What\u2019s your happiest memory?<\/p>\n
When I was in my mid-twenties I suddenly became ridiculously happy. Everything seemed brighter and better than it had ever been before.<\/p>\n
I delighted in the birds singing, the flowers growing, the blue skyshar, and the joy of being alive. I went on an amazing, natural high.<\/p>\n
Nothing bothered me. The simple act of living was mind-blowingly good.<\/p>\n
Maybe you think I\u2019d fallen in love, but it was just the opposite.<\/p>\n
I\u2019d\u00a0ended<\/em>\u00a0a relationship.<\/p>\n After surviving years of unhappiness, and physical and emotional abuse, I finally found the courage to fight my way out.<\/p>\n I was elated just to be alive. I knew this natural high couldn\u2019t last forever, but I was determined that my new life would be better.<\/p>\n I was determined to be happy, and to live a happy life.<\/p>\n And I have. Twenty years have now passed and while the euphoria of that time gently evaporated, the lessons I learned about happiness carried forward.<\/p>\n From what I\u2019ve learned, there are a few secrets that all happy people know. Some of them might surprise you.<\/p>\n Ready?<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to be happy all the time, or even every day. Happy people know that it\u2019s OK not to be happy some days. It\u2019s important to process whatever feelings we have \u2013 sadness, anger, frustration or surprise.<\/p>\n When bad things happen, as they do to all of us, be gentle on yourself. Don\u2019t past on a false smile.<\/p>\n The contrast of negative emotions can be beneficial, because they remind us how wonderful happiness is.<\/p>\n There are things that we can do to increase our happiness every day, but they take a some effort. Things like eating well, exercising, and getting plenty of rest help keep our bodies healthy.<\/p>\n Searching out people and entertainment that makes you laugh or feel good, nurtures your soul.<\/p>\n Taking the effort to eat right and surround yourself with good people pays off. You feel good to your core.<\/p>\n You need to learn to love and appreciate yourself,\u00a0just the way you are<\/em>. You are just as interesting, unique and remarkable as anyone else.<\/p>\n Sometimes it\u2019s hard to see our own best qualities. Or if we see them, we don\u2019t always value them.<\/p>\n So make a list of the things you love most about yourself, and remind yourself of these qualities regularly.<\/p>\n We all need to feel loved and appreciated, and spending time with the people closest to us fosters warm feelings. Human beings have always been pack animals \u2013 we need to connect with people.<\/p>\n When we\u2019re just hanging out, enjoying each other\u2019s company, we\u2019re sending and receiving subtle messages of love and appreciation.<\/p>\n Strong relationships<\/a>\u00a0help us survive the tough times, as well as celebrating the good times.<\/p>\n Comparing yourself to someone<\/a>\u00a0else is always going to end in tears. It doesn\u2019t matter if you compare body shape, bank balances, or boyfriends.<\/p>\n There\u2019s always going to be people both ahead of you, and behind you, on any scale. The only person you have to satisfy is yourself.<\/p>\n Try to consider the things that people might envy you for, so you can value those things too.<\/p>\n Everyone has some unpleasant memories. They\u2019re part of life, and trying to suppress them is futile.<\/p>\n When we\u00a0work through the pain<\/a>\u00a0and learn to accept the past we\u2019re able to close the door gently on those \u2018rooms\u2019 in our mind. We can choose to visit those rooms if and when we feel inclined. But we can also gently close them off, so that we can grow and heal.<\/p>\n Your memories are part of you, so carry them with grace.<\/p>\n We\u2019re all capable of analyzing a situation to death. Wondering whether someone else\u2019s actions have deeper meanings than they do, or endlessly turning things over in our mind.<\/p>\n It\u2019s fine to think about situations, and establish what you can learn from them. But sometimes our mind gets a little obsessed and repeatedly churns things over, on an endless, self-flagellating loop.<\/p>\n When this happens think,\u00a0Thanks Mind<\/em>, and move on to other things.<\/p>\n Choosing your attitude is easier said than done. I never used to believe it was possible. But it is.<\/p>\n The key is to change\u00a0can\u2019t<\/em>\u00a0to\u00a0can.<\/em>\u00a0Whenever you find yourself thinking that you can\u2019t do something, it\u2019s important to stop and force yourself to think about what you\u00a0can<\/em>\u00a0do.<\/p>\n Try thinking,\u00a0\u2018If someone\u00a0could<\/strong>\u00a0solve this, how would they do it?\u201d\u00a0<\/em>Distancing yourself from the problem in this way opens up new ideas, and pretty soon you\u2019ll be capable of anything.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t put off living. We tell ourselves we\u2019lI happy when the kids are older, or when we get the next pay rise, or when we get a new job.<\/p>\n But when we get those things we put off being happy until we achieve the next great milestone.<\/p>\n Happy people live now. They feel now. They love\u00a0now<\/em>. This doesn\u2019t mean they don\u2019t have goals, but they appreciate what they have now.<\/p>\n No one knows how many tomorrows they\u2019ll have, so make sure you live today.<\/p>\n Sometime we don\u2019t realize that all those little \u2018rewards\u2019 we buy ourselves are really a way of compensating for a lack of satisfaction in some aspect of our lives.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re living for your next holiday, or wondering why the latest tech toys don\u2019t make you happy, it might be time to look a little deeper.<\/p>\n Maybe you\u2019re trying to buy yourself some happiness, instead of addressing a major issue in your life. Maybe \u2013 only you will know.<\/p>\n Wouldn\u2019t it be great if happiness was a gift that we could go out and buy for ourselves, or give to others?<\/p>\n Imagine opening a gift of happiness, and letting it flow over you. All warm and cozy and pleasurable.<\/p>\n Imagine giving that gift to those you love. Watching them relax into gentle contentment.<\/p>\n Guess what? Happiness really is a gift you can give yourself.<\/p>\n And the truly great thing about this gift is that in making yourself happy, you make those around you happy too.<\/p>\n1. IT\u2019S OK TO BE SAD<\/strong><\/h3>\n
2. BEING HAPPY TAKES WORK<\/strong><\/h3>\n
3. SELF-APPRECIATION IS MANDATORY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
4. PEOPLE MUST BE A PRIORITY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
5. COMPARISONS ARE FUTILE<\/strong><\/h3>\n
6. SOMETIMES MEMORIES SURFACE<\/strong><\/h3>\n
7. OVER ANALYSIS IS YOUR ENEMY<\/strong><\/h3>\n
8. ATTITUDE CAN BE CHOSEN<\/strong><\/h3>\n
9. LIVING HAPPENS NOW<\/strong><\/h3>\n
10. HAPPINESS IS NOT FOR SALE<\/strong><\/h3>\n
GET HAPPY NOW<\/strong><\/h3>\n