How to be happy? Have you been struggling with happiness issues your entire life? Do you think the world has forgotten you or no one cares about you? Did you get betrayed by relatives, friends, family members, or random forks you encountered in your life and now don’t know how to move on? Or maybe you can’t handle everything going on in the world? If so, you have come to the right place.
Happiness is something that everyone in the world dreams of. It is that states where we think we have made it and have nothing else to worry about. So, how do you achieve happiness?
Happiness is not something that will come to you randomly. You can’t wait for happiness and hope to get it one day. Instead, happiness is a product, a result, or an outcome from a hard job you have done. I am not talking about working really hard at your jobs.
Instead, what I am saying is that if you want happiness, you must work for it. You need to pay the price. There are things you must do to achieve your never-ending best state of mind. This article will guide you through things you need to do to boost your happiness.
If you want to be happy, you must start practicing the habits of happy people. Do what happy people do, and you will achieve the same results.
In this article, you are going to learn the top 18 tips you can use to increase your happiness.
Without further ado, let’s get started.
1. Believe that you can be happy
Believing in yourself is everything. If you want to be happy, first believe that you can be happy. Once this information is registered in your mind, it will not be hard for you to achieve happiness. Also, try to avoid negative self-talk as it could hinder your progress.
Most life difficulties you are facing today are self-imposed. You are the one who decided that you cannot do it. Even if some forks told you that you can’t succeed, they did not register that in your mind. You did.
This is why the first step to getting the happiness you have been looking for is to believe that you can be happy. Tell yourself that you are going to be happy every day until it becomes a reality. The first couple of times will feel awkward. However, after a few attempts, it will be normal and results will start pouring in. Believing is the key to everything.
2. Focus on how you can make others happy
Happiness is a result of the work you have done. Just like your paycheck, you cannot get paid without working. The more you work, the bigger your paycheck will be.
Happiness works the same way. The best way to create happiness in your life is by creating happiness in other people’s lives. Yes, happiness is a state of mind. Knowing that you have changed someone’s life will increase your happiness. It will make you whole.
Instead of worrying about what others can do for you, worry about what you can do for them. Remember, the more you do for others, the happier you will become.
Your contribution does not have to be something big or extraordinary. You only need to do little things or do big things if you can.
For example, the following are easy things you can do that can change someone’s life.
- Say good morning to a stranger
- Tell them they look nice
- Say you appreciate their work
- Offer your help when needed
- Stop your car and let a pedestrian pass
- Help someone across the road
- Help them carry groceries
There are a ton of things you can do to help others. Did you know that saying HI to a person who is about to jump a bridge can help change his/her mind? It is not about how big your actions are, instead, it is about whether you genuinely do them or not.
All these actions are simple, and yet, their outcomes are immense. Once someone is changed, they will tell you thanks, invite you to dinner, praise you, and tell you how amazing you are. All these are positive messages which boost your mental focus and increase your stability. In the end, you feel good about yourself and become happy as a result.
3. How to be happy: What you give is what you get
What you offer is usually what you receive. If you want happiness, you must offer happiness to others. In order to maximize your happiness and become a better version of yourself, avoid negativity. Treat people with respect and be kind to everyone.
Not only that it is the right thing to do, but also, it is a way to increase your happiness. The more positive messages you send out, the more you will receive. Focus on positivity and be kind. Keep doing this and you will be amazed by how much your life will change. Give without expecting rewards. Expectations create disappointments. Do not offer people something and expect returns. You will be disappointed. Just do what is right and move on. Happiness is created this way.
4. Focus on answers, not problems
One of the main reasons people find it difficult to be happy is because they focus on problems instead of answers. Problems are part of our lives. You can’t escape problems. The more problems you solve in your life, the better you will become.
Problems can cause a lot of harm in your life if not approached well. The best way to approach problems is to NOT dwell on them. The moment you recognized that a problem exists, you must move on to the next step which is finding answers. Spend most of your time figuring out the answer rather than how hard the problem is. Unhappy people dwell on problems and drive themselves insane.
