“Happiness is not something ready made. It comes from your own actions.” – Dalai Lama

Happiness is like the wind. It’s either a gentle breeze that barely moves the leaves hanging on the trees or it’s a gust so strong that it seems like the wind is taking the leaves by the hand and helping them skip down the street.

Happiness is fluid because life is fluid – no two days are the same. Stress, anxiety and worry can make happiness stand still. On these days, the best thing to do is to welcome back happiness by taking control of your life and finding a way to get happy.

Wondering where to start? Try these 10 simple ways to get happy so you can begin skipping with the wind again.

1. Notice What’s Right
Take all that life throws at you and reframe it with what’s right about the situation. At the end of the day, you will be more content, at peace and happy. Take time to begin noticing what’s right and see the world change in front of your eyes.

2. Be Grateful
How many times do you say the words “thank you”? How many times do you hear these same words? If you are doing the first thing, saying the “thank yous,” the latter will naturally happen. Learn to be grateful and you will be open to receive an abundance of joy and happiness.

3. Remember the Kid You Were
Do you remember how to play? I’m not referring to playing a round of golf or a set of tennis. I’m talking about playing like you did when you were a child – a game of tag; leap frog, or street baseball when the bat is a broken broom handle. One way to get happy is to remember the kid you were and play!

4. Be Kind
Kindness is contagious and when you make the commitment to be kind to others, you can experience new heights of joy, happiness and enthusiasm for your life.

5. Spend Time with Your Friends
Although an abundant social and romantic life does not itself guarantee joy, it does have a huge impact on your happiness. Learn to spend time with your friends and make the friendships a priority.

6. Savor Every Moment
To be in the moment is to live in the moment. Too often you are thinking ahead or looking ahead to the next event or circumstance in your life, not appreciating the “here and now.” When you savor every moment, you are savoring the happiness in your life.

7. Rest
There are times when you need the time to unwind, decompress, or to put it simply, just “to chill.” Life comes at you hard and fast. Time, as do the days on the calendar, keeps going forward on its own natural pace, which is not always the pace you would choose. Fatigue, stress and exhaustion may begin to settle in faster than you may think. The best remedy for this is indeed rest.

8. Move!
The expression a “runner’s high” does not infer an addiction, but a feeling or a state of mind – a state of euphoria. There is no question exercise, or any physical exertion, elevates your mood and enhances a more positive attitude as well as fosters better personal self-esteem and confidence. Indeed, one way to increase your happiness is to move!

9. Pursue Your Goals
The absence of goals in your life can make you feel like you are stuck and ineffective. The pursuit of goals in your personal life, in your relationships, or with your career, is the difference between having a mediocre life or a life full of passion and enthusiasm. Pursue your goals and watch your happiness soar.

10. Finding Your Calling
Some find meaning in religion or spirituality while others find purpose in their work or relationships. Finding your calling may be much more than accomplishing one simple strategy for increasing your happiness, but having a sense of purpose – of feeling like you are here for a reason – can perhaps bring the greatest happiness of all.

About Alex Blackwell

Alex Blackwell is a father, husband and writer. He writes about inspiring things at The BridgeMaker.
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