How To Be Happy

In this age of go, go, go we rarely stop and smell the roses. So many of us are trying to make it through the day – paying bills, getting the kids to their activities, completing that work project on time that many of us seem to have forgotten how to be happy. We may not be depressed, but we don’t seem to be joyful either.

Turns out, happiness can be cultivated. You can choose to be happier, and it’s pretty easy to do so.

How to Be Happy

Don’t Worry, Be Happy – The song might be an earworm, but there’s a lot of truth to it. To be happy you have to decide to be happier and that often means not worrying, not fretting, and not letting the day to day garbage that we all face from time to time, pull you down. Choosing to be happier isn’t just an attitude, you actually have to put the desire into action. That means surrounding yourself with happy people, or at the very least not hanging around a gaggle of Debbie Downers.

Laugh – Laughter is the best medicine and it’s true. It’s hard to be upset or sad when you’re laughing at a funny movie, comedy skit or just giggling with your friends over lunch. Laughing releases endorphins and that makes us feel happy.

Be Thankful – When you appreciate what you have, you don’t spend much time worrying about what you don’t have. We will always face struggles in life, and things don’t always work out the way we want them to, but the truth is most of the time, things work out for the best. It’s just a matter of recognizing that. Being thankful for what you have can stave off resentment and bitterness and it promotes happiness.

Banish Negative Thoughts – When you find yourself being critical of friends, coworkers or even celebrities on social media, put a stop to it right away. It does no good to criticize anyone, especially people we don’t know. If you’re critical of yourself, and most of us are, stop it right now. You can choose to uplift or tear down, which one do you think is going to be more productive? Lifting someone up is so much gratifying than tearing someone down. Not only will they feel better, but you will too.

Practice Forgiveness – Let go of grudges. Try to empathize with the person who caused you pain, you may be able to see that they were doing their best, and not trying to hurt you. Even if that isn’t the case, if they were indeed trying to hurt, odds are, they were hurt once too. Let it go, forgive and forget. The alternative is to wallow in the anger and hurt, and that gets you nowhere. You feel remarkably better if you practice forgiveness.

Be Active – An active body leaves little room for negative thoughts. Get outside and go for a run, walk the dog, do something. Research has found that watching TV, something most of us do each day, causes the lowest levels of happiness. Turn off the TV and go for a stroll, read a book, cuddle with your significant other.

If you’re wondering how to be happy, any of these tips will help you on your way to being a happier person. Happiness is not about winning the lottery, it’s about making the choice to be happy.