1. Think happy thoughts: the more you think positively, the more your attitude will fall in line with your thoughts. Train yourself to think of the good in every situation and slowly you will begin to adopt a happy disposition. This takes a real conscious effort. If you notice yourself falling into a train of negative thoughts, snap yourself out of it quickly before you think yourself out of a good mood.
2. Decide to be happy NOW: do you want to be happy? Well then be happy. You are the one who determines your own happiness, nobody else. If you're in a bad relationship, end it. If you're miserable in your job, leave it. Try not to say to yourself "I'll be happy when I have a new car", "I'll be happy when I lose ten pounds". Change your attitude and tell yourself that you deserve to be happy with what you have, the way you are now. Soon you will see that everything will start to fall into place.
3. Surround yourself with positive people: misery loves company. Try to distance yourself from the negative people in your life, notice the people who are happy for you when you succeed and who are sad for you when you don't. Those are the people you want to spend your time with. If somebody is constantly bringing you down, avoid them as much as possible. Be with friends and family who make you feel good about yourself and bring out the best in you.
4. Appreciate the things that you have: take note regularly of all the good things you have in your life, whether it's friends, family, a partner, good health or simply a roof over your head. Don't take your life for granted, somebody else would give anything to have what you have, whether or not it feels that way. Make a list of 5 or 10 things that you really appreciate in your life and go back to the list when having a bad day. The more you express gratitude, the more you will start to feel happy with what you have.
5. Treat yourself: no matter how hectic your life, always make time for yourself. Even if it's something small like painting your nails, buying a new book or enjoying a bubble bath, by treating yourself well you're telling yourself that you are worth it. Life's little indulgences will get you through tiresome working weeks and decrease your stress levels. Remind yourself that you deserve a bit of pampering now and again. Life doesn't have to be a struggle, it's important to take care of yourself in order to be content.
6. Exercise: exercise has so many benefits: it can keep you looking younger, prevent certain health conditions, such as heart disease and obesity and help to reduce anxiety. Exercise has also been known to fight depression and studies have shown that it has the same effects as antidepressants. When we exercise it releases feel good chemicals in our brain, and suppresses hormones that cause stress. So if you want to become a happier you, make sure that you include physical activity in your daily or weekly routine.
7. Don't compare yourself to others: easier said than done in a time when we are surrounded by other people's holiday photos on social media. But in order to be truly happy, you have to focus on yourself. It's ok to occasionally want what other people have, but try to use this desire in a motivating way, rather than a self pitying kind of way. Realising that somebody is fitter, richer or more popular than you doesn't change your own situation. Likewise, putting people down in the hopes of making yourself feel better won't bring any positivity to your life. Focus on yourself and you will be better off.
8. Live in the present: focusing too much on the future and what could happen will increase anxiety, while living in the past will fill you with regret. This does not mean that you should abandon all future plans or stop setting goals, it simply means worrying less and enjoying the moment. If you are not happy with the present, you might have to make certain changes to your life until you can fully appreciate it. Accept what you cannot change and have faith in what is to come.
9. Accept yourself: avoid self criticism and accept yourself the way you are. Stop beating yourself up over mistakes you made in your past and instead accept your flaws and move on. Nobody is perfect (perfection does not exist) and you will not make your life any better by constantly filling your mind with negativity. Tell yourself you are happy, you are loved and eventually you will begin to believe it.
10. Smile more: we smile when we're happy and we frown when we're sad. However studies have shown that our emotions can actually be reinforced by the corresponding facial expressions. The more you smile, the happier you'll feel. And there are so many things to smile about.
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