True happiness. It’s something we all say we want. But how easy is it to achieve, and should we even be trying to attain this?
In this complicated world we live in, finding true happiness in life is more important than ever.
Happiness starts with you. Our lives take on a new sense of purpose when we learn this all-important lesson.
Join us in discovering the best ways to find true happiness.
Finding True Happiness In Life: Why Is It Important?
Why is finding happiness in life so important? Your happiness has a direct bearing on your life satisfaction, your self-esteem, your confidence, and your success.
It also affects your emotional, mental, and physical health.
How does it do all this? When you are genuinely happy, you feel empowered to go after your hopes and dreams. Goals are easier to achieve. Relationships and friendships become stronger. You even find it easier to make friends and resolve any relationship issues.
One of the main benefits of finding true happiness is the sense of calm you will feel even amid life’s troubles. Life won’t necessarily become easier, but your ability to deal with life’s ups and downs will improve.
Now that we know why we should find true happiness in life, let’s look at the how. How do we find genuine happiness? Can we do it on our own? Or do we need others to find it?
Do You Need Others To Find Happiness?
You don’t need others to find happiness.
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is relying on others for happiness. While we can certainly be happy for others and with others, we should stop relying on others for our own happiness.
Why? The reason is simple. True happiness comes from within.
Finding true happiness in life does not depend on external factors such as material possessions, money, work success, or living circumstances. While these factors all impact our lives to different degrees, it is possible to be truly happy irrespective of our abundance or lack of them.
When you are at peace with yourself and happy with what you have, you’re on the path to true happiness.
How To Find True Happiness In Life
So, you’re seeking happiness but don’t know where to begin. Like so many things in life, you need to start with yourself, in the present moment, to make today great. It’s very simple.
The suggestions below are tried and true methods for finding real happiness, irrespective of circumstances, faith, or one’s values.
They complement any lifestyle and can make a person happy where they are right now. Give these ideas a try, and you will start to feel happier from day one.
1. Practice Mindfulness
You have the power to be happy, no matter who you are, where you are, or what you’ve done in the past. Every day brings with it a brand new opportunity for finding true happiness.
Happy people feel that way because they choose to. Happiness is not only a feeling but also a choice, and you can make that choice today.
One of the easiest ways to nurture your happiness is to practice mindfulness.
When you’re mindful, you’re content with your life in the present moment and more able to deal with the stresses of life.
Here are some mindfulness activities that can help you find true happiness:
– Connect With Nature
Make time to spend in nature every day, even just a few minutes. Go for a walk in the park, sit by a lake, or simply spend time in your backyard.
Allow yourself to take in the beauty around you and appreciate the simple things in life. Nature has a way of making us feel more connected to the world and can help to ease stress and anxiety.
– Meditate
Mindfulness meditation can help you focus on the present moment and let go of any negativity you may be feeling.
Sit in a comfortable position and focus on your breath. Allow your thoughts to drift by without judgment or attachment. If your mind wanders, bring your focus back to your breath. Over time, you’ll find it easier to quiet your mind and be more present.
– Eat Mindfully
Our relationship with food is often fraught with emotional baggage and stress. Eating mindfully can help you to appreciate the experience of eating and savor the flavor and nutrients of your food.
When you eat mindfully, you eat slowly and without distractions. This lets you focus fully on your food’s taste, smell, and texture. Eating mindfully can also help you to eat less and be more aware of your hunger cues.
Food is meant to be enjoyed, so let mindfulness help you to enjoy it more.
– Journal
Put pen to paper and start journaling daily. Journaling is an excellent outlet for your thoughts and feelings and can help you get to know yourself better. Writing about your experiences can help you to process them more deeply and make sense of them.
Consider these mindfulness journal prompts if you need help starting your journaling practice. The more you write, the easier it will become to get your thoughts out on paper.
Try not to censor yourself when journaling; just let your words flow. When you write freely, you’ll become more in tune with your authentic self, leading to greater happiness.
2. Choose Kindness In Your Daily Life
Showing kindness to others creates happiness in two ways. It makes the recipient of your kindness happy that you have done something considerate for them.
It also makes you feel happier that you have made a positive contribution to someone else’s life.
Kindness is contagious. It has a snowball effect that increases the happiness of everyone it touches. Finding true happiness is much more possible in a world where we all treat each other kindly.
The chain reaction of kindness always needs someone to start it, and that someone can be you!
