If you want to make yourself happy, you have to know what you want and be comfortable asserting your needs. You also need to have a positive mindset, take action to live a happier life, and take care of yourself even if you're having a tough week. The most important thing is that you know that happiness will be easy to achieve if you are willing to put in the effort.
Step
Part 1 of 3: Changing Perspective
Step 1. Be the person you want to be
If you really want to make yourself happy, then the best thing you can do is be who you really are. This means that you don't become the person your lover, parents, co-workers or friends want you to be, but the person you feel truly like yourself. If you feel like you are faking or always wearing a mask, then you will never be able to enjoy life or be truly happy.
- Maybe you don't even realize you're not really who you are until you pause and reflect. The next time you step out, ask yourself if you're really the person you want to be.
- Of course, there are times when you have to behave in a certain way to adhere to socially appropriate behavior; for example, you shouldn't be jumping on your desk or school desk to be who you really are. But in general, you should take as many opportunities as you can to be yourself.
Step 2. Think in a positive way
Even if you think it's sometimes impossible to think positively, you can actively strive to be positive, no matter what the circumstances. If you want to be able to think positively, all you have to do is focus on the things you are grateful for and enjoy, and learn not to dwell on negative things. If you focus on talking and thinking about the good things in life, you will tend to feel optimistic.
- If you accidentally make a negative comment, try countering it with two or three positive comments.
- Making an effort to smile will not only make those around you happy, you will be happier too.
- Although sometimes complaining can make you feel better, if it becomes a habit, then naturally you will tend to feel pessimistic.
Step 3. Enjoy your life in the moment
One way to make yourself happy is to focus on the world right in front of you instead of worrying about the past or the future. While it's sometimes not easy to forget past mistakes or stop worrying about the future, the more you get in the habit of focusing on the present, the more likely you'll be to make yourself happy. You can set certain times of the day to worry about the future or worry about the past, but you have to put those thoughts aside if you want to enjoy the interactions of everyday life.
- If you're having a hard time enjoying life in the moment, try yoga or meditation. These daily activities can help you feel centered.
- Think about it: so there was a problem at work, and now it's preventing you from enjoying time at home with your family. Why don't you separate the two, instead of letting one event ruin the next?
- Plus, if you focus more on the present moment, you'll be more attuned to your work and will be better at listening to the people in your life.
Step 4. Be grateful for what you have
Another way to make yourself happy is to prioritize gratitude. Sit down with a piece of paper and write down all the things you are grateful for; tell yourself that you won't stop until one page is full. Take the time to read your gratitude points aloud, and truly be grateful for all the joys and happiness in life; You can be grateful for something as important as your health as well as something simpler, like a good coffee at your favorite roadside cafe.
- Get in the habit of cultivating gratitude. When something pleasant happens to you, note how grateful you are for it; if you pay attention to all the things you have to be grateful for, you'll realize that there's a lot more that can make you happy than you might think.
- Spend some time thanking people for what they have done for you, big or small. This action shows that you are paying attention.
Step 5. Take a step back from your current situation
Another way to make yourself happy is to gain perspective. Take a step back and look at your situation from the outside; Granted, maybe you've been having trouble in your relationship or been overworked lately, but overall, you've got shelter, there's love and joy in your life, and lots of other things to be grateful for. It's easy to feel miserable when one or two things go wrong in life, but if you want to get used to happiness, then you have to practice seeing the bigger picture.
- This may be the last thing you want to hear when you're really feeling down, but it's important to consider that from the outside, your life may look pretty good, even if you don't feel like it.
- Even the fact that you have access to the internet and can find help here is a sign that your situation is not as serious as you might think.
Step 6. Allow yourself to feel more comfortable being selfish
One of the reasons you feel like you can't make yourself happy is because you always put other people first. Now, this doesn't mean you have to put everyone else aside and just want to be number 1, but what it really means is that you have to devote time to thinking about your goals, wants, and needs. If you always put your friends, partner, and family members above yourself, then you should find ways to compromise and make yourself happier.
- If you feel like you're in a relationship where you sacrifice everything for your partner, talk about it. You can't live like that forever if you want to be happy.
- Learn to express your own opinion. If in the last five times your friends have chosen which movies to watch together, now it's your turn to decide. If you start asserting your desires with small things, you will soon be able to make bigger decisions.
Step 7. Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself
One way to change your perspective for the better is to spend more time with people who make you feel like a great person capable of doing great things. If you spend all your time with people who put you down or make you feel like you can't do anything on your own, then you're unlikely to be able to make yourself happy any time soon.
- Assess your situation. Look around you and notice who is really making you feel good about yourself and who is making you feel bad. If you find that you spend most of your time with people who make you feel inadequate, it's time to break up.
