Everybody wants to be happier in life, right? I mean, nobody wants to go through life constantly feeling down on themselves and feeling down on life. I mean, that’s just not any fun…
Sometimes, though, it’s hard to find happiness. Sometimes, it can be incredibly challenging to focus on the good and we don’t know where to look. Sometimes, we all just need that little spark to get back to being happy.
I know for me, I definitely needed a little bit more happiness in my life over the course of the last few days.
After a few days of being lost in my own thoughts, I am finally getting back to being my happy and cheerful self again – at least I like to think I am normally happy and cheerful…
I think some of the unhappiness I was experiencing came from my seasonal depression. As much as I love the beauty of fall, it also reminds me of my time back in college when I was diagnosed with depression.
I was diagnosed with depression at the beginning of my junior year of college, and ever since then, fall just hasn’t been the same enjoyable season it used to be. I begin to focus on the long winter months ahead and constantly reflect back on that low-point in my life when I was first diagnosed with depression.
Plus, the days get shorter and the nights get longer. Nobody likes that…
So after taking a few days for myself, I finally feel as though I am getting back to “normal.” That’s why I want to share this. I want to help you find happiness in your life as well because I know all too well how challenging it can sometimes be.
What Is Happiness?
First, it’s important to know what happiness is. We all have an idea of what happiness is, but what does it actually mean? How would you define happiness? Do you think happiness is the same thing to you as it is to others? What impact does happiness have on our lives?
Happiness is that mental or emotional state, including positive or pleasant emotions that cause excitement and joy. It’s also used in the context of life satisfaction, subjective well-being, flourishing and well-being.
Okay, enough of the Webster definition.
To me, happiness is about feeling light and bright. It’s that feeling that gives you an extra spring in your step and that feeling that causes you to smile even when life isn’t going according to your plan. You simply don’t need a plan because you are grateful just to be here today.
To me, that’s what it means to be happy. Just that sense of being right where you are and doing what it is you want to be doing with YOUR life.
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5 Small Ways To Feel Happier Quickly
Now, that feeling is never going to be permanent. Just like sadness is temporary, so too is happiness. Moods change, happiness comes and goes, but there are some things that have helped me to find that sense of happiness and joy when I tend to be in a rather negative state of mind.
Before we get into it, just know that nothing is going to change if you aren’t willing to first change your mindset. Mindset is EVERYTHING when it comes to living a happier and more enjoyable life.
Your mindset will help you achieve everything you want in life or make life incredibly miserable and unsatisfying.
Everything you do with your time, everything you do with your body, your work, your social life, your mental health – it all starts with your mindset and your beliefs.
So now that you know what it takes to feel happier, what are some things you can start doing on a daily basis to actually achieve this feeling of happiness?
1. Pray
First, and what I think to be the most important way to feel happier, is to pray.
I like to think of myself as a spiritual person. I know that God has a plan for me in life, and sometimes, I have to remind myself to take a step back and surrender to God, to listen to God, and to do what God is telling me to do.
There is something freeing about listening to God and allowing Him to take the reigns. It helps to relieve stress and allows me to just simply “be,” which definitely helps me to find to find more happiness and enjoyment in life.
2. Positive Affirmations & Being Optimistic
I was listening to a podcast this morning when I heard the saying “Insecurity right now is an epidemic in our society.” To this, I would agree. We spend far too much of our time comparing ourselves to what we see on the television and on social media. This constant comparison can be motivating, but oftentimes, it leaves us feeling down on ourselves and on our abilities.
That’s where positive affirmations can be beneficial. Any time you change the way you feel about yourself, you change your behaviors. When you start changing those negative thoughts of not being good enough and not being capable of, to thoughts of encouragement and thoughts positivity, that’s when your behaviors start to change and become more reflective of those very thoughts.
You are the thoughts in which you think, so ensure you are thinking positive and uplifting thoughts as much as possible.
Instead of telling yourself you’re a failure, tell yourself you’re a success. When your fears tell you that you can’t, overpower them by telling yourself that you can. Go into the day feeling optimistic that it’s going to be a good day, because if you do, it will generally be a good day.
3. Practice Gratitude
Being grateful for what you already do have in life instead of focusing on what’s missing in life is always going to help you to feel happier. Look at your life and be grateful of all that’s going right. Don’t get down on yourself just because something may not be perfect. Focus on the good, because when you focus on the good, more good things will happen.
If you’re having a difficult time being able to do that, get creative and be imaginative. What is it that you really want out of life and what are some of the thoughts that bring you pure and utter joy just thinking about?
Many people avoid doing this because they don’t want to be disappointed if things don’t work out. But when you are grateful, you aren’t worried about being disappointed because everything is a lesson that is going to help you grow from the individual you are today into the individual you want to become.
The truth is that imagining getting what you want is a big part of achieving it. It helps you put into perspective just how capable and strong you truly are. In turn, that will help you find more gratitude.
4. Make Self-Care A Priority
If you are struggling to find happiness, try taking some time solely for yourself and go do something that you enjoy doing. Give yourself some time to escape from all of the responsibilities in your life and do something that you know will help to put you in a better mood.
Maybe this means going for a long walk and clearing your head. Maybe it means taking the afternoon off from work and going to a local park to read a book. Whatever it is, do it. Do more of the things that make you happy.
This week, I took a day off of work because I wasn’t in the right mindset. You know what I did? Absolutely nothing! I sat on the couch for the majority of the day, watched television, and read a book. The best part about it is that I deserved that day off. We all do! We just need to be willing to allow ourselves to take that day off every once in a while so that we can regroup.
5. Believe
Confront your fears. Fear is that little voice inside our heads telling us that we aren’t good enough so we shouldn’t even bother trying.
Here’s the thing about fear… you are never going to be able to overcome it unless you are at least willing to try.
You might be scared of all of these different scenarios and possibilities in life, but until you at least give yourself a fighting chance, you are never going to know what you could have achieved.
The only thing you should fear in life is not doing more of the things that make you happy with the precious time you have.
Have some faith in yourself, give yourself a chance to not only fail, but also a chance to succeed, and believe in all that you are worth. Whether you believe it or not, you are you, and being you is your greatest strength.
What’s The Next Best Thing
I can’t sit here and say that these are immediate fixes. How much they help you is honestly going to depend on who you are as an individual. But these are some of the things that help me to find happiness in life when I am feeling down, and I hope they help you as well.
If nothing else, ask yourself what’s the next best thing you can do. What’s the next best thing you can do to live more freely and enjoy your life to the fullest?
Now do it.
Michael Bonnell
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