It’s not like happy people cannot have a rough start, but they follow specific rituals that might help them avoid negative thoughts. Here’s how they choose happiness and make their lives more fulfilling.
“I think happiness is a choice. If you feel yourself being happy and can settle into the life choices you make, then it’s great. It’s really, really great. I swear to God, happiness is the best makeup.” – Drew Barrymore
Have you ever wondered how many choices you make throughout your day? Every single day we make innumerable decisions. Think about it.
- What do we wear?
- What do we eat?
- How do we get to work?
- What to do tell your boss?
- What emails do we send?
- How do we meet our deadlines?
- Where do we go for lunch?
- Do we go for happy hours with coworkers?
- Or should we go home?
- What bills do we pay today?
- What chores do we need to do?
- Do we hang out with friends?
- Or do we Netflix and chill?
- What do we have for dinner?
- Do we go to bed?
- Or scroll through Instagram one more time?
See what I mean? But how many of these choices are making you happy? When thinking of choices, do we keep our happiness in mind? Do you choose happiness?
It is nearly impossible to stay positive and happy amidst the daily grind muddled with obligations and challenges. Most of us tend to lose sight of what is actually important to us in the long run. Hence, it’s crucial to take a step back at times to evaluate how your daily choices affect your happiness and your overall well-being.
The most important choice that we make each day is whether we allow unexpected and negative things to affect our mood and emotions. What positive people do is they choose happiness despite what life offers them.
Choose Happiness
Being happy is a choice that you need to make. You have the power to choose if you wish to be happy or upset in life. Life is hard and unfair. That goes for each one of us. But you have the opportunity to choose how you want to live.
You can either be ruled by your thoughts and emotions, get emotionally and psychologically affected by unexpected circumstances in life, and choose to be miserable or you can choose happiness despite your circumstances.
Living a happy life is a choice. You don’t need to rely on anyone else or take approval from others to decide how you will feel.
The fact is, our happiness is not dependent on how others act, behave, or what they say. You cannot experience true happiness through external validation or affirmation. Of course, you can find inspiration from other people, but happiness can only be experienced from the inside. Unless you decide to feel happy, nothing will be able to make you happy.
But can we really choose happiness? Yes, you can. It’s about developing the right mindset. When you realize that unexpected and unpleasant circumstances are an inevitable part of life, you accept reality as it is. You bring your focus into the present moment, appreciate all the good things you have in life and figure out how you can make your life better. This is the secret to true happiness.
If you don’t choose happiness then you’re only choosing to be unhappy. After you choose to be happy, you need to make the right choices every day that will help you live a healthy and happy life. Happiness is an attitude of your mind.
Related: How to Be Happy with What You Have According To Psychology
Positive Choices Happy People Make Daily
Do you want to choose happiness? Here are 17 choices that you need to make every day to lead a healthier and happier life, regardless of the circumstances.
1. Practice mindfulness.
The practice of mindfulness is to bring your awareness to the present moment. It is your ability to understand where you are, what you’re doing, and what is around you without judging or overreacting to the circumstances. However, focusing on the present moment requires strong willpower as different aspects of our daily lives tend to distract and confuse us.
Being mindful allows you to appreciate the present moment as it unfolds. It makes you aware, centered and grounded so that you can avoid unnecessary worries and anxiety.
Related: 7 Daily Habits To Help You Practice Mindfulness Effectively
2. Love yourself.
This can be really hard for some people. I know. But what other option do you have? If you can’t love yourself, how can you expect anyone else to love you? If you can’t love yourself, how can you someone else?
Self-love forms the core of your happiness. Accept who you are and respect yourself above everything else. Acknowledge your flaws and focus on working yourself one step at a time. Understand that you are not defined by your emotions, behaviors, or bad decisions. We all make mistakes. However, it is crucial to know where you have gone wrong and learn and grow from them.
Loving yourself means working on your imperfections while accepting yourself the way you are. This is a simple choice that all happy people make without being told.
3. Be creative.
Have you ever felt sad while being creative? Have you ever seen anyone cry while cooking, dancing, singing, knitting, painting, or writing? No. Happy people chose to spend their time being more creative. They often experiment with their creative talents and even try to gain some new creative skills. This allows them to create something truly astonishing that makes them happier than they were. The true joy of creation is in the process of creating.
Creators create because they love the process, not for seeking external validation. Of course, when you create something for the love of it, accolades will flow in from all areas. Creativity can help you find an escape from the demands of work, society, family, and even relationships and help you let go of all negativity.
