7 Tips on How to Be Happy.

Happiness is a choice. It doesn’t come from having more money, more stuff or from other people. It comes from inside you. From focusing on things you want, being grateful for what you already have and choosing peace instead of needing to always be right. Happy people live fulfilling, inspiring and joyful lives because they make deliberate choices and decisions every day towards attracting a life they love.

The question is how?

Happy people…

1) Learn to forgive. They understand that holding a grudge is detrimental to their health and causes unnecessary anxiety, stress and discomfort. By forgiving, you take your power back and are able to move onwards and upwards.

2) Are more compassionate and kind to others. When you are nice and treat others with kindness, your brain produces serotonin, a “happy” hormone that reduces stress and raises your spirits. Your compassion and kindness make people want to be around you, and that helps to build and maintain strong and meaningful relationships.

3) Live in the present moment. Typically if you feel depressed, you’re living in the past and if you suffer with fear and anxiety you’re focusing on the future. You will be much happier when you can focus on the here and now and feel much more in control of your life.

4) Are honest. Lying to yourself and others is stressful because after a while it’s hard to keep your stories straight. While it may feel scary to find the courage to tell your truth, you will feel liberated once it’s all out in the open.

5) Find opportunity in every challenge. When you go through life focusing on all your “problems”, you will always struggle and suffer. Shift your perspective and view your problems as challenges. Then your creative juices start flowing and you open yourself up to a world of opportunities and new directions.

6) Have a healthy perspective. When happy people are faced with a problem, they ask themselves “Will this matter in a week, month, year from now?” They allow trivial situations to bounce off of them and find a calm and rational way to handle the bigger things that come their way.

7) Surround themselves with other happy people. Hanging out with people who raise you up, support you unconditionally and allow you to be who you truly are, warts and all, will make it much easier for you to remain happy. The more positive energy you can immerse yourself in, the better you’ll feel about yourself and your life.

Action Challenge

Start implementing one or more of the suggestions listed above and make the deliberate choice to be happy.