How to Find Happiness in Life

A lot of negative vibes out there, but it's your choice to choose happiness. Every second of each day we are greeted with so much negativity, and strong emotions that try to steal our joy. People react to various situations differently.

But then it is how you react to these situations that will determine if you end up sad or happy against all odds. In the words of Mahatma Gandhi… When what you think, say, or do is in harmony then you can say you’re happy”

If life can go as we planned it am certain that can be the precipitate for happiness. For instance, you desire to relocate to say somewhere in the Caribbeans and the sad reality is you can only afford to stay in one remote village in Ghana for now.

Situations like this have the tendency to steal your inner joy and make you unhappy.

Steps to find happiness in life.

Don’t Expect too Much.

Contentment is the first step to finding happiness in life. If you’re okay and satisfied with what life throws at you, what you can get within your limits then you won’t have problems trying to find happiness. When you pursue and achieve realistic goals you gradually tilt to happiness.

On the contrary, if you set to do things bigger than you then you have a long way to go in finding happiness. Studies have gone to the extent of proven that only 10 percent of our happiness accrues from outside sources and the rest comes from within us.

Gilbert and Killingsworth et al discovered that only 4.6 percent of our happiness emanates from the specific activity we engage in. So why not appreciate what lies within you and create your own happiness.

Cherish your Work

A surgeon that enjoys playing with incisions, stitches, and surgical instruments will find fulfillment in what he does and will be satisfied and happy. A lawyer that detests the courtroom but fancies everything about fashion and designs, reinventing the wheels and churning out beautiful outfits will never be fulfilled working as a lawyer.

Where a man’s passion lies he’ll find fulfillment and happiness.

We know of doctors who drop out of practice to do politics because that's where their internal joy comes from. A better-paying job doesn't equate to satisfaction and happiness; remuneration is just a portion of job satisfaction the other task is in doing what you truly love to engage in.

Don’t make the mistake of tying yourself to a job you don’t have passion for. The best you can achieve there is to gather money for your family and loved ones at the expense of your inner peace and happiness.

If you are passionate about singing why not go and sing or about software designs, take the bold steps to quit your current job, gather skills, and work in that area you have all the affection for. Money matters in living a good life, but won't take away the joy that comes from doing what you exactly love.

If you can cover your basic needs then your happiness in entirety won’t be solely dependent on money but if you have serious money problems then every single cent you earn contributes to your happiness.

Live at the moment.

Forget the pains of yesterday forget your past failures and move on. The past is the past, the future is in God’s hands. Don’t let the worries of the unseen tomorrow keep you from achieving your full potential.

You may be so worried about how to raise money to acquire your favorite ride that it gives you an element of dissatisfaction and sadness. Instead of worrying about tomorrow why not make the best of today. Why not accomplish today’s task.

Channeling your focus to now instead of yesterday or tomorrow will give you more vigor and energy to outperform your fears, just seize the moment bro and sis. You don’t get happy by just setting happiness-oriented goals, rather it comes by appreciating your maker for the journey so far.

Choose to be Happy

Be flexible about life, and make a firm choice to be happy instead of dwelling in the negatives. Have an open mind and think positively and act it out. See something positive in every situation life throws at you. If life throws pepper at you, make pepper soup or Peppermint with it.

If you’re faced with failure, look beyond it and see it as an opportunity to try again. For instance, if you have been rejected see it as everything working out for your good. No matter what happens there will always be another day to prove yourself so brace up and prepare for the battle ahead.

When events happen, life throws two choices at you, the first is usually easier, and it is to be sad while the other is to be happy against all odds. True happiness comes when you discover the things that will breed happiness in you and do them.

So I am using this platform to beg you to always choose happiness. See also: How to heal from self guilt

Socialize

Connecting with each other is inscribed into our genetic makeup. No wonder sociologists call us social animals. In the arms of others is where happiness, bond, and love dwell. This connection with other humans is very important for your optimum health. In psychiatry one of the early signs of mental illness is social withdrawal.

Self-isolation will breed negative emotions to overpower you and cause problems for you. Have regular contact with your significant order. Don’t allow technology to keep your friends away rather use technology to keep them close.

Studies prove that married people are happier than single people, why? They always have someone to talk to except they choose not. Your daily actions will determine if anger, anxiety, and sadness will dwell in your bosom. Make a constant effort to keep your positive connections and help accelerate your internal happiness.

Stop comparing yourself to others.

Dangote may be the richest man in Africa but by the time he starts comparing his wealth to that of Tesla boss, Elon Musk, chances are dissatisfaction and jealousy will set in.

Rather than using others as a yardstick for your fulfillment and happiness, why not look at how far you’ve come and pat yourself on the back. When you start comparing yourself to others you start limiting yourself to other people’s successes and achievements.

This will lead you to the road of misery and emptiness. The people you are comparing yourself to have their own secret pains and agony, they have paid their own price to get to where they are.

The only thing positive about comparing yourself to others is the likelihood of learning from them, but it can fuel rivalry and competition. This competition will take out the peace of mind which you had. Rather than being competitive savor your dreams, goals, and successes that accrue from them.

