How to Be Happy

Isn't happiness what we all really want? We want to be happy with ourselves, our families, friends, at work, at home, etc. We look for ways to satisfy ourselves and try to attain true happiness. When you are a happy person, your happiness rubs off onto others too. I've written a few pieces of advice on how to become a happy person or at least a little happier than you may be now.

Join a club or social circle. Most people that are happy have a good number of close friends and family in their lives. If you don't have many friends or family, try joining a team or a club that holds your interests. Talk to people and make conversation. Listen to what the other person says. Make new friends so that you will always have support and someone to care for you throughout your life. Friends can add fun and excitement to your life as well. Do not isolate yourself from the world. There is plenty out there for you to see and be a part of.

Nurture your relationships. Whether it be a relationship with your spouse, partner, boyfriend, girlfriend, family member or friend, make sure to keep your bonds with them strong and loving. Learn to appreciate what each person does for you. Tell them how much you appreciate them. Let these people know how much they mean to you. Write them a nice letter saying how grateful you are to have them in your life. People love to be appreciated and know that they have special meaning in someone's life. You will also hold a special meaning in someone else's life if you keep working on your relationships. That is a good feeling that will give you inner happiness.

Practice gratitude. Saying thank you is a courteous gesture. Living your life in a state of gratitude will increase your happiness. Being thankful for the things that you do have, instead of dwelling on what you don't, will make you feel more satisfied. For example, you may not have a big house or an expensive car, but you do have a good family and live in a nice neighborhood. If you keep trying to find things to be thankful for, you will notice that more things will come your way for you to be thankful about. I say a prayer of gratitude each day for the things and people in my life. If you feel you have nothing to be grateful for, be thankful for your ability to read, to see, to hear, to taste or smell. You can also try to do things or accomplish things in your life that will make you thankful.

Stop excessively worrying. Worrying is a normal part of life. When worrying becomes excessive, it can interfere with your life and your personal happiness. My motto is, worry about it when and if it happens. Don't waste your valuable time worrying over something that may never happen. Use that energy to focus on more positive things and things that could or do make you happy. Spending your time worrying isn't going to help or fix a problem. It will only make you feel worse.

Be helpful, kind and courteous to others. Helping others is a great way to feel good about yourself and improve your self confidence. Being kind and courteous will make you a respectable person. Try to be the kind of person that is there to lend a helping hand when needed, that opens doors for others and that allows drivers to get in front of them on the road. Your confidence will increase and so will your happiness, knowing that you are making a positive difference in someone else's life, even if it is just a small act of kindness or a nice gesture.

Keep yourself busy. An idle mind can give you time to think more about negative things and anxieties of everyday life. Involving yourself in a sport, exercise, hobby, activity, work, family, etc. are all good ways to bide your time and keep yourself busy. When your day is filled with things to do, time goes by faster, but you feel more of a sense of accomplishment at the end of the day. You have more energy and generally will feel happier when you have things to do. It gives you purpose and reason to get up in the morning. People who are busier seem to be much happier than people who have too much time on their hands.

Have something to look forward to. I think a problem today is that almost everyone is using credit cards to buy what they want and are landing in a lot of debt. People aren't saving up money to buy special items anymore. Instead, they charge it on their credit card and get what they want immediately. If you are always getting what you want, even as a child, you may eventually become bored with life and will not have much to look forward to. Try saving up for that big screen tv or video game system instead of using a credit card. Feel the anticipation as your bank account grows, knowing that once you reach the amount needed for the item you want, you will be able to go out and buy it and you won't even have to pay any interest! It's always about having something to look forward to. It will make you happier in the long run an d give you a greater sense of achievement.

Dance, sing, listen to your favorite song. If you cannot dance and you cannot sing, then just listening to your favorite song can sometimes boost your mood and make you feel happy. Think about an upbeat song that you really like. Start humming it. Sing it out loud if you can. Put on the radio or pop in a cd. Listen to music that makes you feel good and makes you want to move. Music has the power to change your emotions. Make your own music! Learn to play an instrument or take voice lessons and develop a skill that will give you something to be proud of and happy about.

Find a few new jokes and memorize them. There are plenty of joke websites on the internet. A good joke can put someone in a good mood. Find a few jokes online or in a joke book at a book store and memorize them. Tell these jokes to people you know. Laughter is definitely a key to happiness. It reduces stress and can help people to bond with each other. Try to find something to laugh about each day, whether it be watching a funny tv show or movie, looking up a funny joke or spending time with people you find to be humorous.

Love. Love is such an important key to happiness. Love everyone. Love your friends. Love your family. Love your enemies, or better yet, try not to make any enemies if you can help it. Being a loving person through your daily actions and words, will make you a more enjoyable person to be around. When you fill most of your heart with love instead of hate and anger, you will feel a sense of peace and harmony that creates happiness. Love your pets. Love your neighbor. Love your coworkers. Most of all, learn to love life! A love and appreciation for life will make you a happy person and everyone notices a happy person. They may ask "What's your secret?" You can simply say "I'm learning to love life!"