Life Is Beautiful: 10 Simple Tricks To Enhance Your Happiness

The past month of my life, I have worn an ear-to-ear grin. Everything in life is beautiful; literally everything. I’ve been wondering how after feeling so unimportant, so useless for so long, I can now all of a sudden sport this cloak of invincibility. I can honestly say I’ve never been so happy, and felt so purposeful in my life, as I do now. I’ve been revitalized, I’m prepared (and stoked) for whatever life throws at me next. I’m chuck full of energy and enthusiasm. Where’d this sudden surge of spunk come from you may ask? And how can you get some? Dig deep folks, it came from within, and it’s hiding within each and every one of us. Here’s how to dig it out:

1. Find the Good in Every Situation

The fact of the matter is, it’s not about the situation itself, it’s about how you choose to interpret the situation. Notice I said choose. That word is no accident, you have the choice, THE POWER, to choose how you interpret, react, and respond to a situation.  There is good in every situation, it’s just up to you to dig it out. There’s no sense in stressing over situations in which you cannot control, so channel that energy elsewhere.  Learn to let go.

2. Brighten Someone’s Day: Pay it Forward

Start incorporating small acts of kindness into your routine to brighten others’ days, or make their lives a little easier. Start the pot of coffee in the morning for your roommate, remove the snow off of someone’s car, hold the door, or leave a positive message on someone’s bedside table. Pay it forward, good deeds and actions are contagious.

3. Engage in Community Activities

Be spontaneous. Learning only continues as you put yourself in new environments.  Dare to do new things, intentionally put yourself in uncomfortable & awkward situations. Be an active member of your community; learn and grow together. There’s something to learn with each new experience, and without new experiences, the learning ceases.

4. The 80/20 Rule

Talk 20 % of the time, and listen 80% of the time. We do after all have two ears and one mouth. Listen more, talk less, there’s a lot to learn.

5. Shift Your Thinking from Subjective to Objective to Find Clarity

When you find yourself in a sticky or controversial situation, clarity can be found when you shift your thinking from subjective to objective. This means: remove your personal interests and feelings from the situation and go purely off facts and actions. This tactic is particularly useful when settling conflict with a significant other 😉

6. Say I Love You & Say It Often

Tell the people in your life who mean the most to you how much you love them and do it often. Tomorrow is never granted. Check in with those long lost friends, let them know you’re thinking of them. Hug, kiss, and laugh often with those near & dear to you.

7. Treat Yourself Well: Both Mind & Body

When it boils down to it, you are all you truly will ever have. Set aside an hour each day doing something you love. Escape and do the things you want to do. Be content with being alone. Disconnect to reconnect. Exercise, eat well, and replace those bad habits with good ones. Find a buddy to be healthy & fit with — a little friendly competition never hurt anyone.

8. Abide By Your Beliefs

Dr. Suess said it best, “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” Be true to yourself, stick to your gut, speak and act in ways that abide by your morals and beliefs. Carry an open mind: hear and respect the views of others, but feel no obligation to alter yours. Furthermore, never change your views to connect with an individual or a group. Be true to you, always.

9. Reflect Upon Yourself & Set Goals

The best thing you could ever do for yourself is to identify your weaknesses and your strengths. Reflecting upon these traits is absolutely essential to growing personally and professionally. When you accept your weaknesses, you can then begin to identify ways in which to strengthen them, in turn creating a better you. Strive to be a better person than you were yesterday, & use goal-setting to accomplish this.

10. Be Proud of Who You Are

Make it a habit to look yourself in the eye and tell yourself how proud you are of how far you’ve come. Strive to look in the mirror and be proud of what you see, what you stand for, and the beauty in your future. Be confident in yourself & respect who you are & others will surely follow suit.