Express gratitude.
Appreciating what you have increases it’s value and your contentment. Gratitude is more that just saying thank you, it is a deep sense of appreciation and wonder for your experiences, blessings, relationships, abilities and possessions.
Cultivate optimism and positivity.
Intentionally look for opportunities. Search for hidden lessons as if it were a game. When things are tough ask ‘Is there another way to look at this situation? What can I learn from this?’ Identify the good in circumstances or people and refocus your attention there.
Stop comparing.
Social, physical and achievement comparison is the fastest way to kill happiness. There is always going to be someone taller, thinner, richer, more popular, more spiritual, more talented, more successful or more interesting than you. Get better at being yourself!
Nurture your relationships.
Deep, meaningful relationships are the greatest source of happiness. Prioritize your friends and family. Learn how the best receive love and practice what you learn. No one is meant to go at it alone, let people in and grow together.
Take care of your body.
Eat fresh fruits and veggies while avoiding processed foods and excess sugar which can wreck havoc on your emotions. Exercise regularly to get a boost of those ‘feel good’ chemicals, endorphins. Drink lots of water to flush out toxins and rejuvenate your system. Getting enough sleep each night helps to stabilize your mood and allows you to have a more positive outlook.
Savor the present moment.
Most of us, including myself, spend most of our time sifting over the past or worrying about the future. Be present! Take the time to experience the present moment and what is happening in and around you right now. Focus on the people in your company and not your cell phone. Dump the to-do list swirling in your mind onto paper so that you can live in the now.
Practice spirituality.
Happy people accept that there is something bigger than themselves and their problems. They connect with a high power through prayer, meditation, religious text, nature etc. Set aside a regular time for prayer and centering away from technology and other distractions.
Help others.
Being kind, generous and altruistic is a great way to boost your joy. Helping other people has a funny way of making us feel pretty darn good in the process.
Commit to your goals and purpose.
Figure out what it is you want, make a plan and go for it! People who set achievable goals and have a purpose or mission in life are far more merry than those who wander aimlessly. You can start by asking yourself “What is it that I want? What excites me? What legacy do I want to leave behind? What personal gifts do I have to share with others? While you’re at it let go of any limiting beliefs to which you might be clinging to for dear life. You can recognize them since they typically start something like this: “I can’t get a good job because...” “I’ll never get/have/do/be.....” “I don’t deserve...” “Life is...” “I’m not...” “I’m too...”
Have fun!
Dance, sing, jump, paint, run or laugh! Whatever it is that makes your heart leap and brings a smile to your beautiful face, do it more often. Overcome that resistance to spending more time having more fun.
Alright Gorgeous, I hope this inspires you to add a few helpful habits and eliminate a few hurtful ones. Please don’t beat yourself up if you cannot master the whole list all at once, remember this is a journey and we are all in it together. Be gentle with yourself and just keep at it. Comment below with your thoughts, I just adore hearing them. What ways are you going to implement the secrets of the ridiculously happy?
Ever wonder how some people just always seem to be glowing with jubilance? Even when bad things happen those people still manage to be authentically happy? Life can be that way for you too! There are a few key things I’ve found that happy people have in common. Although there are some genetic dispositions toward happiness, on the whole there are things we all can do to achieve a more blissful state of mind. Happy people have shared habits, mindsets and practices that contribute to a contented existence. What follows are the secrets of the ridiculously happy, revealed.
