We all know the saying, “Happiness is an inside job.”  That means that other people, luxury items and exotic trips aren’t going to make you happy. Rather, only you can make yourself happy. But how on earth can we make ourselves happy?

The key to achieving happiness is this: You have to like yourself in order to be happy.  And the only way to like yourself is to be likeable. And likeable people are kind, generous, and good – all of the time. It is just that simple.

Below are some ways to start becoming a person who you like, and to ultimately be happy with yourself and with your life.

Be Careful with Your Words: Our words easily can injure others when we speak without thinking. When we are thoughtless, we reasonably feel terrible about ourselves for having hurt another person without meaning to do so. Or, perhaps you intended to injure someone with your words, and then you regret what you said. Either way, when we say hurtful things to others, we end up hating ourselves for it.

Happy people are people who always choose to speak kindly. Kindness is a choice. You don’t have to be mean, cruel or insulting to other people. You choose to do so. So, if you want to feel good about yourself, you need to hold yourself to a higher standard. You need to be the type of person who chooses to be kind, no matter what the circumstances.

Meet Your Responsibilities: We all have societal responsibilities. We are responsible to care for our parents when they become elderly. We are responsible to care for our children, financially and emotionally, until they are on the path to adulthood. We are responsible to be kind, respectful and considerate of our spouses. If you do not meet these basic responsibilities, you will on some level feel that you have failed. And that failure will make you miserable.

People come up with all kinds of excuses for why they can’t meet their responsibilities. And I’m sure that many of those excuses are very persuasive. But those excuses will not take away that little voice in the back of your brain that says, “You didn’t do the right thing.”

If you want to be happy and at peace with yourself, do the right thing. Meet your responsibilities to others. If you do, you will be able to look at yourself in the mirror and like who you see.

Be A Person of Excellence: In order to be happy with yourself, you need to approach your life as if everything matters. That means that the condition of your home, your appearance, and the status of your bank account all matter. And you need to give proper attention to each.

I am not saying that you have to be rich and beautiful to be happy. But you do have to take care of the body that God gave you. And you do have to be financially responsible. And regardless of the size or location of your home, it should be well-cared for. Why? Because we feel good about ourselves when all the facets of our lives are functioning properly.

Think of your life as a car. Everything in a car has to function. Of course, the engine is the most important item, but if the tires are deflated, that engine is not taking you anywhere. Life is the same. All the parts of your life need to be in good working order so that your life, as a whole, works well.

In order to have all the parts of your life work in harmony, you need to approach each part seriously. You need to be careful and responsible with your home, your body and your finances. When all those parts are being cared for, you will feel like a successful adult. And you’ll be pleased with yourself and with how you are managing your life.

Consider how you can become happier by simply holding yourself to a higher standard of behavior. When you like yourself, when you are proud of how you conduct yourself, happiness and contentment will naturally result.

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