Living a happier life

Has the thought that you were wasting your life every hit you? If you have had more than one in job in your lifetime, it probably has.  But how do you move past this feeling? Ask yourself what you want from life.

Do you want to be happy? Even if you have many reasons to be happy, can you say that you are truly happy?

If you are not, who can you become happier?  Here a few ways to begin:

• Make small changes. Get enough sleep. Eat well. Drink enough water. Do the basics of self-care.
• While it may seem counter-intuitive, if you are anger about something, take a break before letting it all go. If you want a resolution, it is wise to step back and calm down
• Act happy! We have all heard the advice “fake it till you make it”. in the case of happiness, this is true! Act happy and you will actually catch the happiness you seek.
• Invest in your happiness. We all know that if you want to do something well, we have to take the time to do it right. If you want a variety of happiness, do a variety of things.  Challenge yourself to do something new, and don’t be afraid to fail.
• Don’t be tempted to paper over sadness with treats. If someone really hurt your feelings, will eating a can of frosting really fix things? Think about how best to treat your feelings.  (I once wrote a short story in which I killed off the person who wronged me. It turned into a successful series.)
• Invest in your happiness by spending your money and time with the people who make you feel happy. Take one of your parents to lunch. Send someone a card just because. Treat your coworkers to a basket of fruit.
• Don’t always demand the very best. You can spend hours looking for that perfect cut of beef when you really would be satisfied with a well made burger. Think about what you really want before you spend any time and energy on a serious search.
• Exercise will help you feel better. We all know that this works, yet we all have a myriad of excuses about not having time. Even a short walk can help. your self
• Stop complaining. Even if you have to bite your tongue to keep the words back.   When you complain, you are just stressing yourself out and annoying those around you. When you stop, you will feel better and the things that are disturbing you will more thank likely work themselves out.
• Take charge of your own happiness. We are not pre disposed to happiness. Almost half of our happiness is within the things we can control. Take some time to work on your own happiness. Do what makes you feel good!