Find ways to be kind to someone else through a kind gesture, a kind word, or even a smile, and you achieve greater happiness, guaranteed.
3. Develop Happy Habits
What are these happy habits? They are things that we do regularly that make us happy and are good for our emotional well-being.
These will differ from person to person, but a few apply to everyone. Healthy eating, exercise, and getting enough sleep all boost happiness naturally.
A healthy body is needed to house a healthy mind, and vice versa.
If you have caught yourself saying that you will be happy when you are healthier or when you lose weight, you should take note.
Happiness does not come from a number on the scale or from a smaller clothing size. It comes from caring for yourself and making healthy choices because you love your body, not because you hate it.
When you’re healthy, you’ll have the physical energy and mental calm you need to do the things you love. You’ll be able to handle stress better and be less likely to get sick. You’ll also feel better about yourself, which is essential for true happiness.
4. Practice Gratitude Regularly
Human happiness goes hand in hand with the practice of gratitude. Be thankful for what you have and for the good people in your life. Make cultivating gratitude a priority by starting a gratitude journal.
It will probably surprise you how much you have to be thankful for when you take the time to write it down.
As you write each thing you are grateful for, say a silent thank you. Try to do this consistently at the beginning or end of each day.
Something as small as partaking in Thankful Thursday is helpful. Just start with small steps. Before long, gratitude will become a habit, and you will think of more and more things to say thank you for!
Do you want to take gratitude a step further?
Show gratitude for the good things in your life by passing on this joy to others. Become a volunteer and give back to the community.
Teach your children to be grateful for what they have. You will become an example of gratitude for them to follow – they will learn to cherish the things they have and become happier people too.
5. Surround Yourself With Positivity
Socializing with positive people in stress-free environments will significantly contribute to your mission of finding true happiness.
Positivity tends to rub off. Unfortunately, so does negativity. So spend time with family and friends who make you feel happy!
You might not be able to spend as much time as you want with these people. You might not be able to pursue every item on your bucket list. But every positive moment increases your chances of finding true happiness.
As important as it is to increase positivity in your life, you must also reduce negativity. If you can’t avoid negative people altogether, try to limit your exposure to them. And when you do interact with them, try to stay positive yourself.
Social media interactions are a possible avenue of negativity. If what you are reading online makes you feel anything less than happy, it’s time to take a break. Unplug from the virtual world for a while and dedicate more time to things that make you happy in the real world.
6. Do More Of What You Love, Do Less Of What You Don’t
We often struggle to put this wisdom into practice. It is essential for finding true happiness! Focus on enjoyable hobbies and activities, and find ways to spend more time having fun.
Make a list of things you love doing, and make sure to do more of these things more often.
If you love spending time outdoors, make a point of going for a walk every day, even if it’s just around the block. Or, if you love cooking, try a new recipe each week.
Doing more of what you love will help bring more joy into your life.
Unfortunately, there will always be things we don’t enjoy doing but have to do. The trick is to limit these activities, and if we cannot do so, to change our attitude towards them.
For example, if you don’t enjoy getting up to go to work in the morning, remind yourself that your job allows you the financial stability to care for yourself and your family.
Find ways to turn obligations into opportunities to do what you love whenever possible.
For instance, if you must commute to work, listen to happy music or an audiobook you enjoy on the way.
Finding True Happiness Sometimes Necessitates Changes
If you are desperately unhappy, taking some major steps to change your situation may be necessary. Moving forward could involve quitting your job, ending a relationship, or moving to a new location.
Of course, these changes can be scary, but sometimes they are necessary to find true happiness.
For instance, if your job is problematic, it may be time to consider a career change or a different way of working. Many options are available nowadays, such as remote work or freelance work, which can offer more flexibility and help you find a better work-life balance.
Don’t be afraid to make changes in your life if you feel they are necessary for your happiness.
Sometimes, all it takes is a small change to make a big difference.
Final Thoughts
True happiness is sometimes hard to define. It is the joy you feel when you are content with your own life and your place in it. It is not about chasing happiness. It is about discovering the reasons you already have to be happy in your everyday life.
Sustainable happiness comes from accepting yourself, your life, and the people around you. Sometimes it means making small changes to find more contentment. It is different for everyone.
You can find true happiness by taking the time to appreciate the good in your life, spreading kindness, and learning to live in the present. If you need help with this, consider using the Do Happy App. It’s a great tool that can help you focus on the positive and do things every day that make you happy.
For more happiness inspiration, check out these a little dose of happy resources:
