How to Achieve Happiness
Do an act of kindness for someone else., Smile a lot., Focus on the positives.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Do an act of kindness for someone else.
If you do something nice for someone else, it is likely to make you feel happier about yourself.
Getting outside of yourself is a great way to alleviate your own suffering.
Try to do one act of kindness every day.
It could be something small – say, a compliment or helping someone at work with a project when you don’t have to.
If could be how you speak to someone.
Or it could be a bigger effort, like helping out a friend or stranger in need.
When you do kind things to others, they will acknowledge the goodness in you, which is bound to make you feel happier.
You could make it a habit to make the first email you write every day be one that thanks or praises someone else.
This will start out your day with a positive feeling.
The ancient philosopher Aristotle believed that to be happy a person needed to live a life of virtue.
By virtue he meant showing such attributes as courage, generosity, and wisdom.
How can you achieve these virtues? By acting out on them.
Be generous to another person, for example, by sharing your time, your intellect, your care, or your money. -
Step 2: Smile a lot.
Smiles are truly contagious.
When you smile, you feel happier inside.
It’s hard not to! And when you smile a lot, people will respond to you more positively, which will make you feel better.
Even if you don’t feel like smiling, just force it at first.
Smiling releases endorphins in the body that will elevate your mood.
Laughter is another way to feel happy.
Find the humor in life.
Watch a funny movie.
Read some jokes online.
People’s sense of humor varies.
Figure out what you find funny, and absorb yourself in more of it. , It sounds simple but it’s true.
The old saying that you can look at a glass half full or half empty makes a lot of sense.
So never forget the positives in your own life or how much worse you could have it.
You could make a list of all of the positives in your life.
Write down everything you can think of.
Tape it to the refrigerator so you see it every day.
Or you could keep a journal that contains only positive experiences.
A great way to focus on the positives? Imagine your life without the things you have.
What would it be like if you didn’t have your house? Your spouse? Your job? Help someone in need who has it worse than you in some way (volunteer at a homeless shelter; help an elderly shut-in).
This is a good thing to do but should also help you remember that it can always be worse.
Try not to constantly compare yourself to others.
Don’t worry about the friend with the bigger house, or the co-worker who got a better job somewhere else.
Focus on yourself.
Chasing money is unlikely to create long-term happiness. -
Step 3: Focus on the positives.
Detailed Guide
If you do something nice for someone else, it is likely to make you feel happier about yourself.
Getting outside of yourself is a great way to alleviate your own suffering.
Try to do one act of kindness every day.
It could be something small – say, a compliment or helping someone at work with a project when you don’t have to.
If could be how you speak to someone.
Or it could be a bigger effort, like helping out a friend or stranger in need.
When you do kind things to others, they will acknowledge the goodness in you, which is bound to make you feel happier.
You could make it a habit to make the first email you write every day be one that thanks or praises someone else.
This will start out your day with a positive feeling.
The ancient philosopher Aristotle believed that to be happy a person needed to live a life of virtue.
By virtue he meant showing such attributes as courage, generosity, and wisdom.
How can you achieve these virtues? By acting out on them.
Be generous to another person, for example, by sharing your time, your intellect, your care, or your money.
Smiles are truly contagious.
When you smile, you feel happier inside.
It’s hard not to! And when you smile a lot, people will respond to you more positively, which will make you feel better.
Even if you don’t feel like smiling, just force it at first.
Smiling releases endorphins in the body that will elevate your mood.
Laughter is another way to feel happy.
Find the humor in life.
Watch a funny movie.
Read some jokes online.
People’s sense of humor varies.
Figure out what you find funny, and absorb yourself in more of it. , It sounds simple but it’s true.
The old saying that you can look at a glass half full or half empty makes a lot of sense.
So never forget the positives in your own life or how much worse you could have it.
You could make a list of all of the positives in your life.
Write down everything you can think of.
Tape it to the refrigerator so you see it every day.
Or you could keep a journal that contains only positive experiences.
A great way to focus on the positives? Imagine your life without the things you have.
What would it be like if you didn’t have your house? Your spouse? Your job? Help someone in need who has it worse than you in some way (volunteer at a homeless shelter; help an elderly shut-in).
This is a good thing to do but should also help you remember that it can always be worse.
Try not to constantly compare yourself to others.
Don’t worry about the friend with the bigger house, or the co-worker who got a better job somewhere else.
Focus on yourself.
Chasing money is unlikely to create long-term happiness.
About the Author
Jeffrey Adams
Writer and educator with a focus on practical organization knowledge.
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