Human beings crave good things. No one wishes himself or herself bad luck. We all wake up with the desire to have a good day and good fortune. Unfortunately, it does not always happen the way we want it. We have to contend with negative events and people.
On the other hand, happiness is not an option if you want to live a fulfilling life. From the onset, it is important to understand that even science attests to the healing and rejuvenating qualities of happiness. In essence, you simply have to find ways of being happy despite the negative circumstances that may be surrounding you.
Further, you need to realise that happiness will not just happen to you. You must create happiness consciously and deliberately. You must pursue happiness the same way you endeavour to place food on the table. Remember, happiness is an attitude and not a fixed state. Even if you are given all the material things in this world, you will still need to make the decision to be happy.
Let us analyse some strategies through which you can begin to be happy or increase your level of happiness in spite of all the reasons that life gives you to be unhappy…
1. Fake It!
Wow! What a way to start? You ask. And I mean it. Pretend that you are happy. Smile when circumstances are not favourable to you. Instead of inviting pity from others, act like you are happy. It is a habit you have to calculate over time until you finally master it. Didn’t you here that practice makes perfect? This maxim is also applicable to making yourself adopt a happy disposition. When you give your mind the impression that all is well, you will infect your heart with the same warmth and every part of you will begin to feel happy. And of course remember like attracts like !
2. Watch Who You Let Close To You
Some of the people you call family and friends are the ones who bring unhappiness into your life. Please don’t think that I hate these people because I don’t even know them. You know that you can’t stand some of them. The moment that colleague comes near you, your moods plunge and you feel like a blanket of sadness has come over you. Simply put, you cannot become happy in their presence. Please do yourself a favour and minimise contact with such people. Take a walk or vacation when necessary. Don’t let people surround you with negative energy. Remember that even if they are family members, you have only one life to live and nobody should steal your happiness.
3. Surround Yourself With People Who Love You
This may sound like another way of saying what I said in the previous point, but there is more to it. Do you have these people whom you feel comfortable around and who lift your spirits at all times? Some of them are family members or former schoolmates who know you more than anybody else. I am referring to that guy who reminds you of a silly game you played when you were young. I have in mind the people who remain with you whether the sun appears to have dropped a few meters towards you or it is raining hail. These people celebrate you and comfort you. Your happiness is closely linked with them. When they are not around you feel like your heart is empty. Seek for the company of such folks all the time and you will always be happy.
4. Speak Positively To Yourself
There is one person who will always be with you and whose company you should seek and cultivate. Look at the mirror and that person will look back at you and smile. Learn to appreciate yourself. Nobody knows what you are capable of doing more than yourself. When despair sets, in recall those moments when you went through trouble and came out strong. Speak to yourself and affirm that you are going to have a good day. Tell yourself that no problem is beyond you. Practice speaking audibly to yourself and mention your name as you speak. Create affirmative statements that you can speak to encourage yourself, and happiness will be yours.
5. Be Grateful
There is some magical power in expressing gratitude either to others or simply acknowledging the many positive things in your life. Think about it this way: how many of the people you knew when you were young are alive today? How would you like to exchange places with a homeless refugee in a war-torn country like Syria? How about spending your nights in the cold because you are homeless? Would you like to take the place of the terminally ill person abandoned by family and friends in a hospice and who longs to die more than to live? Think about that sibling or parent who is always there for you and the little angel that smiles and waves at you when you leave your house to go to work. I can assure you that thinking about these things before you go to sleep, when you wake up and when unfortunate events happen to you, will lift your spirit almost immediately.
6. Be Optimistic
Negative thoughts and despondency are the reason many people live unhappily. Perhaps you know people who always see the negative side of life. I know folks who are so much negative minded that even when you give them a present they want to know whether you have a hidden motive. It is possible that your pessimism is as a result of very many negative happenings in your life, but that does not give you the reason to become a prophet of doom. Sometimes we tend to exaggerate negative situations when there is actually a positive angle to an issue. It is true that life has many bad happenings but there is a lot more that is positive that you need to celebrate today. Instead of agonising at that negative issue that you cannot change, why not begin another project that can harness your strengths and capabilities?
More Ideas!
Find a purpose in life and endeavour to always work in the occupation or profession which you believe you were called or created to do.
Identify negative habits that contribute to your unhappiness and replace them with habits that make you feel valuable and loved by your friends and family.
Collect nuggets of wisdom that you can feed on every morning and evening, most of which can be found in religious and motivational books.
Begin a project or activity that brings happiness to others, like visiting people in need and donating towards their upkeep.
Join clubs or societies than engage in activities that you find uplifting and enjoyable to do, like communal work.
Increase your happiness by reading books written by your favourite authors and whose ideologies you share.
If you have some favourite type of music, set everything aside and treat yourself to your favourite musical sounds.
Watch a movie or comedy that gladdens your heart and appeals to your humour because as your laugh about the foolishness of the actors you will be eradicating your won unhappiness.
Engage in some childish behaviour that you used to do when you were young. For example, play some games with children and enjoy reliving childhood memories.
Live in the present; perform those activities that make you happy today instead of waiting for tomorrow which you are not even sure you will live to see.
