8 Tips for Finding Happiness
In 2021, many people around the world are struggling with finding joy. When the world seems bleak, finding happiness feels impossible.
There are plenty of places to find happiness if you know where to look, and you can also make your own. Think of happiness less like a destination and more like a way of being.
But how do you do that? What does it mean to find or make happiness in a world that doesn’t seem to offer it without asking? We want to help.
Keep reading for ten tips for finding happiness so you can live a more joyful life today.
1. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness is somewhat of a buzzword in the modern wellness community, but it’s actually a really important aspect of finding joy in your day to day life. But what is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is the idea of being “in the moment.” You experience life as it comes to you and you try to engage with it with all of your senses. What do you see and hear? What can you feel around you?
From the moment you wake up and go through the steps of making your coffee, to your walk around the neighborhood on a cool spring day, connect with your surroundings and make sure that you’re doing everything with intention.
2. Engage In Self-Care
How much time do you take per week to truly take care of your mind and body?
In our busy lives, it’s hard to find time to slow down and attend to our own needs. This leaves us burnt out and exhausted. You don’t need to do this to yourself.
Even if it’s only for several minutes per week, give yourself time to relax. Take a warm bath, make food that you like, or engage with friends that bring you joy.
3. Spend Time With Your Spirituality and God
Have you taken time out for your faith recently?
Sometimes this disconnect from God can make you feel dull and sad. Take time to connect with God, however that makes sense to you. Some people like to take time alone to connect privately while others like to get more engaged with their church.
Renewing your relationship with your faith may make all of the difference when it comes to practicing joyfulness.
4. Make Time for Hobbies
Similar to the self-care problem, many people no longer devote time to the things that they used to enjoy. In this current time, we’re taught that hobbies aren’t useful unless they’re monetized. This leads people to feel discouraged and unwilling to partake in the things that they once loved.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
Try to remember the things that you enjoyed when you weren’t so busy. Did you enjoy painting? Perhaps making models?
Commit to the idea that you don’t have to be good at something to enjoy doing it, and devote time to this activity every week. Set aside that time as part of your schedule and don’t let anything get in the way of it.
5. Get Excited About Little Things
Too many of us need something to look forward to in order to feel happy. This “something” might never arrive, or it might be a long way off. While this leads to excitement, it also leads to stress and restlessness as well as an inability to appreciate the current moment.
Try to appreciate the smaller things in life that are still happy and enjoyable. For example, appreciate the breeze on a hot day. If you make a particularly good cup of coffee one morning, take some time to sit with it and enjoy it. Make a small visit with a friend the highlight of your day, and appreciate the way the moon looks in the clear night sky.
There are so many things that are good about this world. Learning to appreciate them will make you a happier person overall.
6. Drop Expectations
On the note of appreciating small things, drop your expectations for the things in your life.
This doesn’t mean that you should drop your standards. You’re allowed to want bigger and better things for yourself and you should always be striving towards important goals, but expectations are a recipe for disappointment. How can you make yourself happy if your expectations for happiness are unrealistic?
Appreciate where you are and what you have. Set small goals to pave the way for large ones. You should want great things, but the path towards them is still enjoyable.
7. Help Others
Many of us get joy out of the acts of giving and helping other people both in and out of our communities. Seeing the joy on someone else’s face and recognizing your own privilege can make you appreciate what you have.
Helping others is one of the ultimate joyful acts. It’s fulfilling knowing that you’re contributing to someone else’s life in a meaningful way. For this reason, you should look into local volunteering opportunities.
There are likely options for volunteering in your own city. There are soup kitchens, food drives, and people who need free care for their children while they find work. You could volunteer at a homeless shelter, or apply to be a foster parent.
8. Forget “FOMO”
The fear of missing out (or “FOMO”) is one of the biggest problems plaguing people’s mental health at the moment. We get so wrapped up in the lives that people present on social media.
They go on trips, make large purchases, have seemingly successful lives and happy families; why can’t that be you? Are you missing out?
Comparison is deadly. You should only compare yourself to your past self. The lives that these people present aren’t the same as the lives that they’re living. You’re not missing out on anything as long as you stay committed to your own path.
Finding Happiness Starts from Within
Finding happiness is really about making your own happiness. You need to create joy in a world that seems to want to take it away from you. Events, material goods, and achievements are great, but initial happiness comes from within.
Follow these tips and start finding your joy today.
Are you trying to lead a happier and more fulfilling life? Do you want more resources? Contact us to ask about our free 2-week challenge for helping you overcome your worries.