Be Happy Now: The A-Z Guide

We all want to be happy but we don't know how. Here's an A-Z guide that will help you to be happy now.

A is for acceptance. If you want to be happy now, you have to accept things the way they are. Remember the saying, "what you resist persists." If you keep refusing to accept things the way they are, they'll never get better. You don't have to like it, just realize it's the way it is. Work to move in the direction you want to go, without complaining about where you are right now.

B is for believe. You can't be happy now if you don't believe things can be good. Let go of that pessimism and start believing in better things, things that bring you joy. Even if those things aren't present in your life right now. Keep believing in them and they can be.

C is for clarity. Get clear about those things that make you joyful and begin incorporating those things in your life right now and set goals and steps for the things that might take a while. First get clear and then do what you can to make it happen.

D is for Day Dream. Spend time everyday daydreaming about what makes you happy. Pretend that you're happy right now. Do it every single day and you'll experience joy every day, even if it's only for a few minutes. Eventually that feeling of joy you get from your day dreams will begin to spill over into your daily life.

E is for enjoy. Do something every day that you enjoy. If you enjoy gardening spend some time caring for your plants. If you enjoy watching movies, rent a movie or go to the theatre. If you enjoy coffee, enjoy sipping a cup of coffee while relaxing in the morning. Do something you enjoy every day.

F is for fun. Have fun. Lighten up and have a good time. Hang out with friends, play a game, go bowling, just do something fun. If you're not having fun, you're not happy.

G is for gratitude. Think of just one thing you are grateful for each day and you're happiness levels will soar.

H is for healthy. Make a decision to take better care of yourself. It certainly is hard to be happy when your body is out of shape and doesn't feel well. Do what you can to be healthy if you want to be happy now.

I is for interest. Figure out what interests you and seek those things. Life certainly is better when it's interesting.

J is for join. As in join in; participate in life. Stop sitting on the sidelines while everyone else has a good time. Join others in doing something you believe in. Join others who share similar interests as you. Join others in celebration. Join others in conversation. Just join in and be happy now.

K is for kindness. Look for ways to show acts of kindness to others. If someone drops something pick it up for them. If there is trash on the ground throw it away. If there's a lone cart next to your car, put it in the cart return. It doesn't matter what it is, show kindness towards others and you'll be happy now.

L is for laugh. There's nothing quite like a good laugh to lift our spirits. You have to have a sense of humor and laugh every day if you want to be happy now.

M is for music. Listen to some of the music you love. Sing along with the music or dance. Music is great inspiration and a great pick me up.

N is for never say never. Things we once thought were impossible are now possible. Believe in possibilities. Don't think what you want could never happen. Good things do happen; never say never.

O is for open. Don't be closed minded. Consider other options, possibilities, and viewpoints. If you're unhappy and closed minded how is happiness ever going to get in. If you want to be happy now, keep an open mind.

P is for patience. When things aren't going your way and you get angry and impatient, wondering when you'll get what you want, you're not happy. Even when things aren't going according to plan, stay calm, do what you can, and be patient. You'll feel a lot better.

Q is for Quiet. Take some quiet time for yourself. Sit near a creek in silence. Get up before everyone else and enjoy the solitude. Do whatever you can to fit a few moments of quiet time into your day. Doing so will help you to be happy now.

R is for relax. Life isn't all about work. It's not all about playing. It's not all about doing things. Everyone has to relax at some point. If we don't take the time to relax, our bodies will eventually make sure we do. Get plenty of rest and take it easy and you'll feel a lot better about life.

S is for savor. Don't rush through everything. Take the time to savor your experiences. Don't just give a quick hug and head out the door. Enjoy the hug for a while. It's wonderful that we can connect with the ones we love in that way, so take the time to savor it.

T is for talk. Although quiet time is wonderful and part of what we all need to be happy now, we also need time to talk to others, to express ourselves, and connect. Communicating is an inherent need we all have. If you don't have time to talk, you're happiness will suffer.

U is for Understanding. Seek to understand others. Understand the way they feel, their point of view, their differences. When we don't understand people it's hard to love. When we don't love we cannot be happy. So if you want to be happy now, be understanding.

V is for value. Look for the value in every experience. See the value in every person. When you can learn to look for value in everything your happiness level will rise and life will be a pleasure.

W is for wonder. Remember that child like wonder you once had. Get in touch with it. Look at the stars at night, go hiking in nature, learn about the universe and our planet, or go to the aquarium. Get in touch with your sense of wonder and amazement.

X is for x-ray. What does x-ray have to do with being happy? X-rays allow us to see through the outer appearance of something. We should be like that if we want to be happy now. Don't take everything at face value. Things are not always what they seem. Seek to find what may be behind a certain experience. What is really there?

Y is for youthful. This doesn't mean you have to be young to be happy, it means having a youthful take on life. Children are always exploring, learning, experimenting, and soaking up life. We should be like that. Have a sense of adventure. See every new day as a fresh opportunity with so many possibilities. Be young at heart.

Z is for zestful. Have a zest for life. Don't look at and focus on all the things you hate about life and that you wish were different. Focus on the wonderful things, have fun, grab life by the horns, and really live. Be zestful and be happy now.