9 actionable ways to be happy every day throughout life
Every person wants to know how to be happy… every day! Everyone’s goal is to feel and live a happy and content life. They want to be among those who laugh, smile, say jokes, and so on; and so do you.
You want a smile on your face every day, Isn’t this true?
Social Media makes you think this is possible. Your Facebook friends, Twitter, and Instagram followers all seem to have happy, smiling, joyful, and perfect lives!
These are only how they appear. No onw can can label anyone’s life ‘perfect’.
In reality, life is like a seesaw: you have good days and you have bad days. Some days, you want to smile, laugh, and jump around. But some other days, you feel gloomy and don’t want to talk to anyone.
Your goal is to have more good days and a few bad ones.
Here are 11 ways to make yourself happier to increase those good days.
SMILE OFTEN
Research has shown that the facial expression you wear influences your mood. If you walk around frowning, you are more likely to be annoyed or unhappy.
SMILE: IT WON’T COST ANYTHING.
It is difficult to wear a smile when you are having a bad day! Despite this forcing a smile for strangers or your coworkers can actually boost your mood.
You don’t have to be beaming and grinning, but wearing a pleasant expression for a long period will slowly improve your mood and help you have a happier day.
STOP COMPLAINING
“When you complain, you make yourself a victim. Leave the situation, change the situation, or accept it. All else is madness.” Eckhart Tolle
“The more you complain, the more annoyed you become.”
You can surely say that you are unhappy if you notice yourself complaining most of the day.
People around you will perceive you as annoying and angry.
If this behavior of yours persists, then it will become part of your personality. You can win the title of ‘a complaining, unhappy person’. I’m sure you don’t want this award, do you??
SOLUTION:
It’s no use talking with Shane,
As he’ll only complaint,
Dad, there is a fix, said his daughters.
stay away from it is all that matters.
Shane’s daughters’ advice was the perfect solution to this problem.
Spend one day without complaining about anything (and it’s a difficult task).
I tell you what this means:
- You cannot complain about the terrible driver in the car before yours,
- You can’t discuss with coworkers about the boss’s irrational attitude,
- It’s no use getting angry with government policies.
- you also cannt grouch to your spouse about your idiot coworker or a naive customer.
I don’t mean that you shouldn’t get angry at the senseless driver in the car in front of your car, or you support the illogical decisions of your boss or you don’t care about government policies, and so on. I only mean that do not let these experiences take control of your behavior and sanity.
After restricting yourself from complaining, you will feel
- Good,
- Happy and,
- Empowered.
PRACTICE GRATITUDE
In the last and Final revelation God Almighty said:
Wa-ith taaththana rabbukum la-in shakartum laazeedannakum wala-in kafartum inna AAathabee lashadeedun
And remember! your Lord
Caused to be declared (publicly):
“If ye are grateful, I will
Add more (favours) unto you;
But if ye show ingratitude,
Truly my punishment
Is terrible indeed.”
Gratitude simply means that you appreciate the other person’s efforts and considerations.
Grateful feelings lower stress, alleviate depression and form a sort of feedback loop.
Try to count the blessings in your life. You will spend hours thinking & writing but you’ll finally give up. it’s an impossible task.
- Your pockets are not filled with destitute, are they? Be grateful for every bite you take as there are millions in this world who spend days and nights with growling stomachs.
- Be grateful for the respect you enjoy as there are millions in this world who receive pennies with disdain.
ENJOY ART
It’s a universal truth that beauty makes people happy. So, enjoy the beauty around you and in art.
You have some options:
Art Gallery: Go to an art gallery and view your favorite artwork: classic, abstract, or modern arts.
If you don’t like a specific genre of art, for example, abstract art, no problem! Watch what you like and make you happy.
Theatre: It doesn’t matter whether the art is a static image.
If you’re like me, who doesn’t enjoy pictures but a performance instead, then enjoy in the theatre.
- View the online portfolios of graphics designers on Behance. There are some brilliant artists there.
