Not always being very happy is completely normal, but this does not mean that a condition of persistent serenity, satisfaction and gratitude towards life cannot be reached. The first thing to do is to learn to be happy with yourself. Positivity and gratitude must become two daily practices. To do this, start developing new habits that promote good humor and self-esteem.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Feeling Satisfied and Satisfied
Step 1. Learn to love yourself
To be happy, it is essential to love yourself because it shows that you are able to accept yourself as you really are. This milestone can make you feel more fulfilled and confident about yourself.
- Write down what characteristics you love about yourself. You can include your physical attributes, your abilities, your personality traits, and even personal bonds. Reread your list at times when your self-esteem is wavering.
- Stand in front of the mirror and put into words the love you feel towards yourself. For example, you might say, "I love myself and nothing can change my mind."
- In difficult times, treat yourself as you would treat a good friend. Reserve the same words and the same gestures of comfort.
Step 2. Remind yourself that you are capable of overcoming any difficulty
Often it is our beliefs that determine our attitude. When you are convinced that you cannot do something, you boycott your success on your own. Remind yourself every day that you can succeed in anything.
- When you are faced with an obstacle or need to solve a problem, instead of giving up, repeat to yourself "I can do it" and consider the current situation as an opportunity to learn something new.
- Don't be afraid of failure. When you make a mistake, gather your strength and try again. Remember that every failure is simply an opportunity to learn something you did not yet know.
Step 3. Don't compare yourself to others
Every person's life is unique and different, so making comparisons is completely useless. Rather, remind yourself of your talents, goals, and opportunities. Base your happiness on what you have been able to achieve, regardless of what others have done.
Social networks inevitably lead you to compare yourself to other people. If this is a threat to your peace of mind, consider deleting your accounts or reducing the time you spend observing the lives of others
Step 4. Learn to forgive yourself when you make a mistake
When you make a mistake, act like your best friend made a mistake. Avoid harassing yourself by brooding over the situation and promise to do better in the future.
Step 5. Find the right balance between work, family and hobbies
Balance is important in all aspects of life. Find a way to reconcile work and family commitments with the desire and need to have fun, deepen personal interests, exercise and relax.
- If work interferes with your private life, try to plan your days in advance. Get an agenda and set aside time for social activities and relaxation. Don't let work commitments disturb your leisure time.
- Try to take care of yourself every day. Pamper yourself with a warm bath, go for a run in the park or paint if you are a painting lover. Practice activities that help you relax.
Part 2 of 3: Be More Positive
Step 1. Think positive
Stop the flow of thoughts whenever you catch yourself thinking in negative terms, such as "I'm not capable" or "What a bad day". Turn your thoughts into a positive one, for example by saying "I can do it if I try" or "This day can only get better".
Write happy, inspiring affirmations on sticky notes and stick them on your mirror, desk, computer, refrigerator, etc. to encourage you to think positively. You can use simple statements, such as "you are awesome" or "you can make your dreams come true"
Step 2. Compliment yourself
Praised for the efforts made and the goals achieved, even for small successes. Remind yourself that you are strong, talented, or able to work hard.
- For example, you might say to yourself, "You did all your homework today! Great job!"
- Write down the compliments you deserve from time to time, for example in your journal or on your computer.
- Celebrate the achievement of an important goal with a reward. Go out for dinner, buy yourself a gift, or plan a fun activity to do with loved ones.
Step 3. Smile when you feel low
The simple act of smiling can make you feel better. When you feel stressed, anxious or upset, try to smile - a real one that makes your eyes shine. It's a quick and easy way to release tension and get your spirits back.
Step 4. Surround yourself with positive people
Social life plays a fundamental role in regards to mood. The cynical and negative behaviors of others have the ability to influence you. It is best to get infected with people who have a happy, optimistic and carefree attitude.
- If you are not happy with your social relationships, try to make new friends. You can meet new people by dedicating yourself to volunteering, joining an association, playing sports or taking lessons on a subject you want to learn more about.
- If some of your social media contacts tend to post only negative messages, consider deleting them from your friends list or blocking their posts from being viewed.
