1. Attitude of GratitudeMany studies will tell you that the key to happiness is being grateful. Happy people focus on the positive in every situation. That means that instead of smoke coming out of your ears when the coffee shop barista messes up your triple shot, non-fat, no foam, sugar-free Vanilla latte you are grateful that you were even able to afford coffee at all that morning. Starting a daily gratitude journal and listing 5 things everyday that you are grateful for will get you in the habit of having a thankful thinking process. Need ideas? Read 89 Things To Be Grateful For.
2. Surround Themselves with Positive PeopleHappy people avoid pessimists and negativity. They build relationships that nurture their happiness and attract the same types of people. Many of us have those positivity sucking friends who think that everything and everyone is so incredibly horrible. Surrounding yourself with these types of folks will drag you into the black hole of negativity. Now is the time to access the people in your life that promote your happiness.
3. Live in the PresentHappy people are not worrying about what the future holds or are trapped in the past, they are living in the present moment and enjoying all it has to offer. Stop fretting over the hurtful things your husband might have said to you when you got into a spat three days ago and let go of the anxiety about the birthday party you are throwing for your 6 year old daughter next week. Stay in the present moment.
4. Goal SettersHappy people are open to new experiences and learning. They set goals for themselves and develop strategies for achieving them. They realize that they can not get somewhere without knowing where they are going. They also understand that the goal is just as much about the journey as the actual achievement. Take the time today to set five goals for yourself.
5. Don’t Strive for PerfectionHappy people know that there is no perfection and striving for it will only lead to greater disappointment. This quote by David Burns says it perfectly (no pun intended), “Perfection is man’s ultimate illusion. It simply doesn’t exist in the universe. There is no perfection. It’s really the world’s greatest con game; it promises riches and delivers misery. The harder you strive for perfection, the worse your disappointment will become because it’s only an abstraction, a concept that doesn’t fit reality. Everything can be improved if you look at it closely and critically enough – every person, every idea, every work of art, every experience, everything. So, if you are a perfectionist, you are guaranteed to be a loser in whatever you do.”