- It's almost impossible to be happy if everyone around you makes you feel worthless. While it may be painful to cut ties with people who have been in your life for a long time, you should focus on your own happiness.
Part 2 of 3: Taking Action
Step 1. Know what your problem is
One way to make yourself happy is to stop ignoring the problems that bother you. While it's important to feel happy just on a whim, sometimes you won't get there if you haven't determined what factors in your life are making you less happy. Taking action to make life better is awesome and takes hard work.
- If you know your love relationship is not going to work out, end it as soon as possible instead of waiting for the problem to resolve itself.
- If you are very unhappy because you hate your job, look for inner motivation to find a better job.
- If you're insecure or unsure about some aspect of yourself, take steps to love yourself by going to therapy, making small improvements, or by making a plan to achieve happiness.
Step 2. Manage stress
In order to make yourself happy, you have to be able to deal with stressful situations that life gives you. Although you can take steps to reduce stress, at the end of the day, having mechanisms to deal with stress is still important if you want to be happy. Try to deal with stress in your life up front rather than ignoring it and waiting for it to explode right in front of you. Here are some ways to manage stress:
- Have someone to talk to. Whether it's a friend, family member, or therapist, you shouldn't be dealing with stress alone.
- Find ways to make your life easier. If you're constantly stressed because you're stuck in traffic every morning and have to rush to work, leave 15 minutes early each day.
- See if you have too many responsibilities. If you feel like five responsibilities is too much, see what you can reduce to better manage.
- Find a relaxing routine for yourself. Relaxing here could mean reading a captivating novel, a long walk, or drinking chamomile tea. Find your routine and stick to it.
Step 3. Take time to do what you love
One of the best ways to make yourself happy is to make sure you have time to do what you love, whether it's cooking, writing a novel, or spending time in nature. Even 30 minutes a day doing your favorite activity in the world can have a huge impact on your happiness throughout the day; Check your schedule and see what you can do to make time for the things you love.
- If it turns out that the only way you can do what you love is to get up half an hour early, do it. As long as you feel well rested, this is a great way to start the day.
- Make time for what you love even when it's very busy. If you're so miserable because you hate your job and feel like you're wasting every second of your free time looking for another job, ask yourself if spending just half an hour each day writing poetry you love can really have an impact on your job search. The sheer amount of pleasure that comes from doing what you love will make the rest of your day easier.
Step 4. Set goals and achieve them
If you want to take action to make yourself happier, one thing you can do is set real goals for yourself and work towards achieving them. This will give you direction, increase your drive, and make it easier for you to achieve happiness. Making small goals to reach bigger goals will help you feel happier on the way to the final goal; If you feel that you will only be happy when you reach your final destination, then you will be miserable along the way.
- Make a list of your goals and cross them off when they are achieved. This will make you feel happier and more satisfied.
- There's nothing wrong with setting easier goals for yourself, at first. This can make you feel motivated to continue.
Step 5. Write a diary
One way to make yourself happy is to set aside time to write a diary at least a few times a week. This can help you reflect, assess your emotions, spend more time with yourself, and feel as though you are gaining perspective on your life. If you never stop to write down your thoughts or slow down long enough to think, then you will never be able to gain perspective.
- Make an appointment with yourself to keep a diary at least once a week. Remind yourself that this is important to your happiness.
- Reread your diary every few weeks to see if you have a better understanding of what makes you happy and what makes you unhappy.
Step 6. Get out of the house
Another simple but important way to make yourself happy is to get out of the house more often. Just being out in the sun, walking around the neighborhood, and getting some fresh air can make you much happier than if you were cooped up in a dark house, typing on a computer until your hands hurt. If you work from home or just spend a lot of time indoors, make sure you go out at least 2-3 times a day so you feel happier.
- If you go out, even if only for something you would do at home, you will feel happier because you will be around other people.
- Try to make plans with your friends just to get out of the house; Don't let yourself wallow or stay in bed for too long.
Step 7. Make other people happy
It's been proven that making other people happy can make you happy yourself. Whether it's just giving a small favor to a friend in need, helping a neighbor take care of the dog, or volunteering in the community, a little time you devote to helping others will make you happier because you feel like you can make a difference in other people's lives. If you focus only on yourself, then you are more likely to be disappointed or unable to see the bigger picture.
- Get in the habit of doing something nice for someone you know for no particular reason. You don't have to give someone a gift or do something fun because it's their birthday; sometimes the most valuable attention is spontaneous.
- You may think you don't have any free time, but setting aside time for volunteer work just 1-2 times a month can really make you happy and give you a purpose.