Always remember that the more you think about the problems, the harder they will become. This will increase your stress and anxiety levels and drive you nuts. Move on to finding answers. The time you spent looking for answers will be worth it. This is the true source of happiness.
5. How to be happy: Educate yourself
Knowledge increases your confidence. Confidence increases happiness. Why is this true? When you are dealing with problems from your work that you don’t understand, for example, you will not be happy. You will always be stressed at work and feel the pain. What you can do instead, is learn how to solve those problems. This applies in real life outside of your job.
The more you know the better. There are millions of people who are losing their minds because they are getting the wrong results. Yes, they are following unproven methods /techniques and later learn that they don’t work.
Education is the key to almost everything. Focus on learning and make educated decisions. The more educated decisions you make, the more accurate your results will be. Hence, the happier you will become.
Earlier I said that happiness is an outcome of the work you have done. Learning and educating yourself on matters you face on daily basis, will be the price to pay for your happiness. Do not be like random people who panic about every little problem and are not patient in finding their answers. You are stronger than that. What you have to do is to boost your brain capacity and see happiness pouring in.
6. Start making better decisions
If you are unhappy due to unclever decisions you have made in the past, it is time to turn your life around. Start making good decisions and start over. It is not too late to change.
Always remember that it is not about when or how you start. Instead, it is about where and how you end. If you think you are too old to change, you are absolutely wrong. Age is a number. Using your age as an excuse will hinder your progress. Start making good decisions and do the right thing one step at a time. Everyone messes up and no one should blame you for it. However, if you keep messing up and never change, then you should be blamed.
7. Stop giving a damn on what others think
Are you one of those people who lose their minds from random comments they read online? Or do you spend a lot of time worrying about what others think about you? Are you worried that you will get negative feedback about your idea or thoughts? If this is the case, you have got some work to do.
What people think should not be your problem at all. It is in their minds, and therefore, their problems. What people think is not your responsibility. Never give a damn about what people think. Always remember that you cannot manage, control, impact, direct, or affect what people think. This is a god-given right and there is nothing you can do about it.
What will you gain from something out of your control? Nothing. If you can’t change something, stop worrying about it. It is a time to stop worrying and start living.
8. Be genuine and help as much as possible
Kindness is measured by how well you interact with the world around you. The difference you make in others, the good decisions you make, the sacrifice you make for others, all contribute to your happiness.
Always be genuine and help others as much as possible. You never know where you will end up. If you can help others, please, do so. You will be creating happiness in your own life without even knowing it. Later on, the people you have helped might pay you back when you are in danger or need assistance. That is how true and happy life is lived.
9. How to be happy: Keep trying
No one said that life will be easy and happiness will just show up. You must work hard and be patient. In your journey toward happiness, you will encounter setbacks, challenges, and much more. People around you will tell you that you have lost your mind or much worse. Ignore them and keep moving. Keep doing what you are doing.
Furthermore, you will have your own demons to deal with. You will doubt your ability to achieve true happiness. Sometimes, you will put a pose on your journey. Yes, you will fail. Did you know that if you have failed, you are better than someone who never tried?
You failed because you tried. People who have not tried yet do not have experience on what works and what does not. They don’t know how it feels like to fail. So, be proud of yourself, lift yourself up, and move on. You will soon celebrate the victory you have been waiting for.
10. Focus on things that matter
Your mental stability and happiness will depend on what you focus your attention on. Where do you spend your time? Do you spend your time looking for answers to problems or causing problems?
Keep your attention and focus on things that matter in your life rather than useless stuff. Keep working hard to improve yourself rather than gossiping, video games, movies, shows, worrying about every little thing, etc. Good activities increase mental stability and happiness.
Did you know that your happiness increases as you get closer to your goals? Focus on your dreams and forget about everything else.
