in the present
Allow yourself to be immersed in whatever it is you’re doing
right now, and take time to really be in the present
moment. Avoid replaying past negative events in your head or
worrying about the future; just savor what’s going on in your
life now.
10. Wake up at the same time every morning
Getting up at the same time every day (preferably an early
time) is deceptively simple. Doing so will help regulate your
circadian rhythm so you’ll have an easier time waking and likely
feel more energized. Plus, the habit of rising early every day
is one shared by many successful people, as it enhances your
productivity and focus.
11. Don’t compare yourself to others
Your life is unique, so don’t measure your own worth by
comparing yourself to those around you. Even regarding yourself
as better than your peers is detrimental to your happiness, as
you’re fostering judgmental feelings and an unhealthy sense of
superiority. Measure your own success based on your progress
alone, not that of others.
12. Surround yourself with positive people
The saying “misery loves company” is entirely true. That’s
why you need to choose friends who are optimistic and happy
themselves, as you will be surrounded with positive energy.
13. Realize that you don’t need others’ approval
It’s important to follow your own dreams and desires without
letting naysayers stand in your way. It’s fine to seek others’
opinions, but happy people stay true to their own hearts and
don’t get bogged down with the need for outside approval.
14. Take time to listen
Listening helps you soak in the wisdom of others and allows
you to quiet your own mind at the same time. Intense listening
can help you feel content while helping you gain different
perspectives.
15. Nurture social relationships
Positive social relationships are a key to happiness, so be
sure you make time to visit with friends, family and your
significant other.
16. Meditate
Meditation helps you keep your mind focused, calms your
nerves and supports inner peace. Research shows it can even lead
to physical changes in your brain that make you happier.
17. Eat well
What you eat directly impacts your mood and energy levels in
both the short and long term. Whereas eating right can prime
your body and brain to be in a focused, happy state, eating
processed junk foods will leave you sluggish and prone to
chronic disease. My
free
nutrition plan is an excellent tool to help you choose the
best foods for both physical and emotional wellness.
18. Exercise
Exercise boosts levels of health-promoting brain chemicals
like serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine, which may help
buffer some of the effects of stress and also relieve some
symptoms of depression. Rather than viewing exercise as a
medical tool to lose weight, prevent disease, and live longer –
all benefits that occur in the future – try viewing exercise as
a daily tool to immediately enhance your frame of mind, reduce
stress and feel happier.
19. Live minimally
Clutter has a way of sucking the energy right out of you and
replacing it with feelings of chaos. Clutter is an
often-unrecognized source of stress that prompts feelings of
anxiety, frustration, distraction and even guilt, so give your
home and office a clutter makeover, purging it of the excess
papers, files, knick knacks and other “stuff” that not only
takes up space in your physical environment, but also in your
mind.
20. Be honest
Every time you lie, your stress levels are likely to increase
and your self-esteem will crumble just a little bit more. Plus,
if others find out you’re a liar it will damage your personal
and professional relationships. Telling the truth, on the other
hand, boosts your mental health and allows others to build trust
in you.
21. Establish personal control
Avoid letting other people dictate the way you live. Instead,
establish personal control in your life that allows you to
fulfill your own goals and dreams, as well as a great sense of
personal self-worth.
22. Accept what cannot be changed
Everything in your life is not going to be perfect, and
that’s perfectly all right. Happy people learn to accept
injustices and setbacks in their life that they cannot change,
and instead put their energy on changing what they can control
for the better.
© Copyright 1997-2013 Dr. Joseph Mercola. All Rights Reserved.