Step 8. Keep your space clean and organized
As silly as it sounds, taking the time to clean and organize your personal space can have a huge impact on your level of happiness. If you take the time to tidy up your room, take out the trash or throw away useless items, and donate items that are in good condition but you never use, you will actually feel happier being able to breathe in your own space.
- Even if you just set aside 10 minutes a day to slowly clean up the mess, you'll be able to feel a big difference.
- If you live in a messy, disorganized, and even dirty room, you are likely to feel suffocated, lost, and unhappy. If you restore order in your personal space, you will feel there is more order in your life.
Part 3 of 3: Taking Care of Yourself
Step 1. Get enough sleep
If you want to make yourself happy, you have to make sure your basic needs are met. One of these needs is adequate rest; if you want to be happy, then you should try to get 7-9 hours of sleep, or whatever your body really needs. You should also go to bed and wake up at around the same time each day so that it will be easier for you to fall asleep each night and wake up each morning.
- Create a relaxing bedtime routine to make falling asleep easier. Turn off all electronic devices one hour before bedtime.
- Don't sacrifice sleep for pleasure. It will be difficult for you to be happy if you feel tired or just ready to tumble for an hour or two.
Step 2. Find at least 30 minutes to relax each day
You should try to relax for at least thirty minutes, no matter how busy you are. You can't spend every second of your day doing something productive, or your head will explode. You have to be kind to yourself and take at least 30 minutes to relax and do something very trivial, relaxing, and fun. This means reading gossip magazines, watching your favorite TV shows, or calling your best friend.
- Whatever you do, make sure it matters and that you know you're taking the time to relax. This can help your mind and body relax while doing something just for yourself.
- Everyone has a different way of relaxing. If you relax by taking a walk or writing a poem, then do it.
Step 3. Eat a healthy diet
Another thing you can do to take care of yourself and make yourself happier is to make sure you eat three healthy, balanced meals each day. This will make your mind sharper, give you energy, and will keep you from feeling weak and sluggish. No matter how busy you are, you have to be careful what you eat, knowing that it will actually have a positive impact on your happiness.
- Don't miss breakfast, however busy. You need to start your day off on the right foot, and get the energy you need to feel good about your day.
- Eat a healthy mix of fruits and vegetables, lean protein, and healthy carbohydrates in every meal. This will help you feel balance.
- You can eat healthy snacks throughout the day, such as almonds, yogurt, carrot sticks, or peanut butter and celery. This will give you an energy boost without making you sleepy.
- Of course, everyone needs something sweet or fatty sometimes; You can pamper yourself once in a while. If you never allow yourself to eat what you want, you're less likely to feel happy.
Step 4. Get lots of exercise
Taking at least 30 minutes of exercise every day can pump up endorphins and make you feel happier and healthier. Whether it's a walk or a bike ride, it's important to take time to exercise so that your mind and body feel healthier and so you feel happier in the process.
- You might consider joining a soccer or basketball team, or a street track club; Having a social element in exercise can make you feel happier.
- In general, try to move more. Take the stairs instead of taking the elevator. Walk instead of driving a car. Small actions like these can make a big difference.
Step 5. Find joy in relationships with friends and family
Spending time hanging out can make you feel happier about yourself and your life. No matter how busy you are, taking the time to ask how a close friend or family member is doing at least a few times a week can make you feel happier and less lonely. Make sure you really listen to the person, share your own feelings, and relax a bit in the process.
- If you need a place to lean on, a friend and family member can be a great asset. However, friends can make you feel happier even if you're already in a good mood, by reflecting on your own positive feelings.
- Include at least 1-2 social events on your calendar unless your week is very busy. You'd be surprised how much energy from other people can lift your spirits.
Step 6. Apply good hygiene methods
You might not think that personal hygiene has much to do with happiness, but you'd be surprised at how big of a difference self-care can make in your daily life. Simply showering or bathing every day, washing your hair, brushing your teeth, and dressing up can make you feel more positive about yourself and happier overall; Of course it's much harder to be happy if you don't shower for a few days.
- You don't have to be the best dressed person in the world to be happy. However, putting effort into your appearance can really improve your mood.
- If you feel and appear reckless, then you are likely to be reckless in your actions as well.
Step 7. Take time to pamper yourself at home
If you want to make yourself happy, one thing you can do is spend time pampering yourself at home. Take a day off from school or work and use that time to relax, take a hot bath, put on a hair or face mask, or just lie in the dim candlelight and listen to music. Be kind to yourself and know when it's time to relax and pamper yourself a little.
- You may also consider getting a massage or self-massage. Massage can relax your mind and body and help you be happier.
- Remember that you deserve attention, no matter how busy you are. Taking the time to give your body the attention it needs will make you happier before you even know it.
