How to be Happy!

‘The thing everyone should realise is that the key to happiness is being happy by yourself and for yourself’ – Ellen DeGeneres

If you were asked the question ‘what is your ultimate goal in life?’ what would you say? For me, and I am sure for many people, it would be happiness. We all want that, don’t we? For ourselves, our loved ones, for everybody. After all, if everyone in the world was happy, think how much nicer it would be!

So, however happy (or not) we are right now, how amazing would it be if we could be even happier?

I think I’m about as happy as I can be

Studies have shown that 50% of your happiness is influenced by your genes and 10% by life circumstances (e.g. age, gender and where you were born). So this means that 40% of happiness is within your control. Basically, you can choose whether to be happy.

We are all different of course and what makes one person happy won’t necessarily be the same for another. Interestingly though, it has been shown that the things that make us happy are some of the simplest things in life, such as good friends, being outside in nature, family connections, being part of a community or group, trust in other people, sunshine and pets.

On the other hand, climbing the career ladder, being famous or making lots of money (beyond what you need to live without fear of debt) don’t make us happy.

What’s so good about being happy?

Well, for a start it has been proven that happy people often live longer, healthier lives and have more energy. So if we can bump up our happiness levels then our energy and our health will improve too.

Then there’s the fact that happy people are able to make decisions more easily and see the world as a safer, friendlier place, meaning they have fewer day to day worries.

Finally, if you need any more reasons, happy people have better relationships and are seen as being more attractive and popular. Let’s face it, who isn’t attracted by someone with a genuine smile or infectious laugh?

So can you make yourself happier?

Yes! Being happy is a skill that we can learn, just like learning to ride a bike, bake cakes or fly a kite. You might start with finding little moments of joy in your day, taking the time to notice the good things. Maybe you’ll think of something you love but haven’t prioritised recently, such as dancing, swimming or reading a book, and make time for it as often as possible.

It’s also important to be happy for other people and celebrate their successes. Don’t be the voice of doom and gloom, pointing out the problems and pitfalls of their plans, they’ve probably already done that! We all thrive when we receive praise and positivity and being happy for someone else doesn’t diminish your own level of happiness, in fact, it increases it.

Conclusion

What we have discovered is that happiness, to an extent, truly is in our own hands. Naturally we will be affected by outside influences and circumstances in our own lives but we can all experience more happiness and joy in our lives. We are in control of our own happiness on a day to day basis and we can choose to walk away from things or people that are not making us happy. Basically, being happy is a choice we make.

The Tiny Tweak

So what could you do to increase your happiness? What little thing would make you smile, bring you joy, and make your day happier than it would be otherwise. I’m not going to suggest anything this week as we are all so different but I’d love to know what you choose! Don’t forget that you can add in as many happiness tweaks as you can fit into your day and if you do them regularly, they’ll soon become a habit and before you know it, you will be a happier person which not only benefits you, but also everyone around you! Go on, be happy!

I’m going to leave you with a thought by Roy T Bennett ‘Do not set aside your happiness. Do not wait to be happy in the future. The best time to be happy is always now‘.

Until next time xx

If you enjoyed this post, please give it a like and let me know in the comments what you’re going to do to increase your happiness. If you know someone else who might like this post, feel free to share the link or reblog it!