Curiosities
We all want to be happy, but few of us know how to achieve that goal. Happiness can be quite elusive, especially in the year of our lord 2020, when it seems like everything that could go wrong will go wrong. But let’s not dwell on that. Instead, let’s all try to find ways on how to feel better and how to feel happy no matter what. After all, some people say happiness is a choice. So here are some tips on how to achieve perfect happiness.
1. Happiness Is Not One Size Fits All
Lots of us struggle to feel happy because we are aiming for the wrong thing. Society makes us think that in order to be happy we have to look a certain way, dress a certain way, have a certain amount of money and financial stability, pursue a certain type of career. But those are barely markers of success based on capitalist society. You don’t need all that to be happy. You need to figure out what makes personally you happy, be it spending more time with animals, traveling, being a good partner, or perhaps just painting. Happiness is a personal thing and it’s important to find your own definition of it.
2. Therapy Is Always A Good Idea
Many people find it hard to figure themselves out. And it’s not really surprising considering the amount of information we’re bombarded with every day and the influence it all has on us and our psyche. Some are taught from an early age by their parents that the only way to be happy is to get married and be a good partner, others are pushed into a career they never wanted. A lot of the time our parents are just trying to pass on their dreams and goals onto us because that would make them happy. But that doesn’t mean it’ll make you happy. And taking up therapy can definitely help to realize those things, work through them, and get you on the right track to living a happy life.
3. Train Your Brain To Be Happy
So what do people really mean when they say happiness is a choice? Are you supposed to just wake up and decide to be happy all of a sudden? It’s not quite that simple. Most of us struggle with noticing good things and focusing on them. You’re much more likely to remember a negative interaction and mull it over in your head for hours or days, but to boost your happiness and well-being, you have to train your brain to focus on positive things too instead of just dismissing them.
4. Customize Your Surroundings
This can mean anything from moving to a different city or country with a more suitable climate for you, or just decorating your home to make it feel more comfortable for you, or just taking a look at the kind of people you surround yourself with. Our surroundings really do influence our life in a major way. So if you hate winter perhaps move to a warmer country, if you dislike the color of your walls — paint them, and if you have people in your life that are negative and mean to you — cut them out. Surround yourself with things you like and people who are a positive influence.
5. Smile More
It sounds silly but this definitely works. While feeling happy and joyous makes us smile, it also works the other way round. If you just choose to smile for a few minutes, even when you don’t particularly feel like it, you will feel better afterwards. Smiling and laughing can actually lessen your anxiety and help you deal with a stressful situation better, so use that as an excuse to watch more comedies.
6. Stop Lying
And by that, we mean not only to others but to yourself too. We spend way too much time trying to please others and convince ourselves that it’s in our best interest. Did you know that most people find it really hard to have a 10-minute conversation without lying at least two times? Lying takes a lot of effort and brainpower. You gotta remember which lie you told and when and who was there. Learning to just tell the truth, even if it seems hard at first, can actually positively benefit your mental health.
7. Failure Is Normal
Failure is a normal part of life. We all fail, all the time. That’s how we learn. It’s important to keep trying new things, failing at them, and then eventually getting better. Think about it, when you were a baby, you didn’t know how to walk, you kept falling, but eventually, you learned how to walk and even run. And you didn’t quit, did you? That’s the kind of attitude you should have to everything in life.
