How To Be Happy In Life Despite Your Circumstances

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The truth is, everyone wants to be happy. That’s why we do all we can to discover the means to be happy. But happiness is a choice. Today I’ll share some tips on how to be happy in life no matter where you find yourself in your life journey.

We are wrong about many things we believe about happiness. Most of the places we go, or the things we do, or even the ideas we buy do not guarantee happiness.

For instance, we all want to be successful in everything we do, in order to be happy. But in reality, we just CAN’T be successful in every aspect of life… There are so many attempts we make that are bound to fail. For that reason, we fail to find happiness in our quest for success!

Moreover, many of us also chase money by virtually every means all in the hope of finding true happiness in it. Yes, we become happier with the more money we make but such happiness is usually short-lived because;

While we make money, we also lose money every day and that doesn’t bring happiness.
Even when we keep making money, there are problems money doesn’t solve. In that case, nothing like happiness.
Money brings you comfort but also makes you uncomfortable because you will be worried about how to ensure you never go broke again. Research has it that rich people have sleepless nights more than average people. Now, does that depict happiness?
Nobody is seemingly satisfied with the amount he has. The more money you make, the more you want. You can’t call this happiness!

Besides the ill sides of money, there are many other reasons why you are simply wrong to think that money or success bring true happiness… Because true happiness is not short-lived. It is not a destination, it is also not a permanent state of feeling good. Happiness is not materialistic.

How to be happy in life

With all that said above, what then is happiness?

To explain this, I would simply say that happiness is when you are content with yourself and your life. Happiness is when you choose to be happy even amidst difficulties.

Moreover, in order to have real happiness, you have to intentionally make efforts to address all the areas of your life that can trigger your feelings and emotions.

Now, that brings us to how to be happy in life despite the circumstances you find yourself… Are you ready? Let’s go!

Practice Gratitude

More often than not, people insinuate that they will be happy if they acquire something or if a certain thing happens. Unfortunately, that is not the case because happiness doesn’t depend on material or immaterial things.

Have you ever heard that happiness is bought?

Nah, it can’t be!

Sure, when something pleasant is added to your life, you’re bound to be happy about it. But the question is, will such happiness be sustained?

The only way you can acquire sustainable joy is when you are grateful for the things you’ve got already and stay content with them. This way, you’ll realize that those material things are not essential for your happiness. Hence, your source of happiness will become innate.

Now, let’s be practical;

Think about those things you really desire to have… The fact that you don’t have them is enough to make you unhappy. But also, think about what you already have at hand that you are grateful for, I’m sure that makes you happier?

That’s exactly what the power of gratitude is all about. A grateful man is a happier man but a man whose happiness depends on obtaining more has a greater tendency to be sad. Because there is no guarantee that you’d get all you want in life! At least, not without working towards it.

Do Away With Negative Thoughts

We are all familiar with those waves of negative thoughts or emotions that run across our minds at times…

Now, note this; such emotions or thoughts are the greatest enemies of a happy life! Once you can deal with them, then your happiness is assured!

It might interest you to know that negative thoughts are inescapable as long as life is concerned. It’s normal to have such moments. However, you don’t have to give it room to linger for long. You must learn how to deal with it if you must be happy.

Harbouring any negative thought or emotion for long will definitely affect how you act and feel over time. Of course, you don’t want this.

Walk Away From Toxic Relationships

Sometimes, the people you hang around with can influence your emotions. They play a big role in your happiness or sadness. Do you doubt that?

Okay, how do you feel after spending time with your friends or colleagues who have negative things to say about you? Pretty hurt, I guess. Compare that to the feeling you get when you are around those who have words of motivation and encouragement to offer you. Uplifting, yes?

That’s exactly why you have to be careful about who you let into your circle!

Sure, in life, you will have different kinds of people interacting with you at different times, however, you must be smart enough to know what’s good for you. Remember, it’s all about your happiness.

Therefore, don’t hesitate to walk away from that toxic relationship. That’s exactly how to be happy in life!

Practice Self Love

There is no way you can stay happy if you don’t love yourself, because true happiness stems from love. And if you must exhibit love generally, you must start by loving yourself. If you’re of the mindset that you’re not good enough, then you have to start giving yourself some credit. If you can’t, who then do you expect to appreciate you the way you deserve?

As a matter of fact, in order to learn how to be happy in life, you must start by being happy with who you are. Treat yourself with love, just like you want others to treat you!

It’s not selfish to love yourself, it’s just a way to set an example to others on how they should treat you. If you fail to love yourself unconditionally, there is no way you’ll find true happiness from any other source.

