I found happiness in the simplest of places: at the bottom of my coffee mug. How basic white girl of me, right? But really, I was sitting on my kitchen counter, much like I usually do, when I realized how genuinely happy I was in that moment. I had the largest coffee mug I own in hand sharing an omelet with my dog and I was happier than I had been in I don’t even know how long. So I said it out loud, “This makes me happy” and that’s when I began to find happiness everywhere. I even began to find myself becoming a happier and more positive person. It didn’t require anything, really. Some people feel as though they need to rely on someone or something to make them happy. They become so dependent upon said person or thing that when it is no longer around, it seems as though their happiness leaves along with it. Well I’m here to tell you, my dear friends, you don’t need a damn thing to be the happiest you’ve ever been. Here’s what you have to do.

Find what makes you happy

How obvious, I know, but bear with me. I found happiness in my oversized coffee mug, but that isn’t the only thing that makes me happy. The sound of my friends laughing, getting caught in the rain, listening to people talk about something they love, watching my brothers grow up, all of these things and so many others make me happy. So I’ll ask you, what makes you happy? Maybe you enjoy watching your favorite sports team or singing in the car. Do you like writing poetry or reading books? Do you find happiness watching the sunset paint an orange and red tapestry across the sky? It doesn’t matter what it is, just find it.

Say it out loud

This may be uncomfortable at first but I promise it is so worth it. Much like I did with my giant mug of coffee, just out loud tell yourself that you are happy—but you have to mean it of course. Let’s go back to my last point, maybe you’re one that found happiness while singing in the car. The next time you’re singing in the car and you realize how happy you are; say it out loud “this makes me happy.” It seems redundant and awkward but if you say it every time you are truly and incredibly happy you will soon realize just how many things make you happy. It might surprise you.

Don’t sweat the little things

It is very easy toget worked up over things that after a couple days, or maybe even a couple hours become irrelevant. I understand, in the moment it seems as though the sky is falling, your half-empty glass is leaking, and the world is crumbling down around you. It’s not. Just take a few minutes to separate yourself from the situation and deal with it when you’re not a panic-stricken mess. Maybe you failed your first exam of the semester; don’t let that determine how the rest of your semester will go. Figure out what went wrong, find a solution, and fix the problem.

Things will go wrong, but your attitude about the situation will have a major affect on how it all turns out.

Smile more

It is really hard to be happy with a constant frown on your face. Make a conscious effort to smile more. Smile in the mirror after you brush your teeth in the morning. Smile at strangers you see in the grocery store. Smile to yourself when you think of something funny in class. Smile all the time. You might get some funny looks from bystanders but who are they to judge your external happiness, am I right?

Make other people happy

I’ve found that making other people happy is one of the best ways to make yourself happy as well. It doesn’t even require much time or effort. Tell that girl you like her shoes or give some encouragement to the guy that looks like he’s having a rough day. Send your best friend a positive text message in the morning. There is no limit to the amount of things that you can do. Make it a goal to make at least one person smile every day. There is no better feeling than knowing you made someone else’s day.

I’ll leave you with this; a quote from Leo Tolstoy. "If you want to be happy, be."