35 Secrets to Finding Happiness

It's hard to be happy in a world full of fear, anger, war, and power. I know that I wake up and wish everyone would just live life looking at the world the way I do. I see a beautiful place filled with great things, great possibilities, and great people. But that's not the way life is, is it? Everyone is so angry all the time. People are upset, they are hungry for more and they never relax. I have my grumpy days too but when you feel happiness running through your body, it's amazing. Your mind is clear, your mood is great, and you notice that when you are nice to other people, they are nice back. Everyone should really look into reading self-help books. I think we are embarrassed to admit we read those types of books, but they are really uplifting. Reading self-help books in different subjects has made me happier. I've learned some things along the way, and now I want to share them with you. I've compiled a list of ways to stay happier every day. They are my ideas, my bad mood cures, and they work if you dedicate your time to them. A few ideas of mine are obvious choices for happiness, but I'm telling you if you do these things every day, you will eventually see a change in your life.

• 1. Loud, fun music - If I'm upset about anything I'll put in my favorite 80's cd collection and dance like a crazy person. I'm all alone, no one can judge me, and it's such a release. You get the workout and a mood boost. And hopefully you'll make yourself laugh.
• 2. Comedy - Watch a silly movie to make you laugh or go to www.hulu.com. Type in Saturday Night Live, and enjoy. I'm a huge fan of that show, and watching that cast brightens my day. Kristen Wiig is my favorite and I will actually quote her to keep the mood light in a stressful situation. Just thinking of a skit she's done will have me cracking up.
• 3. Sleep - Don't you feel better after a good night of sleep? I love sleeping in, and I think we feel bad when we do because we might miss out on our day, but it's worth it. 7-9 hours, or maybe 10. I feel so relaxed and calm. Sleep is a great thing.
• 4. Photos - When I go through old photos from my childhood I'm filled with so many emotions. I get excited, sad, nostalgic, etc. Keeping your photos organized, in frames, in scrap books is so great. When you have your memories, your good memories, staring at you every day, that right there is a bad mood cure. Photos should be treasured in great looking albums. They should always be there to bring you joy. Toss the old negative ones out, the ones that bring you pain, or remind you of something bad, let them go. Keep only positivity around you.
• 5. Dinner Parties - First thing first, make sure it is with people you like, and people who like to have fun. Hosting a dinner party with friends should be fun and relaxing. Serve wine, make appetizers, and play games. Turn the party into a pot-luck, and ask everyone you know to think of a game to play. Have everyone vote on one or two to do. My favorite is Apples to Apples. You can find it at Target.
• 6. Family - Obviously this depends on your family, but being with my family makes me happy. Special dinners are my favorite. My family is Sicilian so we have so much fun during the holidays, birthdays, and even on regular weekdays. My favorite Sicilian treats are cannolis and arancinis. My other side in the family is British, and we have a blast playing card games, drinking wine, and joking around. British humor is quite different then Sicilian humor. But both are equally fun.
• 7. Chocolate and Wine - Need I say more. I will say, however, my favorite kind of chocolate is Toblerone. And pair that with a nice glass of pinot noir, pure happiness.
• 8. Walking in the sunshine - Getting outside on a sunny day is so important. Not only is Vitamin D good for your health, but walking is great exercise. Feeling the sun on your body, and listening to nature is an instant mood boost for me. I listen to everything around me and I quiet my mind. All my worries go away.
• 9. Breathing - Taking deep breaths every day can really make a difference in your life. Try it for 10 seconds, try it for 1 minute. Just paying attention to your breath can increase your mood. Slow down, and breathe. You'll feel better, I promise.
• 10. Cooking new recipes - Trying something new in the kitchen makes me so excited. I have great cooking books. You can also find great recipes in magazines like Real Simple, Body and Soul, and Oprah. Cooking should be fun. Put some dance music on, invite a friend over, pour some wine, and start experimenting.
• 11. The beach - On a sunny day or a cold day. The beach should relax you. I love walking on the beach after a stressful day. I look out at the water and close my eyes. Not for long though, because that could be dangerous. Just relax and watch the waves. You'll feel better. I always feel connected to earth, and my spirituality at the beach.
• 12. Meditation - I think mediation is whatever you want it to be for you. You can meditate in your car, in your bathroom, on your porch, wherever. Just be alone when you do it. Close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. Be present, be there fully. Don't focus on anything but your breathing. Relax your mind and envision beautiful things. You will manifest things into your life by using meditation on a daily basis. I truly believe this.
• 13. Yoga - Now I'm still learning yoga. I actually do my yoga on my Nintendo Wii. That's about as far as I go. Holding different positions in your body for long periods of time is so cleansing. You sweat all the toxins out, all the bad vibes out, and you are just you. You feel amazing afterwards. It's so worth it.
• 14. Reading - A hot cup of tea and a great book always makes me happy. Pick a comfy spot in your house, curl up with a blanket, pour yourself a hot cup of English breakfast tea, and pick out a new book to read. I'm getting excited just thinking about this. Well, I am a homebody and I have a cute cat to cuddle with. I'm not a cat lady though. Don't misunderstand me, I am only 28 years old.
• 15. Shopping - Yeah this is an obvious one, but it feels so good to shop. I love shopping. I do have a problem though. I get carried away and buy things I don't need. When you are sad, the problem might not go away but a new pair of shoes or a new shirt sure feels a lot better. I try to keep it reasonable. I shop at Forever 21, Target, and the Dollar Store. I keep it classy.