- Make your phone’s lock screen a beautiful painting or peaceful photograph.
- Enjoy the arts in whatever way you can, and enjoy the happiness they bring
Cinema: Your third option is to go to a cinema. There are some very good movies to watch in the English language as well as the Urdu language.
You can watch movies at home (on any video streaming service). if you prefer.
Which movies to watch:
Hollywood reporter compiled a list of 100 movies you can watch.
FEED BIRDS
To live with a happy body and content soul, feed those little flying beings. You’ll feel satisfied when you look at the birds picking food.
Isn’t it beautiful that the birds may take what you gave them home for their hungry children?
“On your house’s terrace or a ground, keep anything to eat for the birds; You’ll feel good.”
Dr. Saman Siddiqui, Clinical Psychologist, KKT, Karachi, Pakistan
KEEP PET ANIMALS
Keep a pet bird. I have a pet too…It’s an Indian ringneck parrot, Booboo!! You don’t like birds? Keep a cat or any animal….
Animals of all sorts are known to have a positive effect on human moods.
Pet animals are your friends when alone. My dad’s friend, Asif, lost his only son a few years ago. His and his wife’s friend or ‘son’ now is his Persian cat poppa — don’t confuse it with ‘pappa’. I have a few pictures of poppa but I can’t share them here without Mr. Asif’s permission.
BE HEALTHY
Your treatment of your body directly determines your mood.
A healthy body results in happiness you
You need to take care of two things to be happy.
- Diet
- Sleep
DIET
- Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables.
- Cut down fats.
- Only food and no exercise will make you fat (a living football) → Fat people are usually lazy > Unhappy you.
- Healthy food brings healthy energy, and lack of energy or lack of fuel can make you very irritable.
- Healthy food will bring healthy energy, and a lack of energy or a lack of fuel can make you very irritable.
SLEEP:
Sleep is also essential if you want to be happy all day.
If you are sleep-deprived, you have less energy and are more prone to bouts of frustration, hopelessness, irritation or general misery.
STOP BEING PERFECT
Why???
God Almighty didn’t create us humans to be perfect. Imperfection is always present in humans.
Only God Almighty is perfect………only His acts are perfect.
Our acts are full of mistakes.
Go to the toilet…..pull up the toilet lid…..and witness how ‘imperfect’ we are.
AVOID NEGATIVITY
It is difficult to be happy when you are surrounded by negativity.
Negativity attracts negative experiences and negative people and eventually, negative events. The law of attraction works here. Negative thoughts will ‘attract’ negative events.
HOW TO AVOID NEGATIVITY
Unfortunately, this means that you might have to say goodbye to everything from then TV news, talk shows, TV dramas. In addition:
- Unfollow people on social media who only complain or gossip. When you do this, you’ll have a much cleaner wall!
- If you don’t like a recommendation, just click the three vertical dots and press/tap ‘not interested’.
- Stop reading details of every news update you receive. This also includes emails from websites you subscribed to. If you don’t like it, unsubscribe to their list.
- Stop spending time with friends who are only interested in creating drama.
It requires a few lifestyle and attitude changes and a slightly different mindset. Believe me, once the negativity is out of your life, you are on the road to happiness.
HOW TO KNOW IF YOU ARE HAPPY FROM THE INSIDE?
Painting is self-discovery. Every good artist paints what he is.
— Jackson Pollock
Think about how this quote by Pollock can discover the genuine beauty in you.
Are you done…???
I was under the treatment of Dr. Saman Siddiqui at the Khan Kinetic Therapy (KKT) Spine Center.
She asked me to draw a picture, any picture.
I draw one of a girl. She had a heart-shaped face, had long hair, and was not depressed at all.
She asked me to name her.
I named her ‘Sarah‘.
One thing is for sure, I’m not unhappy.
You do the same too. Draw anything……….not just a face…anything: beautiful, frightening or else and see what you come up with.
If you are relaxed from the inside, you might end up drawing a beautiful landscape or face. Your emotions will direct your hands.