Happier RIGHT NOW – 8 Simple Changes to Bring Happiness

1. Be grateful.

A very quick way to be happier right now is to have an attitude of gratitude. Look for things you are grateful for in your life. No matter what is happening to you right now, there is something to be grateful for. It can be gratitude for the people in your life, the food you ate today, your job, an upcoming vacation. It can be as simple as having electricity or indoor plumbing.

2. Find the silver lining.

In every negative situation there is something positive. Find it! It will give you hope. It is something positive to focus on. Acknowledge the bad, feel the feelings associated with it. Then find the good. Feel those feelings. Concentrate on that. You can’t change what has already happened, but you can change your reaction to it.

3. Avoid negativity.

Is there a situation where you consistently feel negativity? A coworker who is always complaining? A weekly TV show that causes you stress when you’re watching it (and maybe even beyond)? Is the content of your life filled with the feelings you want to be experiencing?

Find sources of negativity you experience and reevaluate their roles in your life. How much interaction do you need to have with that coworker? Do you join in with the complaining or do you take a more positive approach? Does the enjoyment you get from watching the TV show outweigh the negative feelings you also get?

You may find some unavoidable negativity (some family, your boss, etc.) Nick likes to play a game in which he tries to subtly encourage positivity in these people. When they start complaining, he will listen to them and then try to turn the conversation in a positive direction.

Related Post: 6 Ways to Be Happier When You’re Feeling Down

4. Create positivity in your life.

Find things that make you happy. It might be a vase of flowers on the table or a photo that always puts a smile on your face. It could be a person in your life that leaves you with a happy feeling whenever you see/talk to them. Purposely surround yourself with people and things that make you smile. Take a moment each day to appreciate them.

 

5. Be willing to make some changes.

If you’re unhappy with an aspect of your life, you need to be willing to make some changes. Until you are, things will remain the same. “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.” (Quote attributed to Albert Einstein) Start by doing one thing differently, followed by another. For example, if you normally watch a stress inducing TV show, find something to watch that is more uplifting. Better yet, call a friend who always puts a smile on your face. Make that a habit, then eliminate another source of negativity from your life.

 

6. Bring happiness to others to be happier right now yourself.

Volunteer. Donate time, money or items from around your house. Make someone smile. Do something unexpected (like a random act of kindness). Notice how you feel. By bringing happiness to another you also bring it to yourself!

Related Post: Attract Happiness Into Your Life

7. Find happy people. What are they doing? Why are they happy? If you don’t know, ask.

In my mid twenties one of my friends was having a birthday celebration at her mother’s house and invited me and another friend. We were all in the living room having cake and chatting.

After about 45 minutes her mother came over to me and asked what made me so happy. I asked her what she meant because we had just met each other. I didn’t really know how to answer her question and was looking for a place to start.

She said that she could just tell. When I asked her how she said she could just see it all over me, that I exuded joy and that she wanted to feel like that too. I explained that I had a great relationship with God and had many blessings in my life. She then said, “So you have everything you want in life, that’s why you’re so happy.” I explained that there were some things I wanted very much, most importantly someone to share my life with and to start a family, that I didn’t have yet. I let her know that I had been searching for that for a long time. She asked how I felt about it and I told her that I was frustrated and concerned that it might not happen for me. She then asked how I could still be so happy. I told her that I focused on what I am grateful for each day and had faith that my desire would come true.

Related Post: 5 Reasons to Surround Yourself with Happy People

8.  Be kind to yourself. Change takes time.

   We are often hardest on ourselves. We all make mistakes. Acknowledge them, forgive yourself, and move on. It is as important to forgive ourselves as it is to forgive others. Often, what you are beating yourself up about has already been forgotten by everyone else. 

What things do you do to bring more happiness into your life?