How To Find Happiness: 6 Ideas To Consider

How To Find Happiness Again

What an interesting idea!

How to find happiness.

I have quite a few thoughts on this topic. (obviously)

But the first thing that comes to mind is…

Stop looking for it.

I used to think my happiness was literally hiding. (fun fact…I even considered writing a book all about my happiness hiding and how I got past that)

I was fully convinced that if I did X, Y, and Z then things would fall into place. If I met a certain set of criteria then happiness would wash over me. I would earn my happiness degree.

Happiness would stop being a stellar hide-and-seek player and I could finally start living my life.

Surprise! (or no surprise at all) I was wrong.

These tips are all about setting the record straight.

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Here Are 6 Ideas About How To Find Happiness

1) Look at Your Habits

Sometimes it can feel as if we are sucked into this whirlwind of things we need to be doing. We can often allow outside influences to have a major impact on our lives.

But this path might not lead us in the direction that will serve us best.

Take a minute to sit with yourself and think of your habits.

Are you taking care of yourself? Good care of yourself?

I’m talking about eating habits and sleeping habits. Are you drinking enough water? (this water bottle could help with that)

Are you getting outside with the sun and fresh air? How much time are you spending on social media?

So much in life can feel complicated. But sometimes when it comes to improving our lives, we can strip it down just a tad and see that tweaks to our habits can be game changers for the overall vibe of our lives.

2) Let Go of “if” and “when” Thought Patterns

The problem with these thought patterns is that there is no end to them.

Once you meet one of these “if” or “when” markers then another one will pop up. So you start this cycle of chasing things but never really getting anywhere.

And this is not about bashing goals. Goals can most definitely be a powerful force in your life. (read more about goals here)

This is more about the idea that we shouldn’t put off living or enjoying or appreciating our lives until a certain milestone is met or a certain goal is achieved.

You don’t have to earn the right to enjoy your life.

3) Welcome a Pivot

Changing direction is okay. Very okay.

Often changing course can feel as if we are admitting defeat or throwing in the towel.

But I think it’s the opposite. It takes real strength and insight to notice when our current actions aren’t aligning with what we want for our lives.

We can become so immensely focused on the way we think things are supposed to be that we sort of have blinders on. This makes it hard to see other options or possibilities or paths.

Also, mistakes are just part of the ride. And maybe we need to use a different word besides mistakes. That word alone can hold such a negative connotation.

Maybe the word lesson. What if instead of thinking we made mistakes we can see them as lessons learned?

(Show me one person that has not had to make some U-turns in life and I’ll show you a robot)

4) Small Joys

Don’t underestimate the power of the little things. Small moments or pockets of joy are powerful.

A majority of our lives will not be spent on big moments. Glamorous or exciting things are most likely not comprising the bulk of our lives.

Looking forward to things is great. My family and I are going to Florida next year and you bet I am excited.

But that feeling is not enough to sustain me throughout this next year. If that is all I focus on my well will runneth dry.

Society (and social media in particular) can make us feel like we need more. More in every aspect of our lives.

Aim to challenge that mindset.

Don’t underestimate the power of small joys. Tiny joys.

Our lives will only benefit from us being able to notice, acknowledge, appreciate, and celebrate the small and simple things that make up the bulk of our daily lives.

5) Listen to Yourself More

With social media these days, we have a lot of access to other people’s lives. Maybe a little too much.

But we also have to take everything we see with a grain of salt. We can watch someone on the internet and then almost instantly view our life in a negative light.

Stop letting others convince you your life should be a certain way. Comparing is easy. (don’t I know it)

But it can also have some real consequences. One of those is that your life will never seem good enough.

Comparisons will always be there. I don’t think there is a way to be completely immune to that. (here are some tips that can help though)

But I do think we can do things to help combat it a little.

And one of those things is listening to yourself more. Looking inward more.

Life is so much more enjoyable when you are not consumed with what others are doing. When you are able to make choices that serve you and your life well.

This sounds easy enough. I do, however, think it takes practice and it takes quite a bit of intention.

And less time spent consuming other people’s lives is probably a great place to start.

6) Live in The Now

One thing I know to be true about the past is that you can’t change it. You just can’t. Unless you have a time machine hidden in your garage.

And the future is ahead, of course. Still, let’s not spend too much of our energy on it.

Life is happening now. And I know we have all heard that a million times. But it’s true.

Being present seems tougher than it should be. Doesn’t it?

It can feel like we have full plates and we just have to keep everything chugging along. I get it.

No time to slow down. Hitting the brake is not an option.

Except it is.

We get to make choices every single day. (I know some choices can feel like they are kind of made for us..but we still have quite a bit of power)

We can choose to put our phones down. I am always working on this.

We can choose to prioritize ourselves.

And we can choose to slowly press the brakes. Taking the scenic route can often be just what we need.

Always remember that happiness is not something to be sought out or searched for. It is something we create.

What do you think of these ideas on how to find happiness? Have any tips to add?

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