I'm not going to say that I have found the key to happiness or am happy all the time, but I will say that I have found a few ways to live a happier life. In this world of constant atrocities, never ending stress and a widespread fear for the future of humanity, it can be hard to find a way to be positive. I have compiled a list of the best ways to live a happier life. Before I begin I want to warn you that being happier can take effort, but it is worth it.
Find the positive side in everything.
This is hard. Really really hard. It is, however, the best way to become happier. I'm not saying that you should never be sad or angry, but don't dwell on the negative things because you see them as only negatives. For example, let's say that the morning of prom you get a black eye. Sure, getting a black eye right before prom is less than stellar, but will it ruin your night? No. With your pictures probably be a little less than perfect? Sure. Will you have a great story? Absolutely. Often, the positive side to negative events is a funny story later on. In the moment you might be caught up in emotions, but in a week or three years you might find humor in the situation.
Take time to relax.
This sounds easy, but sounding easy is different than actually being easy. Find a pastime that allows you to remove yourself from the stress of everyday life. This does not mean reading a book but getting distracted every few pages and forgetting what you just read. I find that active activities are the best to distract your mind. This could be doing DIYs that you find on Pinterest, playing Pokemon Go, or lifting weights.
Find something that you love.
Find a sport or hobby that you want to do all of the time, but don't do all of the time. Play baseball three times a week in a pickup game at the park or join a cooking club or teach yourself to play guitar. Having something to look forward to every week or every month will held get your mind excited and help you look beyond the stressful week ahead.
Surround yourself with people you love.
Have a minimum of five friends who can make you laugh until you cry and who will be there for you no matter what. This can be hard to find, and trust me, there will be people like this who leave or just pretend to really care. Distance yourself from people who make you upset or a lesser person. By no means should you be mean or exclusive because you've found your "people," instead get to know new people. Expand your friend group and allow new people to join you. If in two months or two years you realize that allowing them in was not the best idea, let them go, but do it gracefully.
Finally, and most importantly, SMILE AND LAUGH.
Smile at people who walk down the street or when you catch yourself frowning. Laugh at any joke someone makes even if it's not funny. Laugh when you make a stupid mistake. Smiling and laughing make you happy even when you're not. You trick your brain into feeling better, so the next time you are upset, just smile.
Live long and laugh on. Find your inner positivity and be happy.
