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We all want to be happy. Sadly, many of us tie success to happiness and decide that the only way to be happy is to be successful. When, or maybe even if, we realize that success isn’t a straight line, we are perpetually unhappy. I am here to change that. In a previous post I told you how to get happy instantly, and now I am going to help you with how to live a happy life.
How To Live A Happy Life In 7 Steps
Look At Stress As A Positive
OK, hold on here. I know when we get stressed, thinking positively is the absolute last thing we want to do. But it is a key to living a happy life. Currently you see stress as a threat and not as a challenge. I encourage you to start seeing stress as a challenge.
So how do you do this? The next time you are stressed, stop for a minute and think about how you can approach things differently next time around so that the stress in your life is reduced. For example, let’s say you are running late for work and stressed out. Next time, make it a point to plan ahead by thinking over your morning the night before. By simply taking a few minutes here, you can reduce or even remove the stress.
Now not all stress is in our control, but it helps to look at it objectively and see if there is anything we can do differently so that in the future the situation doesn’t repeat itself. For any time you can’t remove stress out of your life, you can rely on the usual tactics to cope – mediation and exercise are two great options.
Be A Kid
A lot of stress comes from getting old and not wanting to age. We focus on the things we can no longer do. We begin to worry about wrinkles and gray hairs. I say stop looking at what you can’t do and start acting like a kid! Go to a playground and jump on the swings. Spend some time just imagining things like you did as a kid.
When you start thinking and acting as if you were young, you will force your mind to start seeing things in a new light. The better you get at this, the better you will feel, both physically and mentally.
Give Up The Negativity Bias
Research has shown that no matter how many positive things happen in our day, if one bad things happen, we hold onto and focus on that. The same goes for raising kids. You can tell a kid 10,000 times how smart he is, but that one time you called him an idiot sticks with him.
The key here for how to live a happy life is to change this negativity bias into a positivity bias. Learn to look at the good things more and more. When something bad happens, find the good in the situation, no matter how small it is. If you need help with this (and we all do) check out my course on 30 Days To Positive Thinking. In 30 days, you’ll easily start seeing the positive in all situations of life.
Forget About The Past
Just like we have a bias to look at the negative, we also have a bias to look at the past. We wonder what we could have done differently or why things didn’t work out. It’s time to face facts – no matter how bad you want to, you cannot go back and change the past. So by constantly thinking about it, you are doing a few things:
- You are wasting your time
- You are missing out on life
- You are living a negative life
Your time is precious, so you are better off living in the now and being happy than being miserable over something you can’t do anything about. Accept the fact that what is done is done and simply let go.
Know That Money Is Just Money
Money can’t buy happiness. Well it can but only to an extent and that amount is much less than you think. (It’s only $75K a year!) So stop allowing money to control your life. If you have oodles of it, great! If not, accept that and start taking positive steps to change your outlook.
Maybe you need to spend your money differently. Stop spending your money on things and spend it instead on experiences. Go on trips or see a show instead of buying a new pair of jeans. The enjoyment of the trip will last much longer than the enjoyment you get from the jeans.
Find Meaning In Life
You are happiest when you have purpose in life. If you don’t know your calling, don’t fear. Take some time to figure it out. It could be volunteering or even raising a family or conservation efforts. There isn’t one set thing that brings all people to find meaning. You find meaning when you go out and experience life. Over time, you will find your purpose.
Sing
It doesn’t matter if you can sing or not. The fact remains that singing releases endorphins and that improves our mood. The best part is that we can sing by ourselves or with a group. It doesn’t matter, just as long as we sing. So stop reading this post and start singing!!
Final Thoughts
How to live a happy life is within all of us. For most, we are just stuck on some negative things that if we can get past, we will see a monumental shift in our happiness. So I challenge you to take some time to implement these tips and start living a happy life!
For more help with this, be sure to read about my 20 self improvement tips that will change your life.
Readers, what are your tips for how to live a happy life?
Jon Dulin is the passionate leader of Unfinished Success, a personal development website that inspires people to take control of their own lives and reach their full potential. His commitment to helping others achieve greatness shines through in everything he does. He’s an unstoppable force with lots of wisdom, creativity, and enthusiasm – all focused on helping others build a better future. Jon enjoys writing articles about productivity, goal setting, self-development, and mindset. He also uses quotes and affirmations to help motivate and inspire himself. You can learn more about him on his About page.
This is a very important list to observe. Don’t worry, be happy!