Would you consider yourself a happy person?
Lately I’ve been thinking a lot about the things that make happy people so darn happy.
Do they have a lot of money?
Do they have a huge circle of friends?
Are they successful in their careers?
Most of us know that “yes” doesn’t necessarily have to be the answer to the above questions in order to feel happy with life.
As I get older, I start to believe more and more that merely striving for happy days makes for an overall happy life. The way I see it, our lives are basically thousands of days strung together, so it only makes sense to me that the higher percentage of happy days we have, the happier of a life we will lead, right?
Of course there are always extenuating circumstances that perhaps wouldn’t allow everyone to apply this philosophy to their own life. But I do like to think that for most people, focusing on making our days happier makes for a happier overall life.
If we are actively seeking out happiness on a daily basis, I truly believe that it’s sure to find us 🙂
In the spirit of finding happiness in each and every day, I wanted to share a few things you can do to be happier immediately. Yes, you read that right. Immediately. These are all things you can literally do the minute after reading this post, and I can almost guarantee you will feel happier as a result!
I also created a free two-page worksheet for you to quickly fill out as you read through this post. It will help you in finding ways to bring immediate happiness to your life and can work as a great resource to refer back to later on! Be sure to download the worksheet via the form below before you continue.
15 Things You Can Do To Be Happier Immediately:
1. Go outside
Go for a walk, sit in your backyard, or even just go for a drive with the windows down. Fresh air and sunshine does the soul so much good!
2. Make a list of everything you’re grateful for
There’s nothing that can make you smile quite like reminding yourself of all the blessings in your life!
3. Push negative thoughts to the side and focus on the positive
When it feels like things aren’t going our way, it can be so easy to focus on everything that’s going wrong and let ourselves become consumed by the burden that those negative thoughts hold over us. Instead, try to find the positive in every situation, even when it doesn’t come easily.
Related: Fifteen 30-Day Challenge Ideas That Will Change Your Life
4. Get off social media
While social media can be a great way to connect with others, it’s also usually a surefire way to feel inadequate in some way or another.
People tend to put only the best of their lives on social media, and we often don’t get to see their struggles or fears through the parts of their life they choose to share online. The best way to combat comparing ourselves to others is to stay off of social media as much as possible, especially if you’re going through a rough time.
Related: 5 Signs You Have an Unhealthy Relationship with Technology
5. Do something nice for someone else
Don’t you always get the warm fuzzies when you do something kind for someone? Whether it’s opening a door for someone, offering to babysit a mom’s kids so she can have a break, or paying for a stranger’s coffee, doing good deeds is a great way to not only put a smile on someone else’s face, but on yours too!
6. Pour yourself into something you love
Do you ever lose track of time when you immerse yourself into something you really enjoy doing? Maybe you feel this way when you’re baking, reading a good book, or gardening. Whatever it is that you really enjoy, make the time to do more of it!
If you’re looking for something awesome to pour yourself into that will improve your life at the same time, be sure to sign up for Simplify, a free 4-week course I offer for my readers! You can click here or on the image below to get started 🙂
7. Forgive someone
Have you been holding a grudge against someone for quite some time now? Perhaps it’s time to forgive them. Even if you feel this individual isn’t worthy of forgiveness, you owe it to yourself to be happy and not hold onto hatred. In the end, it’s hurting you the most and zapping energy that could be used for better things in your life. Forgive and move on, you will feel so much freedom as a result!
8. Spend your money on experiences
Spending money on experiences instead of things is a surefire way to be happier! While purchasing something like a new shirt might make you feel happier for a few minutes, investing in an experience is usually a much better allocation of our money when it comes to being happier. We can always look back fondly on experiences such as trips and creating memories with the ones we love. Even if it’s something as simple as enjoying s’mores around a backyard bonfire!
