People often wonder how to be a happy person. Well, the truth is, we’re all born happy and it’s a skill we can all learn. Just like any other skill, the more you practice being happy, the easier it gets to make yourself feel good.
Being happy is technically a choice we make and building a happy mindset is a deliberate set of habits we can learn. It takes energy and effort, but the result is worth it.
If you are currently struggling with a level of unhappiness. Continue reading as e give you our top 22 traits and habits to help with happiness.
1) Learn how to meditate and make it a routine habit.
Meditation is the key to turning off your mind and entering a state of being in which you will find a lot of peace and happiness. It’s so easily accessible, that even if you don’t believe in it, try it anyway. I’m here to tell you that it works and can be learned. Practice every day for at least 10 minutes or sit for 15 minutes really focusing on breathing deeply and keeping your attention on your breathing only.
Meditation has been proven to be a successful method of lowering stress, improving concentration, relaxing your body and mind and even having a positive effect on your health.
When practiced daily, meditation can alter your brain structure, making you more resilient to stress. You’ll be able to better manage difficult emotions and be more in control of how you react to situations. I meditate every morning before I start my day and it sets the tone for my entire day.
2) Practice gratitude daily.
Gratitude is the most powerful happiness booster there is.
It’s not about getting a lot of stuff. It’s about wanting more and appreciating what you already have. If you’re anything like me, and I bet you’re not, I’ve gotten so caught up in the busyness of life and don’t have time to stop, smell the roses or think about things that I was grateful for.
Be thankful for your health, and the fact that you are alive and have a roof over your head. It’s always nice to be grateful for yourself, when your time here is short, focus on it today.
Make it an easy habit of doing it as you first wake up or before you go to bed. Pull out a piece of paper and pen and write 5 things that you are grateful for on any given day.
3) Practice forgiveness daily and let go of grudges.
To be happy, you must learn to forgive those who’ve hurt you in the past. Life is too short to carry around the weight of someone else’s bad deeds forever. A grudge is like poison that will make you sick. The only way to be at peace with what has happened is to forgive and let it go.
Try not to dwell on your past mistakes, or allow them to ruin your future decisions. People change, so you have to too in order for there to be any sort of happiness for yourself. When you let go of the past and look forward, everything starts looking up again.
As the song goes “Let it go” and “Don’t give up the good stuff for things that weren’t so good.”
4) Volunteer, give back or help others without expecting anything in return.
Doing something good for someone else is the best feeling ever and will strengthen your connection to the world. The world needs more people who know how to just be kind and be happy with who you are. It’s a simple truth that we all have a little part of ourselves that is only happy when we are helping or doing good things for others.
So if you don’t have any talents to offer, use your time helping others. This will make you feel amazing and leave you with a better perspective of the world.
5) Get up, out of bed and do something fun every single day.
Most of us in the modern world are too busy chasing thoughts, chasing money and chasing things that will make us happy. This can keep us from living life to its fullest potential.
If you want to be happy and most of all grateful for what life throws at you, stop with all the busyness and just do something fun. Go outside and play a sport, get out there and take a walk in nature or take a trip somewhere new. You’ll be amazed at how much more joyful life can bring when you do things that make your heart sing.
6) Remove negative people from your life.
You know the typical downer friend or family member. These people take all the joy out of your day by reminding you of everything wrong in your life.
If people are going to bring you down, then you have no reason to be around them. It’s a waste of time and energy and will only make your life difficult. Realize that these people have their own problems that they need to work out and know that it is not on you to make them happy or feel better. By telling them, it only makes them feel even worse about their own lives and it ends up dragging you down too.
It’s not your problem to solve and could affect your own happiness. It takes courage to remove yourself from negativity, but when you do, you will feel a sense of freedom and lightness.
7) Smile more often.
Smiling goes a long way in life and is one of the best things you can do for yourself to make yourself happy. It’s your choice to smile, but practice it and you’ll see that it makes a big difference. Happy people are more pleasant to be around and they make others feel happy too.
When you smile, people around you know that life is good, so practice making yourself smile.
8) Be generous beyond measure.
Be a giver not a taker. When we care deeply about those around us, we are open and honest to help them when they need it the most. This can produce more good than you ever imagined.
