“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.” ~Dalai Lama
A lot of people know that happiness isn’t something you find in other people or things. Despite this idea, however, people still look for happiness in all the wrong places. They look for it in their work, achievements, relationships and even possessions.
Because of this, a lot of people are struggling to be truly happy. In case this sounds exactly like you, here are 10 things you should know about how you can start creating happiness:
1. You Don’t Need To Have An Easy Life To Be Happy
Having a tough life shouldn’t deter you from finding true happiness. In fact, some of the happiest people I have discovered had surprisingly tough childhood. Despite their situations, these people were able to get past their problems and drew happiness from their dark experiences.
The key thing is to forgive the wrong things and just move forward. Concentrating on the present can help you feel happier about your life.
2. Happiness is not hidden in material things
When you look for happiness in material things, you tend to take for granted the things and people that matter most to you, like your family and friends. Once these material things wear off and become obsolete, you will no longer find happiness in them. Family and friends, however, are there to stay with you through time.
3. The secret to daily happiness is in being grateful
Be present in every step you take and learn to appreciate every little thing you see around you. Let go of the past pains and future anxieties. These things are what you need to achieve happiness on a daily basis.
To attain this, one of the things you can do is meditate. Meditation has been found to increase happiness and the ability of a person to stay focused on the present by encouraging gratitude.
4. It’s Alright to Feel Unhappy From Time to Time
No one lives in a perfect state of constant happiness. In fact, some of the happiest people still get sad from time to time. They just know how to bounce back from it quickly so they don’t stay in that state for a long time.
5. Increasing Happiness Takes Time
Happiness is a state of mind. No matter how badly you want to push yourself to be happy, you can’t feel true happiness unless you really do.
If you want to experience sustainable happiness, you must start on working on small things. Little by little, these small actions can turn into habits that can contribute to a more positive outlook on life.
6. Happiness Comes From Within
There are people who are poor and live off of nothing, but they are really happy. Take, for example, the Dalai Lama. Instead of finding happiness in other people and things, you should think about how you can find that happiness within yourself.
See Also: Self-Acceptance: The Key To True Happiness
7. Hang around positive people
Don’t hang around negative people as they will tear you down even more. If you want to have a positive outlook on life, constantly interact with positive people. They can help you maintain a good outlook on life.
According to studies in the book Social by Matt Lieberman, meeting one good friend once a week or being married makes you happier than getting a $100,000 a year raise.
8. Avoid Social Comparison and Dwelling On Things
One of the worst things you can do to prolong unhappiness is to constantly compare yourself to other people and dwell on your negative ideas. If you can, try to turn off your social media feeds, especially Instagram and Facebook.
This can help stop you from comparing yourself to other people and experiencing fear of missing out.
See Also: 9 Things to Let Go to Find Ultimate Happiness
9. Share your money and time to other people
Money can buy happiness- if it’s money spent on others. Numerous studies have shown that spending money or time to help other people can lead to increases in happiness. Volunteering once a week, for example, gives you the same happiness as getting a $55,000 a year raise for a $20,000 a year job.
If you don’t have much money to give, you can dedicate time for other people. You’ll never know how much happiness you can get from interacting with other people unless you give it a try.
10. Focus on yourself
Doing things that make other people happy isn’t a guarantee that you’ll feel happy, too. Instead of focusing on what works for other people, it’s a good idea if you can just concentrate on yourself. You are different, which means that the things that can make you happy differ from other people, too.
One good idea is to commit to an exercise routine. You can dramatically improve your long-term happiness if you can find something that you really enjoy. In can be biking, swimming or even walking. Aside from exercise, you can also find happiness by exploring your religion and spirituality.