How to be Happy
Happiness – it’s something we all want to achieve, right?
Happiness is a state of wellbeing and is closely linked to the feeling of joy. Happiness typically comes when we feel that we are living a good life that has meaning and is satisfying. Happiness is often something that is ongoing, whereas joy is the fleeting feeling that is often created from positive experiences. Happiness and joy work together in a sense to give us the feeling of satisfaction that makes us feel good.
Sometimes the goal of being happy feels out of reach. Things may not be as you planned or as you wanted them to be. There may be added pressures from others or even from within to feel a certain way, or to feel happy all the time. However, being happy isn’t that simple, and like most things in life, we have to do certain things to achieve a certain result; it’s the same with happiness.
So what can you do? Below are some strategies that may help:
Practice Gratefulness
Acknowledge what you have. This is a great place to start and can help with the previous exercise. Being grateful for the small things can often show us that there are so many things that we can be grateful for that can contribute to our happiness. These can be as simple as your morning cup of coffee, your dog giving you a cuddle, spending time with a friend, or a beautifully warm sunny day. When you acknowledge the positive things you have in your life, you may find that you have more than you actually noticed!
Reflect
Take some time out of your day, and write down, or draw (whatever works for you!) things in your life that contribute to feelings of joy or just make you feel good. It may be a memory, a photo of a friend or happy moment, or your cuddly pet who waits eagerly to greet you each day. Being able to reflect and put our thoughts down on paper often opens our eyes to what is going on in our lives, and allows us to create more opportunities to experience these positive feelings!
Set Future Goals
Write down five things that you want to achieve or be different in your life. These are things you can work towards to bring you fulfillment and happiness. Fulfillment is an essential contributor to feelings of happiness and satisfaction. These 5 things that you write down should be important to you and reflect your purpose in life, rather than being tangible or materialistic. Whilst completing this exercise, remember to be true to your wants and needs and be sure to remember what sparks joy for you!
Be Happy Right Now
Another important factor is being happy within yourself and accepting happiness as something that fluctuates. All too often people assign happiness to the completion of a goal or the achievement of a certain milestone like losing weight, or getting THAT job, or finding the right partner. We don’t have to wait to experience happiness. We can experience this while achieving that goal and be happy right now. Complacency can be problematic and we can get used to what we have, and run the risk of falling into this pattern of achieving one thing and then looking for the next milestone, without taking a moment to recognise and feel the feels right now!
Happiness changes
Things that spark joy or give you an overall sense of happiness when you are young, may not do so when you are older. This is ok! It is important to continue to observe and revise what makes you happy or brings you joy. It is ok for the things that bring us joy to change over time.
Check your routines
Take a look at your routines. Like most things, our diet, sleep and exercise affect the way we feel, so making better choices with those may contribute to more feelings of joy, and improve how we feel overall.
But what if none of this works, and I am still unhappy?
Everyone goes through times where joy and happiness is in short supply. However if these feelings are prolonged or you are feeling unsatisfied and unhappy with life in general, then there may be something more going on. If this sounds like you or someone you know, please feel free to reach out to the friendly team at Progressive Psychology on 0477 798 932. We can help make an appointment with one of our psychologists today.
Lauren Hall is a Provisional Psychologist at Progressive Psychology