Being happy is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. You deserve the happiness that comes with life but sometimes we get so caught up in other things we don’t allow ourselves to truly be happy. Here are some easy steps you can implement in your day to day life to help yourself onto the path of happiness.
1. Letting go of the past
One thing that generally holds people back from being happy is holding onto painful memories or refusing to allow themselves to forgive someone because they think they don’t deserve it. The thing about forgiveness is that it almost has nothing to do with the other person or what they did. Forgiveness is about you. You don’t have to back to the way things were with that person or force something that isn’t there but you must forgive them. Allowing yourself to forgive someone allows you to move on from the situation and free your mind from negativity.
2. Accepting what is
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Is not just a serenity prayer made famous by Reinhold Niebuhr but a phrase to live by. It will do you no good nor will it make you happy trying to change things you have no control over. If you can change it, do so, if not, leave it be and change other things that you can. Focusing energy on preventing the moon from rising never made the sun shine any brighter.
3. Ridding yourself of toxic relationships
This one of the most important steps in becoming happy. No matter how long you’ve known someone or how close you are, if they aren’t good for you, let them go. If someone is constantly making you feel less than or hurting you in any way they do not deserve to be in your life. Getting rid of toxic people is hard, especially if you’ve known them for a long time, but it is worth it. Ridding yourself of those who do nothing but subtract from your happiness and emotionally drain you is one of the most satisfying things in life. You may be accused of “changing” or being “fake” but there’s nothing wrong with doing things to make yourself happy.
4. You time
Relaxation is key in being happy. You need time to be with yourself and leave the real world for a while. Meditation is a great way to relax and take your mind off of stressful things. Finding small ways each day, for about an hour, will allow you to distress and not carry the weight of the world with you all day. Ways such as singing loudly in the car on your commute, cooking, watching videos or setting an alarm for a well-deserved nap are all a great way to give yourself time to relax and leave reality. Another key step in you time is staying away from social media. No tweeting, Snapchatting, liking, or pinning for an hour won’t kill you and in fact, keep you from seeing something that could stress you out.
5. Attitude and outlook
The way you see things will affect your happiness. You have to choose to be happy. Choosing to see the world through rose-colored glasses doesn’t blind you from reality but allows you to focus on the good things in life. If you’re involved in drama or a stressful environment think about all of the good things that happened that day, no matter how minor it may seem. Having a positive outlook truly does make things better for you because you’ll stop focusing on the negative and only see the positive which will, in turn, make you happy.
6. Health
Your physical health is just as important as your mental health. Exercising and eating well will make your body feel great which will make you feel great. Exercising releases endorphins, hence the term “runner’s high,” which makes you feel great for the rest of the day even though you might currently be sore. The same goes for eating well. If you don’t fill your body with junk that does nothing in the way of nutrients and instead fill yourself with healthy things you’ll feel better. Junk food makes your body feel sluggish and lethargic whereas healthy foods give you energy and do great things for your body.
7. Being your truest self
Staying true to you will always keep you happy. Doing things you like and are passionate about is good for you. If you’re constantly doing things because others want you to do them and you don’t want to, you aren’t being true to yourself. You have to live your life for you and no one else.
8. Relationships
Developing a few good relationships will do wonders for your happiness. These relationships don’t have to be romantic or forced; you can develop deeper connections with those you already know. Having a team or reliable friends to go to when you need them will keep you focused on the positive. Friends already give you happiness, especially best friends, so having those great fun relationships will make you happy in the long run.
