Mind, Body & Soul Sessions (#29)

Create your own happiness

What would make you happy? A new job? A dishwasher? A trip around the world? A date with ___________________ (insert name of choice)? Winning the lottery? Any one of these might make you do a little happy dance, for a short while, but in reality pure joy and happiness comes from the inside out. Some people are blessed, they are born with the "happiness gene", but there is still hope for the rest of us because happiness might be genetically influenced but it's also influenced by the things we do. So, over the next couple of weeks I am going to post some things you can do to expand your happiness factor. Some of the tricks you will find here I’ve posted before and some of them are new, either way these are all tips that will help you to create more positive vibes in your life.

Adopt the habits of happy people
Great, but what do they do? Well, here is the shortlist :)

They accept change.
It's impossible to prepare for unexpected changes but when they come (and they will), you should welcome them and learn. Regardless of whether these changes are joyful or devastating, they will always advance you to another step on your life's path. Thankfully, life will go on, whatever might happen. If you can adapt and accept change, your journey will be much happier. Well I’ve talked about this before.

They refuse to keep score.
Healthy relationships requires a lot of giving and taking from both side. If someone is keeping score, relationships might fracture. The reverse is also true: When no one is keeping tabs, the relationship is likely to grow. So, don’t always expect something in return and accept the fact that there will be days where you’ll need to give more. Learn to do this with a smile.

They say thanks.
People who keep a weekly (or daily) gratitude journal feel better about their lives and are more optimistic about the upcoming week (or day) than those who record hassles, problems or neutral events. Need inspiration? This might get you started.

They reach out.
People who focus on others are happier. Being compassionate helps you to feel better about yourself. You can participate in a community project, volunteer, be a mentor or help out at a local hospital. If that’s not your cup of tea, maybe you can give this a go.

They like to bond.
Confiding in others is good for the body as well as for the soul. Of course there are other remedies to cure unhappiness but an intimate friendship with someone who cares deeply about you is one of the best remedies.

They choose optimism
Negativity zaps so much energy from you and comes back ten times stronger. Negativity is cold, dark and heavy on your soul. Being cheerful and optimistic on the other hand feels like a cool summer breeze. Optimism is light, sweet and airy. Try it sometime and you may never go back. Tips to get you started:

Try to change every negative thought into a positive one,

Let go of the “worst case scenarios”, always assume the best from people and situations.

Hang around positive people. Negative people drain your energy and pull you into their fears.

Make positive affirmations and keep repeating them. In the end you’ll start to believe them.