It seems like everyone is talking about how to be happy, yet for some reason there are so many people who are unhappy.
Happiness is a state of being. It’s most easily defined as a person who frequently experiences positive emotions, such as joy, pride, purpose, interest, passion, and love.
It’s also closely related and correlated to life satisfaction, appreciation, and pleasure. However, being happy doesn’t mean there is an absence of negative emotions, such as sadness, anxiety, and anger.
Happiness is a balance of your emotions.
Here are the 5 things that you should reflect on when trying to figure out how to be happy:
- Expectations
- Purpose
- Passion
- Relationships
- Health
Let’s dive in:
Table of Contents
Setting expectations on how to be happy
An expectation is a belief that is centered on the future. It may or may not be realistic.
If your expectations are far too high for your reality, it typically gives rise to the emotion of disappointment. On the flip side, if something happens that is not at all expected, it is a surprise. Obviously, these surprises can be positive or negative.
One factor in achieving happiness is when your expectations and your reality are very closely aligned. In today’s world, one that is inundated with social media posts and images, it’s hard to have your expectations and reality be the same. But, if you want to be genuinely happy, you should consider that social media and other peoples lives are not yours.
Adjust your expectations to be realistic. Set your goals and aspirations high, but make them achievable and actionable.
Finding your purpose can lead to happiness
Purpose is the reason for which something is done or created. A human’s purpose is something that you will understand as you climb higher on the mountain of life.
As you experience more, you achieve a better vantage point. By gaining valuable experience you’ll be able to look back and learn from your mistakes and victories as well as be able to anticipate what is up ahead with more clarity.
Find your purpose. It can be anything that you absolutely love to do and want to accomplish as your life moves forward. Once you find it, live it.
What if you don’t have a purpose yet? That’s okay! That’s what you have to look forward to. If you don’t get have your purpose, continue to genuinely search for one. When you find it, it will hit you hard in the face!
In order to achieve happiness, you must feel like you are learning in areas that will help you live up to your life’s purposeful potential.
Being passionate helps your happiness
Passion is a strong, enthusiastic desire for anything.
In order to be happy, you must have passion. You can be passionate about one thing or many things.
A passion is something that you can devote endless hours to because you love to do it and aspire to become an expert at it.
When your passion and purpose are aligned, you begin to have realistic expectations that enable you to live in the moment and focus on what makes you happy!
Solid relationships are the best thing for happiness
There is a 75-year-old study by Harvard that has been studying what makes people most happy. The results are staggering!
The study found that money doesn’t actually make people feel happier or more successful. But rather, good relationships keep us happier and healthier.
So, even if you are alone, invest in close, positive relationships. Having people to connect with keeps your brain functioning high and reduces pain and anxiety. It will also help you live longer!
Your health is a large factor in your overall happiness
Health is a new wealth! In order to be truly happy, you must have your health. Being healthy is having the absence of pain or illness.
Working out, doing yoga, eating well, and other activities that have a positive impact on your body and mind will contribute to your overall level of happiness.
Your body will create the happy chemicals in your brain when you’re healthy. These chemicals include dopamine, serotonin, oxytocin, and endorphins.
