Author: Sahed

Want to feel uplifted and happier? Don’t put other people down. Throwing shade at others or participating in malicious gossip will actually rob you of your happiness, so refuse to do it. Don’t take part in the mudslinging! If a friend or coworker tries to get you to join in on the negativity, step back, count to ten, and remove yourself from the situation. (Counting is a powerful technique you can use to manage a behavior you want to avoid.) Feel happy knowing that you didn’t take part in the bashing, and your friend might see the error of doing so as well. Finding ways to compliment others inspires you to feel happy, whereas gossiping does just the opposite.

Sometimes when it comes to feeling happy, you have to fake it ‘til you make it, so force yourself to smile. Now hold that smile for a count of ten. Think to yourself, “I am happy. I am totally, blissfully happy.” You’ll notice that your mood will begin to shift. You can’t help but feel a little lighter. Use your smile to start a happiness epidemic! Smile at everyone, everywhere. People are hardwired to respond to the facial expressions they encounter. If you glower at someone, that person will return a frown, but if you smile, you’ll get a smile back. You’ll feel happier, too, because your body will respond to your smile even if you are faking the grin. So go ahead— fake it until you genuinely feel happy!

Millions of people live their lives without a sense of direction. Unless you know what is really important to you and what you want out of life, how are you going to know where you are going or how to get what you want? How will you know what your life’s purpose is? Think of ten things that are really important to you. Then make each item as specific as possible. For example, what about your friends especially makes you happy? Is it eating meals together, having people in your life who understand you, or working out tough situations together? Refine the ten things on your list until you know exactly what is of primary importance to you. These are the things that will make you happiest! Knowing what they are can help you make better choices in life.

It’s easy to say yes—people like you when you say yes to the things they want or need. It’s tougher to say no, but sometimes saying no is just the thing you need to feel happier. Is someone trying to push you into doing something you don’t have time or the desire to do? Say no. Is someone trying to make you bend on a boundary you feel you need to stand firm on? Say no. Is someone trying to dump a project or task on you? Say no. If you have a hard time saying no, try this: stand in front of a mirror and practice saying, “No, it’s not possible,” and then turning and walking away. You never again have to give in when you know you don’t want to do something or when you know something is not a good idea. Practice until saying no is as easy as saying yes. Saying no is a powerful tool in your game-of-life chest. 

If you grew up with grandparents around, then you are truly lucky. Grandparents are treasure troves of memories and details of a bygone era. They can help you link your life experiences and tribulations to those of your ancestors, giving you a solid feeling about who you are in the grand scheme of life. Grandparents are also great for telling stories about what little troublemakers your parents were as kids. Many people never have that connection to an earlier generation, though, so if you have grandparents, appreciate them now! You’ll feel happier in the years to come knowing that you got to spend time with these amazing people and learn from their wisdom.

When you want a moment of pure pleasure, eat some dark chocolate. Not only does it make you feel good, it has specific health benefits, namely that dark chocolate increases the brain’s serotonin and endorphin levels. In other words, it enhances your feelings of pleasure and happiness. Dark chocolate also lowers high blood pressure, improves blood flow through arteries and veins, and acts as a powerful antioxidant. See? Chocolate is the perfect food! Just nibbling a little piece of chocolate can lift your spirits.

Have you ever had anyone tell you to “Quit your daydreaming!”? Well, it turns out they were wrong. Daydreaming can stimulate your mind in creative ways, reduce stress, organize your thinking, generate solutions to problems, help you gain new perspectives on troubling issues, and of course, make you feel happier. Assuming that you are not using daydreams to escape from your responsibilities, then regularly daydreaming is not only healthy, it’s helpful for solving problems and fostering creativity. Set a timer and let your thoughts take flight to a Greek island, a trekking path high in the Himalayas, a manicured estate in England, a beach in Barbados, or anywhere else you like. Indulge yourself!

Whenever you can steal away for a little rest and relaxation, think about taking your pet with you. Pets bring happiness and love, so why not return the favor and give them a change of scenery and some new experiences? Traveling with a pet has never been easier—many more hotels, campgrounds, and RV parks are becoming pet-friendly. You might find one at your desired vacation destination by searching DogFriendly.com or Pet-friendly-hotels.net or asking other pet owners where they go. If you hesitate to take your dog along on a vacation because he has canine motion sickness, talk with your veterinarian to learn new ways of dealing with that issue. Non drowsy drugs for motion sickness are available for dogs, for example, or you can take your dog on shorter outings to acclimate him or her to a longer trip.

If you are like many people, you hate paying bills, yet deep down you know you have to pay bills to maintain good credit. An excellent way to deal with this unpleasant task is to rip off the proverbial bandage and just tackle the problem. Procrastinating will only increase your stress—relief could be just twenty minutes away. So gather those bills, grab your computer, a calculator, a checkbook, a pen, or whatever you need, and set a timer. Hunker down for twenty minutes or until the job is done. Then reward yourself with a glass of wine, a piece of dark chocolate, or anything that makes you happy. 

Remember the excitement of field trip day when you were a kid—getting to leave school, taking a ride to a new and exciting place, having the thrill of not having to do any work and just having a day full of fun? Do that again! Maybe you have a child in school or a niece or nephew or even a distant cousin. Take a day off work and volunteer to help at an upcoming school-sponsored field trip. Schools are often in need of adult volunteers to accompany children to field trip destinations such as a natural history museum or historic or cultural sites. Not only will you get to see firsthand what your child is experiencing during the field trip and how and what she is being taught, but it is also a lot of fun! As an added benefit, it will also mean a lot to your child that you have taken time off to join her and her class- mates. For some kids, that’s a really big deal and a source of happiness and pride. Getting to be the cool dad/mom/uncle/aunt is also pretty great!