How to be Happy

As I was doing my early morning roaming around on my computer, I found an article titled, "how to be happy". As everyone is aware, I gobble up articles that have lists. The article got me thinking, then I started to write and here is what I came up with.  

1. Count your blessings. Many people have a practice of starting or ending each day with a grateful list. Simple things that we take for granted are exactly what we need to be grateful for. They would include waking up in a good mood, hot shower or enjoying the sound of the birds chirping. The day I started to write this, I was grateful for the rain and the small thunderstorm that was happening. I am grateful that I made homemade bread yesterday, so I could have toast with rhubarb jam. I keep my grateful list very simple. 

2. Cultivate empathy and compassion. Step into someone else's shoes. I had some trouble understanding how this makes a person happy. I have come to the conclusion that by simply extending ourselves to others, we gain a sense of happiness.   

3. Practice forgiveness. Remind yourself that forgiveness doesn't justify actions of those that hurt us, but letting go of the hurt. As we age it is even more important to let go of past hurts and feelings. Those feelings take up way too much space in our head and heart. 

4. Create meaningful relationships. Choose your friends wisely. Focus on positive relationships and let go of negative ones. I think this is way easier to write or to say than to actually do it. Negative people are exhausting. What I don't like is when I am with negative people, I can take on their negativity. Being with positive people keeps me more positive and happier. 

5. Volunteer. By volunteering it gives you a sense of purpose. It broadens your social life and gives you an opportunity to meet like-minded people. Volunteering has changed my life. I am challenged to create an activity every week, and often it means a trip to my favorite $ stores or my happy place. I feel so rewarded and needed when I volunteer.    

6. Never stop learning. Take a class, read a book, or learn a new skill. Being bored has a negative effect on us. My Mom is a perfect example of someone that is always learning. She has a jigsaw puzzle on the go all of time. She changes it up with word search and cards with her lady friends and ends every day by reading a book. 

7. Eat healthy. It not only has a positive effect on our physical well-being but our mental well-being as well. Right now, with all of the fresh vegetables, eating puts us in a perpetual state of happiness. 

8. Get enough sleep. Adults need between 7-9 hours/night of sleep. It helps with mood swings, anxiety and depression. Sleep can be the biggest factor regarding being happy and in a good mood for the day.  

9. Meditate. It is known to decrease stress and increase self-awareness and improve emotional well-being. Meditation comes to us in various ways. Those that walk are meditating. Driving alone is another time of reflection and meditation. Meditation time will often create solutions, ideas and peace for a problem. 

10. Practice mindfulness. Being aware of the present. Have you ever just sat and thought about how good you feel after a shower or bath? I love that moment. Being mindful takes a conscience effort, but certainly worth it. 

11. Laugh. If I have been with someone that makes me laugh, I come away almost euphoric. A girlfriend giggle fest is the best thing ever. Children laugh all day; they are so happy. We need more laughter in our lives, there is never enough. 

12. Spend time in nature. It gives you a general sense of meaning to life. When I see an eagle fly over, or a young fawn with spots I get a sense of peace and happiness. I just automatically smile when I see a monarch butterfly or dragonfly. As everyone knows, I am in a state of happy when I am around water.  

13. Be around animals. I think dogs are the happiest animals and when they are around, they make me feel happy. A pet will give unconditional love, and you are never alone if you have a pet. 

14. Set goals. By setting goals it motivates us and makes us feel more optimistic. Having direction and objectives can bring us happiness. I know I am not alone when I say there is nothing like crossing things off the "to do" list for the day. Happiness is having something to look forward to. Creating a bucket list and making it happen is such a rewarding feeling of happiness. 

There are people that are always happy. They know nothing other than seeing the best in everything. Then there are others that have trouble getting into a room, with the dark cloud they insist on pulling everywhere they go. I do believe being happy is a choice. If I were to add something to this list it would be, do fun things. Fun things make me happy. I also have a sense of joy if I am going to do something I have never done before. I am happy when I help others with things they couldn't do for themselves. I am happy when I am needed. I think you get the idea, and I hope you can reflect on what makes you happy. Some days being happy takes an incredible amount of work. Other days it comes with no effort. So just for today, make it a happy one.