1. Stop apologizing so much.
This was one of the hardest things for me to do. Ask yourself, why are you apologizing? Is it because you actually feel bad or are you just trying to fill somebody else's happiness? Alternatively, stop saying things like "sorry I'm an ass****." It forces the other person either tell you that it isn't a big deal, even if it was to them, or call you an ass****. Instead, thank them for being patient with you even in times where you're less than polite.
2. Thank the people in your life for being there for you.
Family, friends, co-workers, they are people that you interact with on a daily basis. Have you ever taken a moment to think about everything that these people help you with? Your mom might give you advice in a hard time, a co-worker might have stayed late to help you finish something, and you should not let these nice gestures go unappreciated. A simple thank you or some homemade cookies for those people in your life will not only make you happier, it will spread that happiness to those who will feel so appreciated when you let them know how thankful you are for them.
3. Fall madly in love with yourself.
People always say you can't fall in love with someone else unless you're in love with yourself. I don't completely agree with this, but it is a very important part of your life, and perhaps the most difficult. If you find yourself looking in the mirror and not liking what you see, ask yourself why you feel that way. Is it because of what you really think of yourself or because of what society thinks you should feel about yourself? When you are having bad thoughts about yourself, think of three things that you love about yourself. If that's hard, start small! Learning to love yourself isn't a process that happens overnight, it takes time. Each day, keep telling yourself three different things that you love about yourself and eventually you will have such a big list, the things that bug you won't even seem relevant anymore. Check out artists like Cécile Dormeau,
whose illustrations glorify bodies that defy the social norms of todays culture.4. Stop worrying so much about things you cant control.
Stress and worrying are some of the things that contribute to a lot of my own sadness sometimes. Worrying about what is going to happen in the future, how a class will go, or simple daily things can bring your mood down a lot. If you find yourself worrying too much about something, then confront whatever it is and try to resolve it if you can. If it can't be resolved simply, then take it in steps. Remember, worrying or overthinking a problem won't make that problem go away, and you might be causing yourself more harm than good.
5. Do something everyday that contributes to your happiness.
A trap that people like me fall into a lot happens when I have a lot of free time, but end up doing nothing. Making no use of free time to do something productive makes people feel under-accomplished. So, instead of doing nothing, I force myself to do at least one thing, and then it usually leads to being more productive and more happy. An easy way to start a new good habit in your life, like not watching so much Netflix, is to use your phone and the Internet as a nifty tool. If you visit this site, you can not only create goals for yourself to accomplish, you can even have a coach guide you through it!
