Many people want to be happy, yet happiness seems to constantly elude them. Anxiety, depression and sadness are common experiences in life for many people.
Achieving true happiness is not that difficult, however. Truly happy people have developed habits for over 6,000 years of human existence. Personally, there are days I have been sad and frustrated so I know how it feels to feel helpless. However, regardless of what life throws at me, I have developed the habits of staying on top of my game, finding my true happiness and sharing that state of joy and peace with people around me.
The seven habits below will help you to achieve true happiness.
- Be authentic. Those who are truly happy are true to themselves. They accept who they are, embrace their strengths and weaknesses and are comfortable in their own skin. Happiness naturally flows to those who embrace their uniqueness and love who they are wholeheartedly. Be thyself.
- Take responsibility. You can’t be truly happy if you don’t take responsibility for your actions. Truly happy people complain less, blame less and compare less. They take personal responsibility for their mistakes, failures, successes and happiness. Being truly happy is your personal responsibility. Take charge.
- Define what happiness means to you. Many people want to be truly happy but they have never taken the time to define what happiness really means to them. This is the real reason why many people are not happy. To me, happiness means doing what I love, taking care of my family, achieving my set goals and becoming better on a daily basis. Define what true happiness means to you and work towards your standard.
- Surround yourself with good people. People have enormous effects on our emotional state in life. Therefore, you must be careful who you surround yourself with. You can’t surround yourself with negative people and expect to be truly happy. You need positive vibes and energy to sail through the tough journey of life. When life throws you heavy punches, it is good people that will encourage you to stand up, move up, show up in order to step up.
- Commit to personal growth. You can’t be truly happy if you are stagnant in life. True happiness comes to those who are committed to never ending improvement in who they are and what they do. Your progress is a serious business and you must focus your attention on it. Becoming better and better on a daily basis should be your mantra. Tony Robbins wisely said, “Happiness equals progress.”
- Be a blessing to others. Happiness doesn’t come from what we get; it only comes from what we give. If you develop the habit of consciously giving back to others, you will experience true happiness. And we all have what we can give. So, give freely; contribute wholeheartedly and share graciously without expecting anything in return. You can’t buy happiness with money or knowledge but you can use both to create happiness, if you use them to bless others.
- Count your blessings. Gratitude is a sure way to achieve true happiness. In fact, gratitude is your door to unlimited joy, peace and pleasure. If you develop the habit of consciously counting your blessings – which, by they way, are numerous – and you feel sincere gratitude for these blessings, your life will be filled with positive energy and contentment. You see, you can’t be grateful and still feel miserable or bitter or frustrated. So, be good to yourself and develop the habit of gratitude.
While life is a combination of good times and bad times, the seven habits elucidated above will help you to be happy, stay happy and share happiness with others. They will help you to lift your head above the challenges of life during difficult moments. They will enable you to stay afloat during good times.
I can guarantee you that the more you inculcate these seven habits into your lifestyle, the more you experience true happiness, with all its benefits.
ACTION PLAN: Show gratitude, commit to personal development, and take responsibility for your actions.
AFFIRMATION: I create my own happiness. I am blessed and highly favoured.
Sesan Kareem is the Founder/CEO of HubCare Health, www.hubcarehealth.com and the Principal Consultant of Sesan Kareem Institute, www.sesankareem.com.ng