• 16. Flowers - Please leave your house right now and buy yourself a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Put them in your living room. You'll feel better just smelling them. I can't buy flowers usually because I have a cat that will eat them, but I buy fake ones sometimes. She still eats them.
• 17. Concerts - Have you been to one lately? I usually buy tickets for concerts on Stubhub.com. They are a little more expensive but the site guarantees the seats you pick out. And they only have the best seats at the concert. You pay the person selling them but it's through the website, so everything is secure. Music in general should always make you happy. It's worth spending the money.
• 18. Theater - Going to musicals in the city or plays always makes me happy. I am an actress and a singer, so I'm the girl in the audience grinning wishing I was on the stage with them. If you've never attempted to go to the theater get out of your comfort zone. It's worth it. Theater is amazing, wonderful, fantastic, did I mention amazing. See a show, save the arts.
• 19. Donate - When we give back, when we show appreciation, or gratitude something is filled within us. I started donating to a great site called Women for Women International. I sponsor a woman every year from a war torn country so that she will survive in her life. She gets education and the tools she needs to be a strong woman from this organization. I do this because I can, because I want to, and because I know all women deserve the same equal rights as men. And that violence against women needs to stop. Donate, make a difference.
• 20. Disneyland - Seriously, how can this place not make you happy? When you walk into Disneyland, you can smell the happiness. You can taste it. I love walking on Main Street. The scent of vanilla lingers through the air. Yes, there are at times a lot of people, mostly kids in strollers, which can get very scary. But go on some rides, have a churro, and watch Fantasmic. You'll have fun.
• 21. Wine Tasting - An obvious choice for the wine lover. Get your friends together and go wine tasting. It's so fun, and you get to learn about a lot of interesting new wines you've never tasted before. I have a favorite in my hometown that actually brings the wines out in a flight so you can sit and relax with them in front of you. I always order tapas, and sit back with my friends. We have a blast.
• 22. Baths - I always have mine with Epsom Salt, Lavender Oil, and Eucalyptus Oil. It is so relaxing and so worth it. Spend about 15 to 20 minutes, and always put soothing music on in the background.
• 23. Vision Boards - Ok, so I will write more about this later, but for now I will say this, go get old magazines. Sit down, cut out what you like, what you want, and what gives you inspiration. Get glue, and post pictures or words on a poster board. That is your Vision Board. You're manifesting what you want in your life to come true.
• 24. Romantic Comedies - The Holiday, Bridget Jones' Diary, Love Actually, Because I Said So, The Wedding Date, It's Complicated, etc. Rent these, or if you own them, watch them. They make me sad and then happy. They are all predictable but so worth it. I love my chick flicks.
• 25. Keeping a journal - Why not? We did it when we were young. I always write down what I'm feeling, or what I went through during the day. It's good to release your feelings on paper. When you see your writing later in life, you can reflect on it. You can learn and grown from what you wrote.
• 26. Staying Active - Find something to do in the day. Go swimming, go walking, go hiking, clean your house, and stay active. It's good for you, and it will keep you motivated.
• 27. De clutter - Cleaning out the old, bringing in the new. It's amazing how we hold onto things for a really long time. If it has meaning to you then of course keep it, but if it's a pair of jeans you no longer wear, toss it out. Make room for new things to come into your life. And I don't mean just material things, but also new experiences. De clutter your mind, body, and soul, de clutter your life.
• 28. Lighting - What a difference light makes in one's house. If you don't have a lot of windows, invest in overhead lighting with high wattage bulbs. When you live in a dark space you feel somber, and basically dark. But when things are light and refreshing, you feel light and refreshing.
• 29. Me time - Always make time for yourself. You deserve it. Me time should be about me. No one else is invited. I'm alone, I'm relaxed, I can do what I want, etc. Me time is supposed to be freeing. Do what you want and enjoy. Focus on all things you.
• 30. Bake - I love baking cookies. Whatever it is you love the most, bake it. Chocolate Chip cookies are my weakness. It makes me happy but at the same time I have to be careful I don't eat the whole batch otherwise I won't be too happy with my weight, and I'll be regretting it later.
• 31. Sing - As loud as you want. Let it out in song. If you aren't a singer, who cares, just keep it indoors where no one can judge you. But have fun, and sing out the frustrations. Watch the television show, Glee. That will inspire you in a heartbeat to sing, trust me.
• 32. Being Spontaneous - What have you done lately that is out of the ordinary for you? Do it today. If you had no fear, what would you do? Would you go on that weekend getaway you were thinking about? Would you ask someone out you really liked? Would you quit the job you hate and get a better one? Embrace it. Live.
• 33. Brie and Champagne - Again, need I say more. Just make sure it's Sofia blanc de blancs and IL De France Brie. So yummy.
• 34. Volunteer - I have yet to accomplish this task, but I can't wait to start. I love animals, so I would love to volunteer for the SPCA. If we all took a few hours out of our week to volunteer somewhere I think we would all in general be a little bit happier.
• 35. Get a pet - I have a cat named Princess. Playing with her makes me instantly happy. She's crazy, but hilarious. Pets cheer us up when we are down. They are a comfort to us. There are a lot of animals with no homes. Go out and adopt. It will cheer you up, I promise.
  
  Sources:
  Target.com
  Costplus.com: Sofia blanc to blancs, Toblerone
  Netflix.com: Renting good romantic comedies