8 Things You Can Do Right Now To Become Happier

Here’s a question that everybody asks themselves all the time: “What can I do to be happy?” Would you feel better if you lost weight, switched careers, or found love? Or perhaps you’d find happiness by spending a week traveling to Spain or winning a million-dollar jackpot. It’s really not that simple. Happiness is not about singular events, it’s about developing the right mindset. In other words, dropping 10kg, landing that dream job, or finding your soulmate does not automatically make you happy. Rather, you must think of happiness as the cause of everything, not the result. For example, instead of seeing a job promotion as the root of happiness, be happy first and use it to achieve your goals. How can you start? Take a look at these 8 tips.

1. Make a list of positive buzzwords

Believe it or not, the mere act of thinking of a positive word can generate warm, happy feelings. You might think of an event, an adjective, or cheerful actions like “smile.” For instance, the word “latte” might bring back memories of spending an afternoon meeting with friends at a cafe. Or thinking of your beloved pet’s name at a moment of stress will make you feel calm and relaxed. The great thing about this is that it not only provides an immediate boost to your mood, it can have long-term effects, especially as it becomes a routine habit to focus on positive words.

2. Focus on others

Want to be happy right now? Why not do something to make a friend or family member happy. The reason why helping others helps you is cliché is because it really works! One of the keys to happiness is to demonstrate empathy towards others, and helping others when they need it achieves this. At the same time, the gratitude they show you will serve as a reminder of how fortunate you are to have them in your life. Remind your best friend how much they mean to you; thank the staff at a grocery store or restaurant for their work during these challenging times; donate money to a good cause; send your niece or nephew $20 to spend as they wish. Think about those big and little things that you can do to make somebody’s day. It will brighten your day too!

3. Get some fresh air

Going outside for a walk around the neighborhood or a hike along the nature trail can ease stress, which in turn makes you feel happy and at ease. Even just sitting on a bench at the park for 15 minutes and soaking in the beauty of nature can increase happiness, confidence, and even leads you to treating people with more kindness. In fact, there are plenty of doctors and therapists who incorporate such activities into their patients’ treatment plans. Too busy on a particular day? No problem! Even the act of drinking your morning coffee on the balcony or porch can be useful. Spend your work break walking a block outside your office building. When you exercise or do yoga, take it outdoors to the park or beach rather than in your living room.