A lot of people think happiness is a constant that we can strive for. That eventually we will feel chipper as soon as we wake up, replacing any feeling of sadness or bitterness ever with shiny bright sunbeams that come out of our face. One thing you should know before starting your journey to happiness is this:
Happiness isn't an emotional throne of splendour that you reach one day and sit on for the rest of your life.
Happiness is taking control of your life in a way that lets you prosper and so much more. It is unique to every person feeling it. Happiness is not wealth, body weight, followers or having the best brows on the block (though it certainly would improve my self esteem).
When pursuing happiness a lot of people end up feeling more sad, forgetting that happiness isn't permanent, it comes and goes just like hunger, so you'll never feel constantly happy just like you will never feel constantly sad (not including depression*). In accepting this, you're ready to feel a hella lot lighter in the long run.
To stay happy I bear less on my shoulders- we're only human and you can't take on all of the worries and stresses of the world. You must learn to forgive yourself, love yourself, let go of people who put you down or make you sad even though it might be hard at first, take each day piece by piece and build yourself upwards instead of trying to grasp everything all at once.
If you wake up feeling sad or are obligated to do something that puts you in a bad mood (i.e work, school) try to shed positive light on the situation. Who do you get to see that day? Is there something good that comes out of this? What are you looking forward to today, after the gruelling tasks are out of the way? Focus on that, and do the same for all sticky situations.
These awesome things that happen to you day by day (from bird poop just missing your face to your favourite snack being in stock) are your 'happiness foods', which will sustain you if you choose to focus on them. Share your happiness with others and they'll share theirs with you too!
By living life observing the best parts of each day you're going to be a hell of a lot happier than if you let every negative situation seep into your cracks, and everyone has them, so I know it's so hard at first.
In no way will this practice cure depression or anxiety but from my experience another thing that helped me when I was going through a really rough time was deciding that ENOUGH was enough. I made a 'Happiness Jar'. In this jar I kept tiny pieces of paper with things I was happy about or grateful for that day/week/month/year and then read them at the end of the year.
Eventually I stopped needing the jar to notice what was good and this behaviour became a part of me.
Everyone has the potential to live a happy life, especially if you're reading this post. If you have food in your fridge your are luckier than 75% of the worlds population. Remember this next time you get in a grump because they spelled your name wrong in Starbucks again and you JUST can't believe it.
Everyone has the potential to live a happy life, especially if you're reading this post. If you have food in your fridge your are luckier than 75% of the worlds population. Remember this next time you get in a grump because they spelled your name wrong in Starbucks again and you JUST can't believe it.
To reiterate, dump anything unnecessary that makes you feel like crap. Look after yourself. Do what you love when you can. Befriend people who help you prosper. Enjoy the little and large happy moments and they will sustain you until the next. Celebrate yourself as you would celebrate anybody else.
Remember that happiness is not a destination, but the stepping stones that make up your daily life. You have the potential to feel happy every single day if you look hard and hopefully in time, you'll feel happy more regularly than you do anything else! You can do this.
What makes you happy? How do you keep your head up in bad situations?
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*All of this is drawn from my personal experience, things I've learned and what has worked for me and others. I hope it aids you but if you're really stuck and feel you need help, here are some mental health helplines.
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