People are always talking about searching for happiness, wanting their happily ever after, and plenty of other common sayings which make us yearn for a state we feel we cannot possibly possess in our current position. But here’s the thing, the way we talk about happiness changes our perception of what’s possible with attaining happiness.

Happiness is a state of being, not an end goal. It is not something to be chased or worked towards. Being happy is rooted in an internal shift, because it is a CHOICE. Unless the choice has been made to want to be happy where you currently are, it’ll be impossible to make it happen.

Once you’ve made the choice to be happy, the below list can help you nurture and grow the good vibes until happiness becomes second nature wherever you are in life. A graphic for the list can be found at the end, feel free to share it on your personal social accounts for easy tracking!

 

 

15 Ways to Make Happiness a Habit

1. Smile Often

This one is first on the list because it’s an oldie, AND a goodie. There have been many studies done on the link between a smile and happiness and correlations have been repeatedly found. So smile! Let them pearly whites out, smile wide, make it exaggerated, or anything else that helps to get that smile out more often.

Have you tried smiling more, but don’t feel like it makes a difference? If so try looking in a mirror while doing it. In a study completed by Robert Zajonc in 1989, participants looking at their smiling reflection reported higher levels of happiness compared to those who smiled, but did not view themselves doing it.

 

2. Offer Help to Others

Generosity isn’t just good for others, but for ourselves as well! People who practice generous behavior lead happier lives. Generosity comes in many different forms…maybe it’s donating money to a charity, giving time and assistance to a friend who needs help moving, or even assisting a stranger with directions.

The best part is that there’s no one specific way to show generosity. So focus first on building a generous mindset, and opportunities will arise from there!

Recommended: When Being Considerate is a Bad Thing

 

3. Laugh More

Similar to smiling, laughing is an activity that can be done anytime, anywhere. Laughter is a great way to relieve stress, and I don’t know about you but stress always seems to creep up in my life.

What’s crazy cool is that Dr. Madan Kataria, a medical doctor and also the founder of Laughter Yoga, found during his research that our bodies react positively to both natural and forced laughter so the next time you’re feeling stressed just laugh it off, even if it has to start off forced.

 

4. Invest Time Into Yourself

How can we help others if we can’t help ourselves? It is not selfish to focus on ourselves, it is essential for personal growth. Regardless of what you plan to do in your life, YOU are an essential part in the equation so don’t forget to take care of yourself! You are worthy of love, and the best kind comes from within.

Recommended: 25 Ways to Practice Self-Love Every Day

 

5. Make Time For Loved Ones

Relationships are integral to our wellbeing and spending time with those you love can be a great reminder of who you are and what you enjoy. Maybe this is family, or your closest friend. Doesn’t matter what their title is, only that they are meaningful to you.

Recommended: Learning to Accept Change in Myself & Others

 

6. Take Breaks When Needed To Avoid Burnout

In a workweek, productivity drastically drops off after 50-55 hours. Most successful people do NOT take work home, or work through the weekends. We can get caught up in the busy-ness of life very quickly and can continue to push ourselves past our limits. And for what? So we can hit that breaking point, burnout, and then still push through because we need to keep going? NO.

Set parameters for your work and focus on efficiency so you can work smarter, not harder and longer. That way you can return refreshed every day, and be inspired to live your best life.

Recommended: Self-Acceptance: Seeing the Strength in Your Flaws

 

7. Go Out To Nature

Surrounding yourself in an open, natural environment can be very healing on multiple fronts. Breathe deeply, look around you, and feel the energy vibrating around and through you. And even if that fails, enjoy the natural light, and focus your senses to soak in the experience and make it what you want!

 

8. Learn Something New

Humans are curious beings with the capacity to continue learning new things. Applying yourself helps to build confidence in yourself and gain satisfaction in your skills while growing them.

Recommended: How To Let Go Based On Your Sensory Learning Style

 

9. Exercise Regularly

Y’all know where I’m going with this: Exerting yourself stimulates your body and leads to the release of feel-good chemicals naturally. Being active does not have to be a chore either! Get out of your house and explore areas of town that you haven’t before; go swimming, or for a hike or walk.

Being active isn’t just about getting yourself moving, but finding ways to move that make you feel good mentally and emotionally as well. We don’t work out to punish our bodies for not being what we want it to be, but to celebrate what it is capable of.

 

10. Eat A Proper Diet

We’ve all heard it: You are what you eat. BUT – I see it as you take on the energy of what you eat. When we consume artificial foods, or foods with high preservatives, it can be harder for our body to process thus slowing and weighing us down in the process.

Eating diets high in natural foods can keep a body happy and make you more energetic. If you are interested in seeing how foods affect your body, there are diets you can do to safely identify what can make you irritated, bloated, and lethargic.

 

11. Trust Your Instinct And Intuition

Underneath the buzzing of your thoughts is a quieter voice you may not realize is there, but that is your unspoken voice, your intuition, lead by the pull of energy around you and your own frequency. NOT the one that is swayed or affected by social norms or teachings passed down by others.

Work on cultivating and nurturing this voice as it is there to lead you in the direction that speaks to your higher purpose here on Earth.

Recommended: Grow Your Intuition & Become More Intuitive

 

12. Positive Affirmations

There are more than enough affirmations floating around. To keep them present in your life you can set a reminder on your phone, put them on post-its to surprise you when going around your home or workspace, or track them all in a journal.

And with affirmations, you can make your own too!

 

 

13. Reassess Priorities

As we grow older, there are plenty of things that keep us busy and make us feel like we don’t have time for everything. The reality? We don’t. BUT — that doesn’t mean our lives can’t be fulfilling!

This is why it is so important for us to re-evaluate our priorities from time to time to ensure that what we are spending our time on is actually worth it for the life we want to lead.

Recommended: 4 Ways Mindfulness Positively Impacts Your Life

 

14. Realize Happiness Is A Companion, Not An End Goal

The way we use happiness in metaphors has impacted our view on happiness and how it fits into our life. But one of the things to realize is that happiness is not an end goal. We should never focus on doing things to try and make us happy once its completed.

There is nothing in the world that can give you happiness, except yourself. Happiness comes from within. If we don’t foster the ember and fire within, it doesn’t matter what we do outside of ourselves, it will never stick.

Recommended: 7 Easy Ways to Practice Gratitude Every Day

 

15. Redefine What Happiness Means To You

Happiness is what you make it. Our reality is completely subjective. What one person enjoys, another may detest. There is nothing wrong with this.

The only thing that is wrong is when we try to force ourselves to like something just because someone else likes it. We can respect their opinion and hope that it will continue to bring them good things in life, but we must then search for our own thing to make us happy. I promise it’ll be worth it.

 

Are there habits not listed here that you’ve formed that have helped you form a happy life? If so, please share below. I’d love to hear what works for you, and your contribution here can also help others in finding and personalizing happiness habits, so thank you!

 

Read More Like This:

When Being Considerate is a Bad Thing

25 Ways to Practice Self-Love Every Day

Learning to Accept Change in Myself & Others

Self-Acceptance: Seeing the Strength in Your Flaws

How To Let Go Based On Your Sensory Learning Style

Grow Your Intuition & Become More Intuitive

4 Ways Mindfulness Positively Impacts Your Life

7 Easy Ways to Practice Gratitude Every Day