How to find happiness?

Everyone, without exception, seeks pleasure. When you consider that the United States consistently lags on the World Happiness Index, it is easy to doubt the possibility of achieving genuine happiness. The statistics may reveal that Americans are less content as a whole. However, that does not mean you have to be miserable.

In this article, we shall discuss tips and strategies you can follow to be happy. Keep reading to unlock infinite possibilities in your world of happiness and start living the happy life you deserve.

What is happiness?

People search for happiness, yet its precise definition might change from person to person. When people discuss what it means to be happy, they may be referring to their current emotional state or their outlook on life as a whole.

A condition of happiness is one in which one experiences intense feelings of pleasure, contentment, and fulfillment. Contentment could mean different things to different people. However, it typically involves feeling good about a person’s overall life.

Psychologists and other social scientists often use the word ‘subjective well-being‘ when discussing this emotional state rather than the more commonly used phrase ‘happiness.’ As the name implies, subjective well-being concerns how an individual feels about their life in general at a specific time in question.

Happiness (or subjective well-being) can be broken down into two parts. The first one is emotional harmony. People all feel sad and happy, calm and angry, and bored and excited. Having more pleasant emotions than adverse ones is correlated with happiness.

Secondly, satisfaction with one’s life can be measured by how fulfilled one is in various facets of their existence. Aristotle, who lived in the fourth century BC, noted that happiness is the only human want. He added that all other desires are there to help us achieve contentment.

The four main types of satisfaction existed in his mind. These include instant gratification, comparison, achievement, attaining fulfillment, and making a positive contribution.

What makes you truly happy?

In one way or another, we are all in pursuit of happiness. Even if the things that make one person happy may have nothing in common with the things that make another person happy, we all require a few fundamentals to be genuinely content.

So, what is it that makes a person truly happy? The answers to this are diverse, but they all have universal relevance for everyone looking to maximize their happiness.

First, finding a purpose is one way to make a person truly happy. No matter how big or small, we all need something to propel us in life. Find your meaning in life, and you’ll be on the path to happiness. If you want to be happier, try finding deeper significance in life.

At the same time, doing good for others can boost your well-being just as much as it does theirs. When we give to others, we often feel better about ourselves than when we receive.

Feeling loved in whatever capacity is one of a person’s greatest joys. Building fulfilling bonds with loved ones, whether friends, family, or a significant other, can elevate your happiness and overall quality of life.

Furthermore, the basics of life—food, drink, clothing, and a roof over one’s head—are essential to contentment. It is commonly believed that having more money and material possessions beyond these basics can make one happier.

Unfortunately, there are times when our health is out of our hands. In any case, we control how well we take care of our bodies. In addition to the obvious benefits of regular exercise and a healthy diet, our well-being also benefits from taking care of our minds through acts of meditation and many others.

Things to avoid when you want to be happy

Often, we fool ourselves into believing that our happiness depends on external factors. However, the secret to happiness is not to exert more effort into making these external circumstances “correct.”

Things we bring about for ourselves that we believe we must have to feel satisfied are not likely to last. Material possessions are not what bring us happiness. True enjoyment begins with a healthy appreciation for oneself. Self-love is the key to long-term pleasure because it attracts positive experiences like fulfilling friendships, meaningful careers, and financial security.

When we love ourselves, we speed up the healing process. As imperfect and incomplete beings, we must rid ourselves of these fears and replace them with a loving outlook on life.

Nothing is broken or wrong with us, so there is no point in trying to fix us. These are all just the tales we have been feeding ourselves. Letting rid of self-limiting ideas is a path to liberation, joy, and complete expression of your true potential.

What is the link between being unhappy and burnout?

Overwork and exhaustion lead to stress wearing out, but what role does contentment play in this phenomenon? Happiness, in particular, acts as a protective factor against exhaustion. It has the potential to alleviate or eliminate burnout. Let us look deeper into how being unhappy relates to fatigue.

A person suffering from burnout is likely to experience many negative emotions. Overwork and physical tiredness are significant contributors to stress. Depressive moods and, in some situations, outbursts of tears are common symptoms of fatigue. This stands to be the reason that someone experiencing burnout would never be happy. A portion of what causes burnout is precisely this kind of negative emotion.

To be more specific, resilience makes you far less prone to stress levels. Your ability to do or have enjoyable experiences in life is a critical factor in building strength. Those less content in their lives before exhaustion are more likely to experience higher burnout levels and take longer to recover.

In certain cases, a person’s burnout can fade if they find more fulfillment in their lives. You can reduce the impact of unhappy times by engaging in more of what makes you joyful. By strengthening your ability to bounce back from setbacks, you may protect yourself from burnout and even overcome it.

People who spend less time on activities they enjoy and who show less enthusiasm for the work they are required to do are more likely to experience burnout.

How to find happiness on your path in life

We frequently don’t recognize how much our lives have determined by the external things around us and the circumstances that are simple coincidences. Most of the time, we don’t realize how much our decisions and actions are influenced by the information we collect.

However, you should know that you are unique and have fundamental impulses that cannot be copied and repeated. Your life is unique to you and isn’t have to replicate all that surrounds you.

You get to choose the course of your own life. You can take the road that works for you.

Being self-aware is the first step in learning to live your own life. When you take the time to learn about yourself through contemplation, you can begin to make choices that are in your best interest and align with your true aspirations. This takes time, and you must set up the environment to better comprehend yourself.

You can become more conscious of the millions of options beyond your box by reading excellent books, listening to podcasts, and investigating alternate possibilities. Beyond the bounds of your expectations, beyond the bounds of your current situation in life.

Who can help me to be a happier person?

You are responsible for your happiness. Some people think happiness comes from the outside, but this is not the case. Even if the aspects of your outside environment affect your enjoyment, this is usually indirect. Indeed, you can control most of these aspects through self-awareness and understanding how best to interact with your surroundings or the people around you.

Experts suggest different actions and initiatives you can take to feel happier every day. Each is at your disposal, and you can practice either to start changing your life.

3 tips to feel happier in your day-to-day life

1. Try to Satisfy Your Own Interests

Pursue and achieve goals you feel naturally compelled to reach, especially those that emphasize self-improvement and contributing to others. Happiness can be increased by pursuing such goals, more so than extrinsic aspects like material gain or social advancement.

2. Have Fun Right Now

People put too much emphasis on financial success at the expense of their happiness. Instead of falling into the trap of mindless accumulation at the cost of your pleasure, focus on practicing thankfulness for your things and appreciating the process as you go.

3. Convert Your Negativity into Positive Ideas

Whenever you feel yourself slipping into a negative frame of mind or experiencing negative emotions, actively seek ways to reframe your thoughts in a more optimistic light.

Try to ignore the unpleasant and reframe it. Make an effort to see things as they truly are. This way, you would be able to identify mental patterns and eliminate negative energies.

FAQ

References

1. Psychologytoday.com – 10 simple ways find happiness – Found on 24-10-2022
   Link to the page on psychologytoday.com
2. Positivepsychology.com – how to be happy – Found on 24-10-2022
   Link to the page on positivepsychology.com
3. Wikihow.com – Find Happiness in Life – Found on 24-10-2022
   Link to the page on wikihow.com