I think feeling happier is something that many of us strive for, and at times the constant pursuit of happiness can leave us feeling a little burnt out or dissatisfied that our lives are not as happy as they ‘should be’. This post from Stylist magazine notes that constant happiness is not achievable and that’s ok because all emotions are valuable.

Realising that constant happiness is not possible and shouldn’t be expected at all times, sounds obvious but it has really helped me to try and get as much happiness into my days as possible, instead of feeling that the only way to be ‘successfully happy’ was to be happy all the time.

So, with this goal of getting as much happiness as I could from each day (even the bad ones) I decided to get proactive about happiness. During my degree and through reading various self-help books (I’m reading The Happiness Project at the moment) I have picked up a few tips and tricks to increase feelings of happiness every day. Here’s some of them, and I’d love to hear your tips for feeling happier.

1. Write down 3 things that made you happy today – the founder of positive psychology Dr Martin Seligman noted in his book ‘Learned Optimism’ that people often ask him the secret to a happier life, and that they are often somewhat disappointed to hear that having a happier life could involve something so simple. I’d urge you to try and see how you feel, I’ve been doing this for a few weeks now with the help of my ‘Happiness Planner‘ and it has definitely made a difference!
2. Live in the moment – finding happiness in small things each day can make a big difference. Think things like singing along to your favourite song, a bubble bath, a call from a friend or family member, a compliment or finding a few extra chips that you didn’t realise were in your McDonald’s bag 😉
3. Do something for others – this doesn’t have to be anything big, it could be making someone a cup of tea, making conversation in the queue for your shopping (even if it is only to talk about the glorious British weather!). Another option could be to volunteer, something that not only helps you feel happier but can have a massive impact on the lives of others. One of my closest friends has started dog walking for the local rescue center as a way to give back.
4. Have goals to aim for – having goals for the day, the week, the month, the year can be really helpful for motivating us and helping us to feel happy. Having regular goals can help us to be more productive and give purpose to everyday.
5. Think positive! – This is something that I’m really trying to improve on as I am quite quick to worry (or complain!), but actively looking for the good in situations can be really beneficial for feeling happier generally. Actively looking for things to be grateful for, even when times are hard can really help to see things in a different light. I absolutely love Keep it Bright a really inspiring account that always sees the best in everything.

For more information on action for happiness see here 🙂 I’d love to hear from you,  leave me a comment or send me a tweet @makingitmindful

Love,

Chrissy x