Something amazing has happened in your life that makes you really excited, happy, even very happy. However, you don't know how to express the positive feelings you feel for yourself or for those around you. Relax, you are not alone! Many people out there are trying to find ways to express their happiness, and there are many ways to do just that.
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Part 1 of 3: Expressing Happiness for Yourself
Step 1. Think positive
Focusing on negative aspects is normal for humans. Self-critical behavior is a human trait that can lead us to progress in our lives. However, this behavior forces us to think positively about ourselves. To be able to express happiness to others, you must be able to maintain a sense of happiness without being carried away by negative thoughts, and you must be able to express that happiness to yourself.
If you feel happy, allow yourself to feel happy and maintain it to avoid negative thoughts. Be proud of your accomplishments and don't let thoughts like, "I could have done better" or "I don't deserve this" run through your mind. Be grateful and do not violate or refuse
Step 2. Create art
Despite the “tortured artist” tropes, studies have shown that creating art can increase happiness and prolong feelings of pleasure. When doing art therapy, people say that making art is a source of joy, even when they are creating art that deals with painful memories in their lives. If you are happy, expressing your happiness through art can increase the positive thoughts in you.
- Paint, draw, sculpt or make something out of your own hands. People who do art therapy admit that creating something tangible is a pleasurable experience because they find pleasure in exploring and innovating. Some people even thrive when they get a real product made by themselves in front of them.
- Make a note of gratitude. If you have an interest in the visual arts, writing down your feelings can be a great way to focus on happy thoughts. You can also write fiction or poetry, and express your feelings in an abstract way, instead of just making notes of the things you are grateful for.
- Listen and play music. The science of brain imaging shows that happy music can activate the reward centers in our brains and produce dopamine; hormones that make you feel happy, like drugs or sex. Playing an instrument and composing positive songs can add to your happiness if you express it through music.
Step 3. Pamper yourself
Happy people tend to have balanced lives – meaning they know when to work and when to play. Taking time to take care of yourself in any way you need is a great way to express your happiness and love for yourself. Doing nice things for yourself is a way that you can express the positive things in your mind.
- If you really want to have a bubble bath, but you always put it off because you're so busy, schedule some time to relax at a later date.
- If you're one of those people who likes to skip lunch at work to get a pile of work done, change up and take an hour's break to walk around and eat a sandwich.
Part 2 of 3: Expressing Happiness for Others
Step 1. Express happiness directly with words
Telling someone you're in a good mood is an easy way to express positive feelings. However, try not to pretend to be happy; it may be overconfident or even annoying.
Also, try to avoid saying "You make me happy." Just say, "I feel good." While it can make the other person happy because it has brought you happiness, it can also pressure them to respond or even make them feel responsible for maintaining the happiness you feel
Step 2. Encourage others to be the best they can be
This may not seem like a direct expression of your happiness because you don't say why you're in a good mood. But this is actually a common misconception. Expressions of happiness can be abstract. Technically, you can express happiness whenever your behavior is influenced by happy emotions. Only by being a positive encouragement in other people's lives can you experience happiness. Examples of encouragement you can do include:
- Tell your friends how proud you are of their latest achievement.
- Give other meaningful compliments, such as the sound of their singing when they scream at their favorite metal song in the car.
- Urge your sister to try the scholarship, even when she is desperate.
Step 3. Take part in acts of kindness
Verbal expressions of happiness are common, but sometimes actions mean more than words. If you are in a good mood, do something nice for the other person to share the positive feelings within you.
- You can make mom a card with how much you love her.
- You can visit your sick friend with soup and a DVD.
- You can donate some money to a good cause.
- You can give yourself a more meaningful hug than usual.
Step 4. Deal with negative situations and act as a positive boost in the lives of others
When a person is in a bad mood, they can easily get carried away in their negative thoughts. If you are in a good mood, you have a role to play in transferring your positive energy to others and changing the situation.
- Avoid gossiping. If your friend says something unkind about someone else, try to shift the conversation from a painful topic to talking about someone you love or appreciate.
- Leave the negative environment. If you're with someone who's worried that they're too emotional, tired or uncomfortable, suggest moving to a different location to help change their mood.
- Always there when needed. If a friend is going through a difficult time, do your best to listen to their thoughts and feelings, and don't be judgmental. Don't try to force them to be happy, but use your happiness to be a good listener. Giving your time to those in need is an abstract way to express your happiness and share positive energy with those around you.
Part 3 of 3: Evaluating Why You Need to Express Happiness
Step 1. Ask yourself if you are truly happy
Some people argue that this question is impossible to answer because happiness is a subjective thing. But many psychologists believe that individuals can accurately determine their own emotional state; if someone is feeling happy, then they probably are.
- However, it is possible that a person may pretend to be happy in order to please others or to get through difficult situations in life.
- Ask yourself if you are really happy, or are you just pretending to be happy for one reason or another.
- If you feel that you are not as happy as you would like to be, then this may be the reason you are trying to communicate happiness to others.
Step 2. Find out what you get when you express
Each individual has his own unique reasons to strive with the expression of his happiness. There is no complete package or final solution for surmounting emotional barriers and problems. But don't let this stop you! We can actually answer these questions for ourselves by taking time to think about the relationship between ourselves and happiness and how this might affect our behavior.
- Think about situations in your life where you were successful in expressing happiness. Are there any memorable moments? What do you do in a situation that matters? What part can you relive back then?
- Think about the incident you were unable to express yourself. What are you doing to change? What thoughts do you have when it seems difficult for you to share your feelings?
- Have you had any experiences where you felt your happiness was limited? Do you remember times when you were expected to express happiness when you weren't happy at all?
Step 3. Decide what method of expression you feel is right for you
Expressions of happiness don't always look the same for everyone. Just because your favorite TV character can express happiness by smiling a lot and buying his friend lunch, that doesn't mean you have to do it to be happy too. Every human being is unique with various methods suitable for oneself to express.
- Try a few different expression methods to see how they work. Buy someone flowers, treat yourself to an expensive dinner, or just smile at a passerby.
- If certain expressions of happiness feel more natural than others, do what you think is best. Do what you feel comfortable with, so that in the future you might be able to break the boundaries and try another expression method that didn't work before. Don't be shy about taking small, simple steps.