Step 5. Show gratitude for the good things in your life
Pause each day to reflect on the people and situations that enrich your days and for which you feel grateful. Try to identify new ones every day. Think about your social relationships, opportunities, happy memories, and all the other wonderful things that have happened in your life.
- Record these thoughts in a journal each day. If you happen to feel sad or disheartened, browse the pages of your gratitude journal to find your good mood.
- Let the people you love know how important they are to you and how much you appreciate their presence in your life. In making them happy, you will feel better too.
Step 6. Tell your life positively
Every evening, write down what happened to you during the day in a diary, structuring the story in a positive way. Focus on happy or productive happenings. When you talk about experiencing difficulties, try to emphasize the lesson you learned and how you grew from that experience.
- Remember that everyone sooner or later faces tough times in life, but difficulties shouldn't stop you from achieving happiness.
- You can also try to focus on one positive thing that stands out in your eyes, no matter how small it is.
Part 3 of 3: Developing Long-Term Habits
Step 1. Change your expectations on the run
Your life will change over time. Rather than being blocked by the expectations, goals, and dreams you had in the past, feel free to make changes along the way. Reviewing your predictions can help you keep a realistic outlook on the future so you don't get disappointed.
- In some cases it will be about lowering expectations. Expecting too much of yourself or others can lead to dissatisfaction and frustration.
- For example, your expectations of your partner may change over the years. At some point you may decide to narrow down the list of requirements in order to find someone who makes you happy.
Step 2. Build strong bonds with family, friends and partner
Personal relationships are a key element of long-term happiness. You don't need to have lots of friends to be happy, rather try to build strong and healthy bonds with those around you.
- Plan to meet friends and family every week. Plan activities to do together, such as a picnic, a movie night, or a dinner at home.
- If you live far away from loved ones, call them regularly on the phone, schedule video calls, or write them letters.
- Remember important dates: anniversaries, birthdays, name days, etc. Prepare a gift or card to celebrate these occasions.
- Often remind your friends and family how much you appreciate and love them.
Step 3. Ormi 7-9 hours a night
Lack of sleep can make you stressed out, pessimistic, and moody. Do your best to be able to sleep well and for a sufficient number of hours so that you can feel great the next day.
- An hour before bedtime, stop using your cell phone, computer, and television. The light emitted by the screens interferes with the release of melatonin and hinders sleep.
- Make your bedroom entice you to sleep. Close the curtains and turn on a white noise player or use earplugs to avoid being disturbed by outside sounds.
Step 4. Adopt a more active lifestyle
Exercise is a great promoter of good mood, put it in your daily agenda to feel happier and carefree. There are many ways to get more exercise every day, for example:
- Take a walk after dinner;
- Go to the gym 2-3 times a week
- Going up and down stairs instead of using the elevator or escalators;
- Play with your children or pets;
- Go hiking or canoeing on the weekend.
Step 5. Meditate when you feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed with commitments
Meditation helps calm the mind and promotes a sense of inner peace. Get into the habit of meditating every day to cope with stressful or difficult situations.
- Meditate in a calm and harmonious place. Close your eyes and focus your attention on your breath. Don't think about anything else. If your mind starts to wander, gently bring your attention back to your breathing.
- Start with just 5 minutes of meditation a day and then gradually increase to 10-15 minutes as you learn to calm your mind and stay focused on your breath.
- Especially the first few times, it can be useful to listen to a guided meditation. You can search for an audio or video online or download one of the many apps available for your mobile.
Advice
- Sometimes it is normal to feel happier and sometimes less.
- Being happy doesn't mean never feeling sad, upset or angry. It means knowing how to overcome these emotions and rediscover the initial feeling of happiness rather than ruminating on negative circumstances.
Warnings
- If you happen to feel very sad, aloof, agitated, or if you feel that you have lost interest or pleasure in pursuing your hobbies, work or social life, ask your doctor or therapist for help.
- Dating negative people can be extremely bad for your mood. Try to distance yourself from toxic people or set limits.
