14 Ways to Increase Your Happiness

Do you want to increase your happiness? We all know that we can’t be happy all of the time, but there are things that we can do to improve our overall sense of well-being. Take a look…

• Choose your battles carefully. Some battles really aren’t worth fighting. Ask yourself, “What am I fighting for?” If you discover that the battle has more to do with your ego than anything else, it may not be worth the fight. You may want to take the higher road.

• Volunteer to help people or animals. Giving to others is one of the best things that you can do for yourself.
• Balance work, rest, and play. Make sure your “achieving” and “being” scale is balanced. When one side becomes too heavy, you will begin to spiral down.
• Listen to music that lifts your spirit. Find something that sings to your soul.
• Exercise. People who do not exercise daily do not know how good they could feel. Exercise improves your health… physically, emotionally, and spiritually. Exercise gives you positive energy in all areas of your life.
• Pray / meditate. Ask for help. You are not alone. Calm yourself with prayer.
• Spend time with positive uplifting people. If you want to feel inspired, don’t spend too much time with people who drain your energy. Remember that passion for life is contagious.
• Be assertive in your communication. Say yes when you mean yes and no when you mean no. Living with integrity brings peace. Being overly passive breeds resentment and self-contempt.
• Set daily goals. Break large goals into small manageable parts. Goal accomplishment has been associated with higher levels of hope and reduced risk of disease.
• Identify, write out, and try to understand your self-sabotaging behaviors. What are your self-defeating behaviors? Why do you do these things? What is the reward? Are these behaviors working for you?
• Practice Gratitude. Make a list of at least two things everyday that you are thankful for. Try to find something positive about every person you meet.
• Respect your own feelings. Observe your feelings without putting a harsh judgment on them. They just are. Remember your feelings and your behaviors are two different things. You do not have to act on all of your feelings.
• Refuse to spend too much energy trying to change others. (Especially people who have no desire to change themselves.) You can spend the rest of your life trying to change someone who doesn’t want to change. The only person that you have control to change is yourself.
• Lay off the sweets. Eat your fruits and veggies. It really does improve the mood.