As your success, income and responsibility grows, you can’t neglect your happiness. Many people think that success is the core of happiness. It’s actually the other way around – happiness leads to success.
In our society, we often think that if we’ve got tons of money, are the head of a profitable company and have a lot of fame and fortune, we’re going to be happy. In fact, one of the biggest things that stop people dead in their tracks from actually living a fulfilled life is the assumption that if they find success, happiness will follow.
Take your own life, for example. Have you ever thought that if you got a certain job or started your business, then happiness would result from it? Or maybe you felt that once you made a certain amount of money, or once you lose weight, then you’ll be happy?
Well I hate to break it to you, but many people who think this way eventually find out they are wrong. Wealth without fulfillment is emptiness.
What if we’ve had it backwards for all these years? What if happiness is the prerequisite for success, abundance, prosperity, weight loss, passion, intimacy and love? What if most of us don’t really know how to be happy but instead we think we’ll figure it out once we get somewhere?
Most of us let our desire for external things guide us. We think once we have that new house or that new job, then we’ll be happy. But the outside world can only give us temporary happiness. But all that goes away unless we learn how to be happy on the inside.
Here is a list of ten habits and thought processes that I think are the fastest and quickest way to happiness.
Happiness Habits
1) Define What Happiness Looks and Feels Like to You
Don’t confuse happiness with goals – materialistic goals, financial goals, or achievement goals. All happiness starts by thinking through and defining the term as it applies to your current life. Don’t overthink it. Don’t limit your list to things you do, but also include the thoughts that make you happy, things to be grateful for, and activities that bring you joy. Make a list then circle 3-5 items you feel strongly about.
2) Live in the Present
So many of us go through life looking forward to tomorrow, to next week, to next year, instead of living in the now. That kind of thinking is just an excuse for pushing happiness off to some vague time in the future. But that may never get here. That is why we have to live in the now. Why not decide to be happy now?
What if we started doing more of the things that make us happy and focused on more of the thoughts that bring us joy, today? You can decide to do this – it’s your choice. Choose the present and choose it now. Realize that each day happens for a reason and that each moment must be seized with a present mindset. So no more delayed gratification! You have the right to be happy today.
3) Stop Over Thinking
Have you ever heard the saying “paralysis caused by over-analysis”? What often prevents us from living the life we desire is simply over thinking. I’ve seen people who desperately want to start their own business, but think they have to go to school first, or that they have to learn every detail first before they can get started.
Just obtain the knowledge you need to build confidence, but then don’t get bogged down in endless questions, second thoughts and circular analysis. Stop over thinking and start taking action.
4) Focus on a Positive Outcome
This is a powerful way to bring happiness into your life and get what you want. Your energy is going to go in any direction you aim it; you get to choose if it is spent on the positive or the negative.
So many people focus on what could go wrong in life rather than what could go right. Why not invest your energy in what can go right?
5) Let Go of Specific Outcomes
Too often, we predict what different outcomes should be and we get hung up on our predictions. Then if it doesn’t turn out that way, happiness goes away.
Tony Robbins said “what if life happens for us, not to us?” What if when our course is altered, instead of being angry we said, “what if this change in direction is a strategic part of my next level of life? Maybe this is happening for me and not to me.” You will become a different person immediately, and your happiness will skyrocket.
6) Don’t Be Afraid to Fail
We were raised to think that failure is bad. But truthfully, failure is the cornerstone of success. Winston Churchill once said, “The definition of success is going from failure to failure without losing your enthusiasm.”
When was the last time you embraced failure in your life? If you aren’t failing, it usually means you’re not pushing yourself hard enough and you’re not trying new things.
Most people say that the biggest thing holding them back from their dreams is the fear of failure. Embrace failure as a necessary part of success, and aim to do it daily.
7) Let Go of Grudges
In other words, don’t take things too personally. I know this is a tough one. When you hold a grudge, you are holding that inside of you at the expense of your happiness, health and success.
Letting go of past grudges was one of the most liberating things I’ve ever done and I urge you to take a look at your life and find the grudges you can release. If you do, you’ll free yourself to be the best you possible.
8) Be Grateful for What’s In Front of You
We all know that being grateful is the cornerstone of happiness. It’s one of those things that you have to be consciously aware of daily. You could be struggling, need money, have debt or overdue bills, but there’s always the opportunity to find gratitude for things in our lives.
The best way to start is by focusing on small things of which you’re appreciative. You could be grateful for the sun shining or a hug from your child. Be grateful for living in a place where you can define yourself as you choose, where you enjoy the freedom to become your best self.
I encourage you to make it a daily habit of finding gratitude in the small things and let your gratitude grow from there. The little things will add up and you will become more grateful every day.
9) Don’t Settle for Good Enough
Don’t settle for things being just okay. This acceptance will take away your happiness in an instant. Strive for greatness in every part of your life. Saying no to just being okay means you are telling yourself you don’t deserve better. There is a next level of life and it’s your turn to grab it.
10) Be Part of Something Bigger.
This could be about seeking a spiritual connection with a higher power or becoming part of a community or global movement. When you focus on becoming part of something bigger than yourself, your happiness is amplified.
Make happiness the foundation of your life. It will make success come easier and faster in any area in which you choose to apply these happiness habits.
What happiness habits are you going to apply in your life? Reply in the comments below.