Be Yourself

We all have our uniqueness and peculiarities, and for that, we have to be ourselves the best way we can.

It really doesn’t matter if you agree with me on this, but nobody is perfect. While you sit and watch someone else who seems to be too good, always have in mind that such a person has his or her own downside.

Having that in mind, you must learn how to be yourself and not someone else. Know who you are and become better at whatever you do. Be the best version of yourself because that’s what self-actualization entails.

One way to start practicing this is to learn how to focus on you and not others. Don’t always feel the need to impress others. Rather, you should be more concerned about being you, getting better, and living authentically.

Discover Your Purpose

One of the best ways to discover how to be happy in life is to find out your life’s purpose.

As far as life is concerned, there are certain capacities inside us that need to be unlocked. In other words, there are lots of potentials you must explore. And unless you unlock those capacities and discover those potentials, then you can’t boldly say that you’ve found your purpose on earth.

For instance, you might have certain activities you’re passionate about (things that give you joy and the sense of fulfilment once you do them); be it writing, singing, sport, teaching, etc. Those are probably in line with your purpose in life.

Once you are unhappy at your place of work, then there is a big possibility you’re in the wrong place. No one is unhappy if what he/she is doing is the exact purpose of their existence!

There is this genuine happiness that comes with doing what you love to do. When you find out that you are living your purpose on earth, it brings an unending satisfaction.

However, remember that your purpose doesn’t have to be narrowed down to a particular thing. They can be as many as whatever you do that give you peace of mind.

Render Help To Others

There is a popular notion which points out that we rise when we lift other people. Similarly, when you render help, you will be happier.

Your question now might be; how will “helping others” make me happy?

Here is how it works:

When you help others by giving them your time, resources, or care, it definitely makes them happy. And they will appreciate you. You will feel great when people appreciate your kind gestures.

But mind you, helping others doesn’t mean you should be a people-pleaser. After all, you are only helping them out of your own magnanimity, not because you are compelled to do so.

When it becomes part of you to help others, your confidence keeps growing with every problem you solve. It gives you that awesome feeling of being useful. And hence, as a habitual helper, your happiness and satisfaction in life will be habitual as well.

Makes sense, right?

Adopt A Healthy Lifestyle

Surely, there are ways of life, habits, attitudes, or behaviours that will definitely not encourage a happy life. For instance, when you encounter one of those normal sad moments in life and decide to cure it with alcohol, that’s a good way to damage yourself slowly (especially when you make it a habit).

For the record, abusing alcohol (or other hard drugs) as a remedy for sadness has been found to be the major cause of domestic violence, depression, and even suicide!

If you really want to deal with those hard times, you can listen to music, read certain books that can uplift you, engage in certain exercises or physical activities and so much more. Such are healthy lifestyles for you.

Similarly, another healthy activity you should consider initiating is sleeping enough. It’s very unhealthy for you to deprive yourself of sleep. When you sleep between 6 to 8 hours every night, you will wake up happier and stronger the next morning.

To add to this, you must also eat healthily. Ration your dietary and nutritional intake. Excessive calories (fats and carbohydrates) aren’t good for your health. Copy that?

Experts suggest instead that adding more fruits and veggies to your diet will make you stronger. Moreover, ensure your diet is quite balanced! Remember, a healthy lifestyle will keep you physically and mentally strong and of course, that’s a pretty straightforward way to be happy in life.

Learn To Let Go

Sometimes holding on to things that are needless can make you an unhappy fellow. Learn to let go of certain things you obviously can’t change. You will be happier and relieved:

Let go of fear and anxiety.
Learn to let go of resentment and regrets.
Let go of uncertainties and doubts.
Avoid comparisons. Your life isn’t their life!
Forget the past and be more focused on the present and the future.

By letting go, I can assure you that you’ll feel better as a person.

Meditate Often

One of the wisest men that ever lived once suggested that an unexamined life isn’t worth it. According to him, to live such a life is vain. And yep, I agree with him. In order to live a meaningful life, you need to create time to reflect and ponder.

The question now is, how will meditation make you happy?

Well, when you meditate, you condition your brain to enter a peaceful mode and hence, your worries will be reduced. This is because, through meditation, you will be calm enough to connect to yourself and become more aware of yourself.

It might interest you to know that self-awareness gives you the opportunity to understand your individuality better. Of course, that’s exactly what you need to be happy in life.

Final thoughts

Everything you’ve learned so far is very vital for a happy life. However, you need to always bear in mind that happiness is nothing but a choice. Therefore, in order to experience sustainable happiness in life, the basic step you must take is to DECIDE to be happy, regardless of your circumstances.

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