4. Breathe.
Sometimes choosing to be happy can be as easy as taking a deep breath. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or think that things are getting out of hand, just slow down for a while, take a mental pause and breathe. Take a slow deep breath in and a slow deep breath out.
Deep breathing lowers stress levels and tells your brain to relax and calm down. It will allow you to reduce tension and help you to shift your focus from the negative to the positive. Breathing deeply will also supply more oxygen to your brain, organs, and body parts which will make you feel better. The better you feel and the less stressed you are, the happier you will become.
5. Focus on victories.
Every single day can be a real challenge for us with incessant obstacles and problems. Yet there are certain moments in the most chaotic days that make us feel better, even if for a moment. Happy people understand the importance of appreciating these moments and taking their wins.
Didn’t get stuck in traffic today? Take the win. Your laptop didn’t crash all day? Take the win. Enjoyed your lunch? Take the win. Finally, managed to spend some quality time with your family? Take the win. By consciously focusing on the positive moments in your life on a daily basis, you can find happiness in the smallest things. These small things give us the strength to go through our day and focus on the bigger wins.
6. Don’t take it personally.
Bad days are a reality of life. You can’t avoid it no matter how much you want to. People will behave rudely, things will turn out unexpectedly, you will get ignored, meetings will get scraped, dates will be canceled, they won’t reply to your texts, life will happen. But you have to realize that it is not your fault. God is not isolating you and making your life miserable regardless of how it might seem.
Don’t keep high expectations from life and do not assume how people will or should react. Happy people understand that there are good days and there are bad days. They choose not to take everything that goes wrong personally. They simply focus on doing their best and focusing on the next opportunity.
7. Appreciate beauty.
The world can be a frustratingly chaotic place. It can be loud, ugly, and brutal that often leads to heartbreak and depression. However, the world is also the most beautiful place we know. Spend some time in nature and you will realize how truly beautiful our world is. Take a walk through a park or go for a hike and you will experience the gentle calming effects of nature.
The truth is, our world is both ugly and beautiful at the same time. It’s what we focus on is that matters the most. Choose to seek the beauty that’s present all around, whether in nature, in your pet, or in the smile of a child. And if you still can’t find beauty, simply take a look in the mirror. You’ll see the most beautiful being in the world.
Related: 50+ Meaningful Quotes on Life That’ll Make You Appreciate Every Moment
8. Let go of the past.
The past can lead to various unpleasant memories, thoughts, and emotions. When we dwell in the past, our mind gets wrapped up in something that we have no control over. Regardless of how much you think you can never change what has already happened. Happy people understand this and make sure they don’t dwell on the negative experiences from the past.
By letting go of past experiences and memories you can set yourself free from unnecessary worries and anxiety that are affecting your present moment. Being happy is about acknowledging the past, learning and growing from it, and opening yourself up to opportunities and possibilities in the future. Since you’re not a time traveler, you can’t live in your past and experience your present simultaneously.
9. Take charge.
When things go wrong, stop looking for people to blame and take responsibility for yourself. Try to analyze how you could have done things differently and figure out what you need to do next to fix the error. Sometimes you will mess things up and sometimes others will. This is how it goes.
Happy people choose not to blame themselves or others for any mistake. They take power and take full responsibility for their actions and outcomes. Taking responsibility will empower you and help you plan the next course of action.
10. Listen more, speak less.
Speaking your mind is important, but it’s even more important that you listen to what others have to say. Not only you will understand different perspectives, but you will also be able to learn something new. Keeping your mouth closed more often will make you more understanding and compassionate as you listen to others’ stories and their viewpoints.
The happy person is confident enough to keep his opinions to himself unless it is required for him to express himself. He understands the value of lending a listening ear and the importance of voicing his opinions at the right times. He speaks only to share knowledge or to add to a discussion to educate others. Moreover, by speaking more sparingly, you can avoid certain negative people and remove yourself from getting sucked into an unnecessary argument.
This is the silent road to happiness that we choose on a daily basis.
11. Be forgiving.
Throughout our day we encounter many people who get on our nerves and know exactly how to annoy us. Rage and anger can instantly replace the peace and happiness inside you and drastically change your mood. This is why it is crucial that you practice becoming a more forgiving person.
It won’t come easily, but if you are determined enough, you will find the strength to forgive people who have wronged and instead focus on improving your life. Holding on to frustration, anger or sadness will not serve you in any way. By letting go of such negative emotions and by forgiving even the worst person you can meet, you will choose happiness.