Don’t worry.

Worry will add headaches to your problems. It solves nothing. Most of the time you had worried over something in your life chances are that they didn’t come to pass 90 percent of the time. If this is the case why are you still worried about nothing. The good book urges us to get anxious for nothing.

Don’t always think of the worst of every situation, think of the best.

Also, as much as you try to be the best person you can be, don’t worry about what people think of you, remain your truest self, at the right time people will discover the real you. Don’t camouflage just to appease others. You must know this simple truth by now; no matter how good you are you can't please everyone.

The sweetness of a mango tree fruit doesn't prevent people from throwing stones at it. Just continue being your best self, you need to be the best version of yourself. Just know no matter how good you’ll offend some people and please others.

Even the Messiah was crucified by the same persons he came to save. Troubles will come and go, so also happiness will come calling so don’t even bother yourself over anything.

Live your life making the best out of every moment as we stated earlier.

Always look out for something Positive. If you don’t look out for positives, nature will pollute your mind with negatives, and you have little to no happiness to circulate.

Optimism requires work and has many benefits attached to it.

Rather than see problems see solutions. From the few lessons, I learned from my life everything happens for a reason and a number of times it's for our good. Unknown to us our maker can be cooking something nice.

Did you lose your job? There is a possibility something bigger and better awaits you. Many people while putting together plans to achieve happiness don’t factor in the hurdles and the ups and downs that may come before the end results.

For every level, you have new mountains. People want to be happy at no cost. This is possible only in movies. Usually, there is what to do to have what you want. Make it your daily routine to dwell on the positives of anything life throws at you.

Stay around those that inspire and bring out your best.

Iron sharpeneth iron, be only with those who bring out the best in you, those who inspire you to achieve more. It is suicidal while on the quest to achieve academic excellence you start flocking around those who live in bar and drinking joints.

That's definitely a big distraction from your goals. Remember part of your happiness will come when your goals are met. Be with people that lift your spirit, people who put smiles on your face. Find that positive energy and run with it and happiness will never elude you. Joy has a way of rubbing off from people around you so choose your closet very carefully.

Find your purpose in life

In the words of Myles Monroe of blessed memory, if the purpose of a thing is not known abuse is inevitable. Find that void you have come to earth to fill and fill it. If you fit perfectly into God’s plan for you, happiness will come as a bonus.

People who are contributing to the greater good of society through fulfilling their purpose in life have a greater chance of finding happiness. Have you ever seen someone that missed their way, and you help them stay on course? How did you feel? For me, that is one of the best feelings in this world. I feel this inner joy each time I help someone solve a problem.

How to Measure Happiness

If you want to achieve success or improve in any facet of your life then you have to find a means to measure your progress. This will help you sustain what works or improve on the steps that will take you to your desired goal. You can’t manage or improve on something you can’t measure.

Footballers for example measure the team's strength by looking at the final scores, goals conceded, fouls committed, and injuries. This helps them improve ahead of other challenges ahead. Once you can measure how happy you are then you can work harder to get even better.

People measure how happy they are using their current mood or end up lying about it by either admitting to being happy when they are not or the reverse. When you are happy others can usually perceive it and this tallies with some self-assessment statistical tests employed by scientists in an attempt to rationalize and measure happiness.

Certain factors will give you a clue if you are happy or not, if you’re not quite sure how happy you are you can think in these lines.
1. The lifestyle you have is the one you totally love, for example, you created a weight loss strategy in addition to dieting. You live by it and the results of this timed effort pay off in the form of weight loss. This is certainly some form of happiness. Someone can look at the progress and make that inference that you’re happy.

2. You can manage the setbacks, your setbacks are only the limits you set in your mind. Once you can look beyond the setbacks then you’re one step away from happiness. Once you’re able to feel at ease with how you handled what life throws at you then you can beat your chest and say you’re happy.

3. You stand up for your truth, once you can stand for what you believe, you’ll be happier and better. Being confident in yourself is another level of happiness.

4. You recreate your joy, being happy against all odds is sure proof that you are happy. This means you do the things that matter most to you. Imagine being able to go to work and attend to other issues of living comfortably without your job having to suffer because you are the boss. I bet you this will make anyone in this shoe happy.

5. You can call for help when you need it, having where to run to in times of need is one of the sweetest things about life. Everyone goes through rough waters, but happy people are able to handle theirs differently.

6. Your well-being is prioritized, you can say you are happy if you only work to your limits. Pushing yourself beyond the limits because options are scarce is a sign that happiness is deficient. Also, you can be said to be happy when you have time allocated for yourself, and you can afford it without distorting other aspects of your life.

7. You work in your passion and enjoy your work
8. Your social connections are strong and intact.
9. You are experiencing the truest intimacy from your partner or spouse.
10. You comfortably separate your personal life and work
11. Your values are strong and you work with them.

Conclusion

We have exhaustively gone through how to find happiness and how to measure it. If you still find yourself unsure of how happy you are, do not panic, Try to improve your sleep, food, and daily routines in addition to all outlined above. If it persists you can seek help from doctors.