Life is crazy isn’t it? And sometimes being happy and content just seems impossible. Life is hard, long, and at times painful. But the good news is that it is possible to find joy and be happy. It really is. Here are a few tips that can change your dreary day into sunshine and smiles. And you can make that happen.
• Realize that rain falls. When you accept that life will and does get tough and sometimes for entire season you can smile. Sure ,what you are experiencing may be really painful and even difficult, but those very things can help you grow. Know that this life will be filled with hard things but strive to overcome them and look for the light on the other side. You really can smile even in a thunder storm. Remember that things don’t stay the same and seek to learn all you can about yourself and other people when life hurts and feels unfair.
• Smile at a stranger. Take the time to care about other people. Even people you don’t know. It really is true that even small things like smiling are not only helpful. They are contagious. Be kind to the grumpy salesperson, let the rude driver pass you and buy a coffee for the person you don’t even know. Why? Just because you can. Make the world a better place.
• Forgive and move on. Most of us carry around hurts from the past. Some are huge and some go way back into our childhood. But guess what? You gotta move on. Don’t dwell on the past. You don’t have to forget or give up boundaries to protect yourself from an unhealthy relationship but letting go and forgiving can do wonders to your heart. Realize all the wrong and hurt you have caused, yes maybe even back in elementary school. Give grace to people and let yourself heal and grow by forgiving.
• Slow down. We all move way too fast in life. Sure there is a lot to see and many responsibilities but busyness steals away from the simple joys of life. Take time to visit that grandparent, pick up the phone and call a friend you miss. Pause and see the new flowers budding in the middle of the city. Open a door for someone or simply slow down when walking to your next destination. Cancel meetings that don’t need to happen, hug that little one that is changing by the minute, sip your coffee and quit making your schedule so full. Enjoy the time you have been given. Life moves fast. Don’t miss it. You know there are no dress rehearsals so get it right the first time.
• Be grateful for where you are at. Even if you are in a terrible divorce, have been wronged by a boss, or are grieving a major loss, seek to find the good. It may feel impossible and against what you want to do but you can choose to focus on the positive. Even in the worst of situations there are things to be grateful for. How about a healthy child? Food to eat? A family or even one person who loves you? Be happy and thankful for the big and small things you have in life. If you focus on what isn’t or what you don’t have you will only make life exasperating and no fun. Each day seek to focus on what you have to be grateful for. In fact, why not make a journal. You can do that right now. List all you can rejoice about. It may be as simple as a new bloom on a flower, or a hot shower, but even these little things will help your heart enjoy the life you have been given.
Try these things and see that happiness is right in front of you!
This is a guest post by Diane Johnson, who primarily writes about online classes and anything else that interests her. She enjoys traveling, reading, and sports.
Great article! I am the type that needs constant reminders about all the things in life that could be worse. Usually, this involves my listening to 311 with the volume turned WAY up.
Consider the lyrics from the 311 song Jupiter:
“Sometimes the only thing that saves you
Think of bad things luck never gave you
And although your true love has just left you
Well at least you mother kept you
Be sure that a dreams alive
There only short burst in life
Are you able to be satisfied
Do you expect fun all the time
Hey we can rock it easy and lay it in the fold
Hey we can shake you simply just by being cold
And if it falls apart will you still be my friend
Get back we’re gonna stick together
And so many things that have gone wrong
At least you have ears to hear this song
And if you reading in close caption
There’s still bad things that could have happened
Long time since we’ve first came here
And sometimes we fall on deaf ears
One thing I’ve got to say before sales dive
Stay positive and love your life”
That song epitomizes the universally applicable message in this blog post, and I’d highly recommend checking out the tune if you’re not already familiar with it.
I’ll probably be sharing this one with my friends at a not-so-popular and relatively new social news-sharing site at which an awful lot of the members seem chronically unhappy, angry and even full of rage. I won’t mention any names, but suffice it to say that enough of that site’s users fit this description such that they have an extremely negative impact on the community and the tone of conversation.
I love your 5 minute to happiness tips, all seemingly simple but when put into practice aren’t always the easiest to do. Turning of the dialog that runs a constant loops in the back of your mind can be difficult, focusing on the simply sweet things can help do just that.
Slow down is the best advice that i can give myself right now. We live in a world of speed and we end thiking too much about money and too little about what really counts for us.
Yes, even when faced with tragedy, just know that in 12 months time you will look back on that “bad” event and see that some good did come out of it. Quite often it can be a blessing in disguise and huge benefits came from that seemingly traumatic time in your life.