If you know that there’s someone who needs a hand and no one else is able to help, then give it to them. They will be so grateful and will repay your kindness in ways that will make you feel blessed and happy.
We all need other people but sometimes we forget to stop and think about them. When someone is unkind towards us, remember not everyone is like that or struggling. Be generous and kind to others as it will make you feel good and more grateful for your life.
9) Be true to yourself, no matter what anyone else says.
Never be afraid to be yourself. Don’t let other people dictate who you are and how you should act. Learn that when people criticize you, they are actually criticizing the character that you have created for yourself. When the feedback doesn’t feel positive, take it with a grain of salt and know that it’s probably not about you.
It’s important to know that when you let other people define you, it limits you and your potential. When you’re true to yourself, there’s no limit on how great you can be. You don’t need others telling you who you are and what’s right for your life. Only by being true to yourself will the world see your bright side and the best parts of who you are.
10) Live in the present
Life is too short to worry about what happened yesterday or what might happen tomorrow. Put yourself in the present moment and focus on what you can do right now.
Don’t dwell on the past or get anxious about the future. Learn to live each day as if it’s your last because it could be.
When you put your mind to this simple, yet powerful idea of living in the present, you will feel more excited and grateful for what life has to offer.
11) Remove wants and desires.
The Buddhists say that wanting something unattainable will bring you unhappiness. Stop trying to acquire things and realize that the happiness you’re looking for is right there in front of you.
Realize that possessing things doesn’t bring happiness and may only fill a void in your life. When you let go of your wants, it allows you to be present and enjoy what’s already there.
Stop chasing the next thing, constantly pedalling the hedonic treadmill.
12) Meet new people.
We get so stuck in our routines that we forget to let new people into our lives, this is a big mistake. Surround yourself with positive, motivated and like-minded people who will bring out the best in you. These people will feed your mind and heart with new ideas, thoughts and perspectives.
There are billions of others out there who are just waiting to meet you. When you let them in, they will make you feel more inspired, passionate and happy.
By doing this, you’re preventing yourself from getting stuck in the same old rut.
Don’t limit your world to one person. The good news is the person that you allow into your life is limitless and so are the opportunities for happiness that exist for you.
Just connect with people who make you feel alive.
13) Don’t take life so seriously. Joke around!
Life is meant to be fun and we often take things too seriously. When you go through hard times, laugh it off instead of wallowing in self-pity.
Chances are the people who laugh the most are often those who find happiness in simple moments of joy and happiness. Laugh with others and you will begin to smile more and more.
Laughter is a powerful tool that releases endorphins, burns calories and cleanses your body.
14) Help those around you.
When you help other people, you bring more positivity into your life and theirs. People are drawn to those who are giving and kind and you’ll feel better about yourself once you realize the impact that you can make on someone’s life.
If it involves an opportunity to help others, then seize it. Remember that the world is full of people who need your compassion and love.
When we help others, it makes us feel needed, appreciated and valued. This causes us to open up our energy channels and allows happiness to flow freely through them.
15) Stand up for what you believe in, regardless of the circumstances.
Don’t stand for injustice just because you’re afraid or nervous of what others might think. Even if it means standing alone, don’t shy away from your beliefs.
Integrity is such an important aspect of living a happy life. The more you stand up for your beliefs, the more you will feel good about yourself and your choices.
Stand up for what you believe in even if it means standing out from the crowd or becoming an outsider.
By pushing against the system, you’ll start to realize how many individuals are standing up for what they believe in too. It’s not just those who support it and are afraid of the consequences that suffer from this injustice.
And this is why it’s important to stand up for what you believe in. When everyone is standing together, you’ll feel energized and supported. You can positively influence the collective consciousness and bring about change.
16) Continue building confidence by learning new things and practising the things you are good at.
Don’t let the fear of failure stop you from doing the things you want to do. As you learn, commit to and master new skills, you build your self-confidence.
Do challenging things that will push you out of your comfort zone so that you can gain more knowledge and experience. This will help to develop new habits and abilities.
Remember that success comes in small amounts and this is how it should be. If we push ourselves beyond our limits, then we may burn out and quit instead of growing stronger. By taking it slowly and steadily, we can progress faster and reach our goals.
