5 Things You Can Do Today to Be Happy

Sharon Moore August 01, 2014

There are plenty of things we do every day that make us unhappy. They include saying harsh things to ourselves, arguing with someone close to us, working for extended hours at work, doing a difficult house chore, or simply getting bored doing nothing.

But despite the unpleasant things that happen to us on a daily basis, we can count on the fact that good things can happen. Yes, good things can happen because we all have the power to influence our thoughts and actions so that we stay calm and happy each day.

So the next time you feel like things aren’t going the way you planned, do these:

Listen to your body.

Your body knows it when something is wrong, and it releases warning signs. For instance, when you are stressed, you are likely to experience headache, back pain, tight muscles, fatigue symptoms, sleep problems, and so on. So whenever you start feeling uncomfortable, do pause and take some time to listen to your body. Try to do something to ease the discomfort, whether it’s taking a short nap, sipping hot tea, breathing in and out deeply, exercising, or going out for a short walk. Swear, you will feel much better after you let your mind and body rest.

Be nice to yourself.

Sometimes, we get so cruel to our own body. There are days when we feel like we hate our body so much, and we tend to ignore the warning signs and push our body to its limits. We overwork, drink and smoke, eat like there’s no tomorrow, and do other things that harm our health. All these are examples of self-harm – the opposite of self-love. It is essential that we be kind to ourselves. How? Be gentle when talking to yourself. Allow your body to rest when it needs to, feed it with love and health, accept your imperfections, and do work on improving yourself every day. Sounds a lot? Well, it really isn’t that hard. You just have to treat yourself the way you treat your best friend.

Smile at a stranger.

When you smile, you share your happiness with other people. Studies show that simply smiling can lift our mood and make us feel more connected. Whenever you smile, you are not only making yourself feel better, you are also lifting someone else’s spirit and making their day more special.

Give thanks.

It’s easy to get carried away with the negative experiences we have in a day – the broken coffee machine, the hour-long traffic, the missed workout, or the horrible fight you had with your partner. But as mentioned, there is something good with every day, no matter how tough it is. When you can’t find a reason to smile because you are too overwhelmed with negative emotions, consider writing down 5 things that you are most thankful of. You will be surprised of how this simple activity can really boost your mood and uplift your spirits.

Try your best.

In whatever task you do, always try to do your best at it. Whether it’s fixing your bed or working on a project – believe that you are equipped with the skills, knowledge and creativity needed to do the task successfully. Don’t allow your critical self to influence your actions. Stop labelling yourself. Stop saying “I’m just” or “I’m only”. You ARE special. You can do more than what you think you can do. Shame-based thoughts can significantly affect our emotions, as well as our performance.