Related: Forgiving and Letting Go Those Who Have Hurt You
12. Smile and laugh.
Every day finds reasons to smile. Look for opportunities to laugh out loud. Laugh your heart out. Laugh until you can’t breathe and your face turns red. Laugh at your coworkers and yourself. Laugh with your friends. Smile at a random stranger. Smile at that girl or guy you found attractive on the subway. Smile at your boss. And mean it.
Smiling and laughter can have unbelievable effects on your mood and can instantly lift you up if you are feeling low. Happy people choose to smile more every day. They opt to laugh at every opportunity they get. You can do it too. It’s really easy.
13. Enjoy your existence, physically & spiritually.
Being happy is about enjoying your existence. It’s about appreciating the fact that you exist and experiencing all the physical and spiritual pleasures of life.
Being happy is about appreciating your body and taking good care of it. No, you don’t need to have a chiseled body like a runway model, but getting regular exercise and being generally fit can certainly make you feel a lot better about yourself than just sitting on the couch. But happiness is also about enjoying your meals, taking adequate spa days and indulging in other bodily pleasure of life like some good sex with your partner.
Happy people know how to enjoy the physical aspects of life on a daily basis, but they also know the value of being spiritual. Being emotionally connected to your partner, spending time in nature, practicing meditation can enrich your life internally.
14. Accept life as it is.
Being happy and positive doesn’t mean you won’t face reality. It means that you accept whatever life has to offer you, have the courage to face it, take steps to change what you can, and realize not everything is in your control.
Once you realize and understand these facts of life, you will feel empowered and liberated. When you no longer feel the need to control the outcome of every single thing in life, you will experience real joy. Being positive starts with being honest to yourself.
You do your best to create the best life for yourself and then choose to face the reality of life. The good. The bad. And the ugly. All of it. It’s not necessary for you to have the solution to every problem in life. As long as you keep moving ahead, life will figure itself out in its own way.
Related: Learn The Art Of Enjoying Life With These 6 Helpful Tips
15. Believe in yourself.
Choose to trust yourself. Have faith that you are strong and brave enough to face and overcome any obstacle life throws at you.
Believe that you can not only survive, but thrive. Believe that you are in control of yourself and your own life. Trust that you will make the most of available opportunities, take the best decisions and pull it through.
Trust yourself. Trust your loved ones. Trust the universe. Having faith in your family, friends, and God will give you the much-needed strength to feel happy even in the bleakest situations. Choose trust over doubt. Choose to see the positive even in the negative. Choose Happiness.
16. Make positivity a habit.
In today’s world, being happy is not an easy task. It takes a lot of strength and courage to focus on the positive side of life. This is what gives us hope and get through the chaos.
We need to remind ourselves that sometimes we need to stop and smell the roses even if there are some thorns. However, we can often run out of positivity as life keeps hitting us all…hard.
To be a happy person, you need to practice these positive habits every single day. You have to deliberately choose these habits each day when you wake up even when the voices inside seem the darkest. You have to remind yourself that it is not about escaping your reality or being delusional, it is about choosing to look at the better side of life.
It is about understanding that the grass is greener right here. And to do this you will need to seek support and strength from your family, partner, friends, mentors and anyone else who you find inspiring.
17. Inspire others.
Negativity is contagious. But so is positivity. Your energy speaks a lot about you and influences others more than you can think. Negativity sucks out energy and makes you want to make others feel depressed, pathetic and miserable. It makes you feel envious of others’ happiness and success while turning you into a lazy, procrastinating sloth.
Positivity, on the other hand, makes you feel happy about yourself and helps you become a more giving person. A positive person wants to help others get through obstacles and shine in life. They inspire others through their own struggles and successes and empower others to find their own light. Choosing to develop a positive mindset might not be easy, but it will be more than worth it.
Happiness is simple
Happiness will come easily to you if you just let it. Of course, you can develop these daily habits to be happier in life, but in reality, happiness is a mindset. It’s a state of being. Happiness is a journey, not the destination that you need to reach fast.
The choices we make on a daily basis determine whether we build the right mentality or not. It determines if we choose to worry about things that are not in our control or if we choose happiness. Bad things will happen in life to all of us. But it doesn’t need to make us feel less happy. So decide to live a happy life, regardless of the circumstances.
Related: 10 Things Successful People Do Right Before Bed
Happiness comes from within. Once you decide to be happy, make sure you stick to that decision. When you have a happiness mindset, you will be empowered to let life unfold in its own way. You will not only face life’s challenges boldly, but you’ll become open to the endless opportunities it has to offer you.
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