Success comes in small amounts and this is how it should be. We push ourselves beyond our limits, then we may burn out and quit instead of growing stronger. By taking it slowly and steadily, we can progress faster without burning out.
17) Learn to say ‘NO’.
The more you say no to people and things that are not important to you personally, the less time you’ll spend on things that don’t matter. This will free up your energy and attention.
When something doesn’t matter to you, you won’t be distracted by it and it will cause less stress in your life. When you enjoy life more, you’ll be happier.
But remember that saying no is not a resignation or a failure. This is not about quitting things, but it’s about being selective of the things that make up your life.
You’ll find that you have more time and energy to do the things that matter.
18) Practice right-brain activities
You probably have heard the term “left-brain” and “right-brain” before. There are many things in life that require us to use both sides of our brain.
The right side of the brain is responsible for creativity, spontaneity and abstract thought. This is where your intuition lies and it’s often referred to as your “gut feeling”. The left side is responsible for practical thinking, logic, analysis and a more realistic approach to life.
New research has shown that we can improve our creativity and ability to solve problems through the use of our brains. We can develop these skills by practising exercises that stimulate both sides of our brain, using activities like meditation, hypnosis, imagination and even music.
The more you exercise the right side of your brain, the more creative and insightful you will become. The right-brain activities also release dopamine which is associated with feelings of euphoria and positive emotions.
The more you exercise the right side of your brain, the more creative and insightful you will become.
19) Focus on what’s important to you, for example, hobbies and interests.
When we are content with our lives, there is a greater level of happiness and peace. When we are happy and satisfied inside, life becomes easier and more enjoyable. This is because we don’t put pressure on ourselves to “accomplish” things.
When we have these types of goals and dreams, we focus on them and everything else in life seems to fall into place. When your happiness levels are high, you’ll be more optimistic about yourself and your future. This will help you feel good about life.
20) Don’t compare yourself to others.
Comparing ourselves to others only causes frustration and pressure. This can worsen our happiness through the comparison trap. If we continue to compare ourselves with others, we might end up feeling disappointed when they’re at a higher level than us.
When we are content with ourselves and happy in our own lives, there is less stress and anxiety in life. The pain of comparison can be eliminated by making sure that you’re content with your level of personal development and happiness.
21) Get out of your comfort zone and do something you’re afraid of.
Most people are afraid of the unknown and by doing this, we are actually hurting ourselves. When we take a step outside of our comfort zones, we learn that there is nothing to be afraid of. This helps us overcome our fears so that we can live our lives without being restricted by them.
When you push yourself to do things that challenge you, you’ll get a great sense of accomplishment from succeeding at it. When you push yourself out of your comfort zone and do something different, you’ll build confidence and experience to achieve your goals.
It takes courage and acting out of love to step outside of your comfort zone. This will eliminate the pain that comes from being afraid to take a risk. It’s important to take risks on things that matter so that we can live our lives without being restricted by them.
22) Practice Ikigai – have a purpose in life
Ikigai is the reason for you to get up in the morning. It’s your purpose and passion.
If you don’t find your Ikigai, you’ll be filled with emptiness and unhappiness in life. You’ll be living because other people think or expect that you should live. This can cause self-destructive behavior if it’s not addressed.
Find a purpose in life so that you can live a rich and satisfying life. When you find your Ikigai, you’ll want to get up in the morning and live your life with a sense of purpose. It will give you something to look forward to every day.
Ikigai is a Japanese term that has no direct translation but means finding meaning and happiness in everyday life through engaging in satisfying activities that sustain us as human beings.
Conclusion
Becoming and continuing to practice being a happy person takes time. In some ways it is like allowing oneself to regress back to an early childhood stage of being happy, but with a better understanding of the reasons for that happiness. [Not a product of recognizing what someone else wants from you! Not putting yourself ahead of others. Being in touch with one’s feelings, ideas and needs.]
It’s possible that just knowing some things will lead to more peace and happiness in life. But they are not the end; they are the beginning.
To be a happy person, try some or all of the habits and traits above. If you do, avoid comparing yourself to others. Try to be content with yourself and your family, work and lifestyle. Try to have goals that make you happy.
If you can do these things, then you will find that life becomes more satisfying – which will lead to happiness.
Feel free to comment below if you have anything else that really helps in being happy.
