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Do you feel like your happiness is never in your control? Or do you miss being your carefree and lighthearted self? Perhaps all you need to do is find happiness within yourself.
Don’t let the world trick you into believing that great things are always out of your reach.
We've all been taught that obtaining a good grade, landing a dream job, or becoming wealthy is a requirement for happiness. But what good is an ideal future if we put off being happy until later and wallow in our dissatisfaction now?
The world is your oyster, and you can become an expert in the practice of happiness.
No matter what life throws at you, you can feel upbeat and optimistic if you know how to cultivate inner happiness.
1. Eliminate the Negative Self-Talk
If you’re not feeling as cheerful as you’d like, you’re probably dealing with some negative thinking patterns.
Before you can find inner happiness, you must figure out what is bringing you down.
The quality of your thoughts determines how you perceive yourself and the world. When you view everything with a skewed perspective, you are bound to feel discouraged. If you believe that you can’t find happiness, you won’t.
The idea is to eliminate any self-defeating beliefs you may possess.
When you engage in negative self-talk, it is likely that you will become a killjoy. You may find reasons to be miserable rather than to be glad when good fortune smiles on you.
Any thought pattern that limits your ability to have a hopeful outlook on life has to be trashed away.
2. Train Your Mind With Positive Affirmations
You have the power to program your mind with positive affirmations. Positive affirmations are statements designed to change the way you think. You can think of them as tools that you consciously use to influence the subconscious in a positive manner.
Instead of relying on others for validation and emotional support, you can provide yourself with the encouragement and attention you need.
Positive affirmations help you realise you are self-sufficient.
Essentially, when you repeat affirmations, you create positive thought patterns. With this new way of thinking, you are able to look at problems and opportunities in a new light.
Put yourself in the practice of using these positive daily affirmations:
I choose to be happy, feel happy, and think happy thoughts.
I focus on what I can change. I let go of the rest.
I have a positive attitude and accept with an open heart everything that comes my way.
I am positive. I am loved. I am enough.
I start every day with gratitude and thanks.
Happiness is my friend, companion, and ally.
Experiment with positive daily affirmations for a week and see how your inner happiness begins to glow.
Why would you let your mind wander toward negative thoughts when you can use positive affirmations?
3. Savour Positive Experiences
When you take the time to cherish moments, you learn how to prolong your happy feelings.
Don’t postpone happiness, allow yourself to linger in the happiness of the moment.
Savouring is the act of being mindful of a positive personal experience. Instead of letting it go by, you give it the attention and appreciation it requires to bloom. In other words, you give positive experiences centre stage in your thoughts and give yourself time to fully absorb them.
Paying attention to the simple pleasures that life has to offer can lead to a sense of happiness.
The simple act of savouring can help you experience happiness that is longer and more intense. After all, when you focus more on the details of an experience, time itself seems to pass more slowly for you.
There are many experiences that you can savour, like:
Eating something you enjoy
Spending time with nature
Snuggling with a pet
4. Don’t Compare Yourself with Others
To enhance your inner happiness, you need to restrict any factor that can steal your joy.
Comparison is the nasty thief that wants to rob you of your happiness.
When you compare yourself with others, only two outcomes are possible:
You will grow bitter and resentful because someone else is more successful than you.
You will grow vain and arrogant because you are more successful than someone else.
Instead of relying on others to provide you with a scale of success, you should carve out your own path.
A lot of the unhappiness that swirls around the world comes about because of social comparison. We want to earn more than our neighbours, have better partners than our friends, and have more luxurious experiences than celebrities. In the end, the energy expended in making these comparisons leaves us emotionally drained and unfulfilled.
Instead of competing with others, strive to be the best version of yourself.
Beware of social media. People only share the good things about their lives online, giving you a rosy picture of their success. Don’t let your mind convince you that you are inferior to someone else. Instead, cultivate self-confidence and work towards reaching your fullest potential.
5. Make Gratitude Your Best Friend
Lastly, you must recognise the abundance of blessings that surround you.
Place your faith in the wings of gratitude and let yourself fly.
When you’re unhappy, chances are you’re focusing on things that have gone wrong. Honestly, life is never going to be free from setbacks and challenges. However, if you begin to focus on the positive aspects of your life, you will feel happier and enter into situations that are beneficial to your well-being.
Even research supports the notion that consciously counting your blessings increases happiness and decreases depressive symptoms. Gratitude has a lasting positive impact on your brain.
There are many ways you can express gratitude:
Maintaining a daily gratitude journal
Writing a gratitude letter for someone
Gifting something meaningful to someone
Praying to thank God for his blessings
I’d like to end this with a small prayer: May you find true happiness and peace in life.
If you’re interested, you might want to check out our post about Being Grateful to Lift Your Vibe
Priya R. Monver is a poet, writer, and lifelong learner. She is a business graduate who is fascinated by nature and mental health. Her love of writing and knack for branding help her grow as a professional content writer. Follow Priya on Twitter.