11. How to be happy: Practice
Before you become better at being happy, you will first practice. You must know your craft and stick to it. You will achieve all these through practice. Nothing will come your way easily. You will try and fail. Practice prepares for perfection. So, keep practicing until you become the master of your happiness.
12. Tell yourself that you are a good person
Many people out there are struggling with themselves internally. They think they are bad people. They don’t think they can do good things for themselves or others. How do you move on and be happy? The greatest achievements will start inside you.
You must feel like you are a good person in order to do good. The opposite will prove impossible. This is why you should tell yourself that you are a good person. The best way to do this exercise is to do it in front of a mirror in your house. Look yourself in the eye and say: I am a good person. Repeat this many times during the day until you feel like a good person. That is how happiness is created. You will become what you believe in. If you believe you are a good person, you will become a good person.
13. Smile a lot: Fake it until you make it
Smiling boosts your happiness. One of the greatest ways to be happy is by smiling as many times as you can. Smiling does three things simultaneously. (1) creating laughter and happiness in people around you, (2) increasing happiness in your own life, and (3) improving the qualify of the environment.
You can see that your smile can help heal the world. Happy people tend to live longer and happiness contributes to their life expectancies. According to Encompasshealth, smiling improves your health, reduces stress, and helps you live longer. If you have been holding back on your smile, it is a time to crack open and bring your brightness out. Simile, be happy, and live longer. Just like that.
14. How to be happy: Meditate
Meditation is like medication. If you want to be happy, start meditating on a daily basis. It does not have to be professionally done. As long as you are relaxed and focus your brain in a stress-free state, you should be fine.
Research shows that meditation can improve your health. According to Healthline, meditation reduces stress, increases blood flow, increases self-awareness, reduces memory loss, and much more. If you want to be happy, now you know what to do.
15. Focus on what makes you happy
Happiness is created by channeling your entire life into what brings you happiness. If something does not make you happy, do not waste your time on it.
In order to succeed at this task, look deep in your mind or heart as some people say, and find something that you truly care about. Find something that makes you happy and be honest with yourself. After finding it, spend the rest of your life chasing it. This will mark the first step on your journey toward happiness.
16. Walk away from the problem
One of the greatest ways to solve any problem in life is to understand that there are endless possibilities to solving it. Yes, every problem has many answers and ways to solve it.
Are you having trouble with your problem? If so, walk away from it. Take a short break as needed to re-evaluate your strategies and rest your mind. Maybe you need to start over. The moment you learn that your methods do not work, it is time to rethink your options.
Instead of pressing through a wall, ask yourself the following question. Is there any other way to do it? The answer: Yes, there are. So, try to figure out other ways you can accomplish the same task. If you are getting frustrated and stressed about a problem, you are trying to solve it the wrong way.
17. How to be happy: Stay Healthy
Your body is the housing of your soul and it is the only one you have. If you want your spiritual being to be at its best, you must keep it in a well-maintained body. That is your body must be healthy and stronger all the time. You must eat healthy foods and drink what builds your body instead of destroying it.
You should avoid drinking or excessive drinking and smoking in order to stay healthy. Alcohol and smoking and other drugs affect your health and directly diminish your happiness. Take care of your body, and it will pay you back a million times.
18. How to be happy: Workout
Last but not least, try some workouts. Working out is one of the greatest ways to reduce your stress and improve your performance. Working out does not have to be that complicated. You also do not need expensive memberships to have a successful workout.
You can walk outside or run. Whatever makes you sweat a little bit should do the trick. You should work out at least 3 to 4 times a week. The workout will increase your confidence, self-awareness, and happiness as a result.
More learning resources
- 5 things to avoid before bed: If you want to be successful
- 6 secrets of success: Rules of success you should know
- 10 Evening habits to achieve success: Evening tips to reach success
- 22 morning habits for a successful day
- 51 tips you can use to become successful
- 8 ways to avoid negative people and focus on your goals
- 9 ways to increase motivation when facing challenges
- 13 sentences winners say: How to be a winner?
- 7 habits of happy people: How to be happy?
