Photo: Matthew T. Rader via unsplash
We create happiness ourselves.
By Ellen Nyland — Written on Jan 04, 2020
Happiness is this amazing feeling we all crave, but many of us look for it outside ourselves. As truly happy people have figured out, the key to finding happiness is within ourselves.
On Facebook and YouTube, we can find all kinds of short videos that give people either information, a laugh, or a feeling of awe.
The tapes that go viral are often the ones with the awe factor — children, animals or people who are caught, unaware, on tape and just do the thing they were doing.
This is very appealing to most of us and it creates the awe moment — the moment we stop and feel a deep moment of happiness.
If you want to learn how to be happy in life, it takes more than just watching a few videos on YouTube. Being happy requires more effort and inner work.
Here are 6 ways to create happiness in your life from the inside out.
1. Don't be afraid to switch perspective or change
Life is all about change. So, don't be afraid of change — embrace it.
If something is not working, don't play the victim. Be courageous and create a change.
2. Be curious
There is a lot to explore in life and we can't know everything, especially how others feel.
Therefore, be curious, ask open-ended questions (what, when, how?), and don't assume you know the answer before they have a chance to reply.
3. Listen in conversation
When in conversation, listen to what is being said.
Don't be busy with forming a reply before the person is done talking or have your thoughts otherwise occupied.
4. Enjoy your hobbies
A hobby is something we do for fun and relaxation. So have fun, be playful, and recharge your battery. And don't take things too seriously.
5. Laugh every day
Laughing is the best medicine, it creates a chemical reaction in the brain that stimulate our feeling of happiness. It is free and easy to do. Therefore, find something to smile about every day.
If that is difficult for you, go on YouTube — there you will find something to laugh about.
6. Take time to savor the finer things in life
Stop and pause when you truly want to enjoy a moment.
Don't just eat that wonderful food, but really savor every bite. Don't rush through shopping, but really pay attention to what you buy. Don't dismiss your company but really enjoy the company you are in.
Being curious, listen, laugh, savor, play, and not being afraid of change, may look like small things, but those are the stepping stones to happiness.
We can't buy happiness, but we have the power to create it. It is all in perspective on how we view the life we have.
What happy people have in common is they know how to play, laugh, and change. They choose to be open-minded enough that they are not held down by a certain view on life and are flexible enough to deal with the challenges that life throws at us.
We are used to giving to others, but now is the time to give to ourselves — the gift of happiness. Learning how to find happiness and being happy is a choice, so don't wait any longer and become a happy person.
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Ellen Nyland is a Certified Life Coach and author of the book "Life is Great Even When it Sucks". Contact Ellen for more or visit her website.
This article was originally published at Ellen Nyland. Reprinted with permission from the author.