9. Smile more
Have you ever heard of “fake it ’til you make it?” Well, this idea can also be applied to smiling more. The more you smile, the happier you will likely feel as a result. You are tricking yourself into feeling more upbeat and positive 😉 I’ve tried this before and it actually does work, give it a shot!
Related: 15 Ways to Make Your Mornings Happier
10. Get some exercise
This one goes without saying, but exercise and the endorphins it gives you are a great way to be instantly happier. After all, no one ever regretted a good workout!
Related: 17 Tips for Living a Healthier Life
11. Turn on your favorite music and jam out like you mean it
How often do you actually blast your favorite music and have a carefree dance party? I’m guessing probably not enough!
12. Surround yourself with positive people who uplift you
Surrounding yourself with people who tend to look on the bright side of things can only be good for your own outlook on life. I personally find myself feeling more upbeat and positive about life when I spend time with someone who exudes positivity and isn’t always dwelling on negatives.
13. Seek out reasons to laugh
Laughter is good for the soul and of course a great way to feel worry-free! Try to find ways to fit more laughter into your day, whether it means spending more time with someone who is genuinely funny, watching a good comedy show, or even just finding funny memes online that make you giggle.
14. Write down the top five things you admire about yourself
It can be so easy to be too tough on ourselves and nit picky about every single mistake we make. The fact is, we are only human and it’s impossible for us to be perfect! Instead of dwelling on the things you dislike about yourself, make a list of the top five things you admire most about yourself. You can use this list to look back on when you are going through a rough time and need a little confidence boost.
15. Let go of the things you can’t control
Although we might wish we could control every single aspect of our lives all the time, the truth is that it’s just not possible. The sooner you accept that not everything is within your control, the happier you’ll be. Focus instead on what is within your control – your work ethic, how you treat others, and your attitude, for example.
On your worksheet, use section #15 to make a list of the things that have been bothering you lately that you know you don’t have actual control of. Then try to work towards letting go of those things so you have more time and energy to focus on what you do have control over.
Do you currently do any of these things to help you be happier? What are some other ways you like to bring happiness into your life? Share with me in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you!
Don’t forget to grab your free worksheet!
So much ??
I think these apply to almost everybody. For me personally, I’ve actually lessened my number of friends– but that meant cutting out toxic or non-fulfilling relationships and focusing more energy on the people who energize and inspire me. When you cut out the bad, you open yourself up to the good.
Beautifully said Leah, I couldn’t agree more!
I am having a hard time letting go of the things I can’t control.
I have lessened my time on social media. That has helped a little.
Thank you for your tips! Sometimes we forget to find joy in the little things when life gets so stressful. I needed that reminder!
You bet Cherryl!
Great ideas. #4 especially for me. I find the more time I spend surfing social media the more anxious and less happy I feel. I love keeping in touch with friends and family via Facebook, but it’s hard to weed out all the junk. In fact, I’m taking a social media break all weekend except for private messages. 🙂
Thanks Carol! And absolutely, social media breaks are so necessary for me too! Even though I know better, I find myself spending too much time on social media from time to time too and it never leaves me feeling good!
Best combination is walks and fresh air
I recently found your blog on Pinterest, and I love it! I also love this post. 🙂
If I ever feel a little down in the dumps, then I make sure I do some exercise. Yoga is my favourite, and always lifts my spirits.
Aw thank you Charlene, so happy you found me! Exercise always helps me too, even if it’s just going for a walk.
Yes! I definitely agree that getting off social media is helpful since people show their happy times/emotions, but not necessarily their real times/emotions.
Absolutely Mia, you are spot on about that!
I think making some more good friends can be a great experience.
Spot on article. Brilliantly delivered and some great content shared which is really informative, reliable and useful. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing this, very much appreciated.
Also, you can start travelling for making yourself a little bit happier.
Just read this post, glad to have found it because my family and I are going to do a road trip from San Francisco to Las Vegas this summer.
You are certainly right, these are the things that can make you happy immediately. Thanks for it. Heavy Metal Elements Analyzer