Happiness Hacks

All too often, we hide ourselves behind a mask of who we think we are supposed to be. Stop censoring your life and say what you really think! Don’t worry about what other people may think of you. Of course, don’t hurl hate at other people—rather, just don’t be afraid to say what you feel about yourself and your desires. Don’t con- cern yourself about whether or not others are going to like your opinions or thoughts. They can have their own opinions on the matter. Feel free to express yourself the way you like, without concern for other people’s desires. 

There is so much to experience and learn about in life! You can’t help but be in awe of the world and its wonders. Be curious and explore. Never stop questioning why things are a certain way. Learn something new, read something new, try something new. Never lose your curiosity about life. 

Moderation may work in some cases, but if something is not bringing you joy, why are you keeping it around? Get rid of anything that robs you of happiness. And don’t get rid of it gradually—get rid of it cold turkey. Make a list of things that zap your energy, slow you down, or leave you feeling guilty or remorseful, and then simply cut them out of your life. That may not be easy to do, but your increased joy and feelings of well-being will be worth it. 

If you finish your most difficult task first, then the rest of your day will be easier and more productive. As humans, we tend to procrastinate and put off the things we don’t want to do, but if you can get the things you dread out of the way first, you won’t be anxious. That lack of anxiety will greatly improve your day. 

When you are engaged in a heated argument and people are screaming at each other, is there really ever a winner? Or are there just two sides who are angry and bitter and deaf to the other side’s opinions? Fight smarter, not harder. Engage the other person in rational and non aggressive ways so that you can both communicate your opinions clearly. Listen to what your opponent is saying and then try to summarize and restate their thoughts aloud so that they know you have heard them. We all have to deal with conflict, but you don’t have to explode to get your point across.

Want to feel happier and less frustrated with the minutiae of daily life? Then decide not to get frustrated by all the little things that don’t go as planned. Raise your frustration tolerance so that you don’t let frustration take over and ruin your day. Don’t get mad when little irritations pop up—instead, try and find the humor in them. Just go with it and roll with the punches. You’ll be happier! 

No matter what you see on the surface, you can never know what another person is really going through. We often tend to judge and criticize others without even knowing it. Yet when you do that, you are coming from a place of jealousy or fear, and that is not demonstrating your best self. You have no idea about the journey other people have gone through or what they’ve experienced to make them who they are today. You have no right to criticize what you don’t understand. Besides, judging others will limit your happiness as well. You wouldn’t want to feel judged, right? So don’t judge others. 

It may sound silly, but smiling causes an emotional response in your body that can actually make you feel happier. Smiling at other people can make them and you feel happier, but smiling at yourself in the mirror can have the added effect of boosting your self-esteem and self-love. Imagine smiling at yourself in the mirror every morning— think about what that would do for your confidence and mood through- out the day! 

You have problems now, and you will probably always have some kind of problems in your life— as old ones disappear, new ones emerge. But it’s how you view your problems that determines whether or not they will overtake you. Focus on your problems, and they will seem huge; focus on the good things in your life, and your problems will seem smaller. You should also try (this may be harder at some times than others) to appreciate your problems. Sure, they may seem frustrating today, but tomorrow they could turn into an opportunity you hadn’t thought of. 

One of the biggest sources of frustration in our busy lives is being late and all the annoying distractions that can lead to that. Stuck in traffic? Missed a bus? Burned your breakfast? So much frustration and anxiety can be avoided if you allow your- self extra time to get places and to get stuff done. Wake up earlier in the morning to allow for traffic, for example—then you won’t be late for work and have your boss glaring at you all day. Pace yourself. You’ll have a more relaxed and happier day!