Experiencing lasting happiness is a goal that many of us would love to achieve. Happiness means finding joy and contentment, while being satisfied with the way things are, rather than always wanting more. If we spend our lives chasing the next goal rather than living in the moment, we may never realize that happiness was at our fingertips the whole time if only we had taken the time to stop and notice it. It's normal to feel sad sometimes, and nobody is denying that, and it's important to experience and acknowledge all of our emotions fully. But being able to also experience and enjoy the happiness you deserve is important too. So here are some tips that will no doubt help you do that.
1. Practice Gratitude
One tip that has been proven to increase happiness in a person is to practice gratitude. A handy way of doing this can be by writing a list of just a few things that you are grateful for in the morning or the evening. By having all the good things in our life written down, it makes us realize how lucky we actually are, and helps us to feel satisfied and contented in our lives. We may take things like having a roof over our head, or food to eat for granted, but for some people, these things alone would be enough to bring great happiness.
2. Focus On What's Important
It can be easy to fall into the traps of society by thinking that the only way we can be happy is if we have more; a better job, a better car, more money. But are these things really important in life? It's probably not what you'll look back on when you're older to admire. So focus on what is important: friends, family, health, and love. You'll realize you had the key to happiness all along.
3. Take Care Of Yourself
There are huge ties between the body and the mind. If we don't look after our body then it will be difficult for our mind to be in a good state, which is helpful in order to experience happiness. Make sure you're eating well, sleeping well, hydrating well, and exercising. Being healthy is going to make you feel a lot better in general, and will also increase your overall happiness.
4. Follow Your Own Path
In the age of social media, there is a tendency to compare ourselves to other people. Seeing the great holidays that people are going on can make you feel as though your life is boring, or seeing another friend getting married can make you feel left behind. But this is not the case. Everyone's life happens in the way it's meant to, at the time it's meant to. You never know what is going on with someone else behind closed doors, all you know is your own journey. Trust that there is no certain order or timeframe for things in life to happen, and continue on your own path. Don't focus on others, focus on yourself; everything is happening as it's meant to.
5. Reach Out To Others
Our society places an emphasis on the individual, for example, the belief that if we make enough money for ourself then we will be happy. But actually, it is the connection with others that has the power to bring us the most joy. Acts of service, such as doing things to help other people, can give us a huge sense of happiness as we feel that we have a purpose, that we are doing good in the world. Connecting with friends, family or even strangers brings reals joy, helping us realize that we are not alone. However hard things get, we are all in this together.