Chances are it is because you want something which you do not have, objects or conditions. This is probably not a good enough reason, and a review of your situation and perceptions may be in order.
You may have seen videos of children in very poor countries laughing and playing, unconcerned that they should have more to be happy about. They are happy because they are playing, because they have their friends and family, and some food to eat that day. Everyone has the right to be happy, and if they can be in their situation, shouldn’t you?
“Happiness consists more in small conveniences of pleasures that occur every day, than in great pieces of good fortune that happen but seldom to a man in the course of his life.” – Ben Franklin (1706-1790)
Happiness is inside us, in our minds, in our thinking. It is not external material things or experiences, but the enjoyment of our thoughts and feelings. This is good because our thoughts, and therefore our happiness, are up to us.
Start by reviewing the things that you have to be happy about and dwell on these. Don’t overlook the little or basic things that you take for granted.
Make a habit of substituting unhappy thoughts with happy thoughts. Whenever an unfavourable picture enters your mind, eject it and replace it with a pleasant one. We all have some nice experiences to recollect, and there are usually little pleasures around us most of the time. You can even imagine enjoyable experiences, and it will have a similar positive effect.
“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.” – Nathaniel Hawthorne (1804-1864)
Live By Principles That Do Not Drain You
You cannot think your way into happiness if your behaviour contradicts your values. Be honest. Be kind. Let people be human. Do not exhaust yourself chasing things that will not make your life meaningfully better.
A Simple Challenge
Ask yourself a question:
Could you be intentionally happy for 100 days in a row?
Not perfectly happy. Not Instagram happy. Just aware enough to notice one good thing every single day.
Modern life rewards being stressed and constantly in motion. The ability to appreciate a single moment, even when everything else feels messy, is the foundation of long-term happiness.
Most people who attempt the 100 Happy Days challenge stop before the finish line. Their reason:
They said they did not have time to be happy.
So here is the real question.
Do you?
