How to Be Happy With What We Have And Stop Chasing Happiness
Society puts great value on achievement and money. But this can create dissatisfaction within people.
So, how can we be happy with what we have?
Here are ten simple ways that show how to be happy with what you have in life:
1. Stay in the Present
Disappointments from the past and anxieties of the future are the two common triggers of sadness in most people. You need to be present in the here and now, because you’ll get the present moment again.
Here’s an example:
Worrying about what did or could happen is like having a great car with full gas but worrying about how you never went on a road trip with your friends, or what would happen if you had an accident. You need to make the best use of your mind right now and that’s the first step to happiness.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Live in the present moment.
2. Stay Away From Toxic Things or People
If you have toxic people in your life who put you down, you need to stay away from them. The same goes for any toxic behaviors you might have developed. Do you use technology too much to the complete denial of your social life?
Are you doing something you’re interested in or are you torturing yourself for money? Look at your daily activities and cut out the toxic ones.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Don’t keep any toxic people or habits in your life.
Happiness Motivational Video Watch FREE On Youtube:
3. Get in Touch With Your Desires
You need to know what you want in life. Do you want to travel, read books, party with friends, earn a lot of money, watch great movies? Figure out the little and the big things that you want. Know that life is short and the people who clearly know their desires make the most of it.
But how?
Talk to yourself more often. No, it’s not crazy.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Know what you really want.
4. Chase Goals That Matter to You
Happiness is not a goal. It’s a by-product of chasing other worthwhile goals. Figure out what major goal you want to chase in the next year or next couple months.
Sounds tough?
Well, if you keep thinking about it, it will be tough! Go write in your journal about your yearly and monthly goals.
As Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi mentions in his book Flow: The Psychology of Optimum experience,
“The best moments usually occur when a person’s body or mind is stretched to its limits in a voluntary effort to accomplish something difficult and worthwhile. Optimal experience is thus something that we make happen.”
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Go after what you want and enjoy the process.
5. Don’t Pay Attention to Others’ Opinions
You can never please everyone you know. No matter how successful, kind, or charismatic you are, people are going to hate you. Simply accept this fact.
If you buy into others’ ideas of happiness, you’ll never be happy.
Build your life inside out, by first going in and getting in touch with your desires, and then chasing them in real life. Don’t build it outside in, seeing what others are doing and then try to be like them.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Don’t buy others’ idea of happiness.
6. Take Baby Steps
Quite often when we feel unhappy, we are unable to see our own potential. Our goals scare us instead of inspiring us.
The antidote:
If you think getting what you want is too hard, break it down. Don’t try to eat the whole elephant at once. Chase little goals each day to gain momentum. Once you have accomplished little, it makes you believe that you can do much more.
Always keep moving with small steps.
As Einstein said,
Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Start small toward your goals and keep moving.
7. Stop Taking, Start Giving
When you’re unhappy, you’re stuck in the “me” story.
“I don’t have this”, “I can’t have that”.
To get out of this limiting story, start giving. Volunteer for your favorite NGO. Go plant some trees, teach poor students, or take care of animals.
This world we live in is so vast that we just need to get past our mental barriers to know how lucky we are.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Don’t be stuck in the “me” story. Give to others.
8. Create Habits For Self-love
How do you ensure lasting happiness? That’s right – habits.
Make it a habit of doing something you love each day. It may be listening to your favorite piece of music or calling your best friend. Some like to take long showers, others like to watch their favorite sitcom. Do what you love.
Because:
Life is not happening to you, it is happening FOR you.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Practice self-love every day.
9. Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness refers to gently observing whatever is happening around you. You need to pay kind attention as opposed to observing without any emotion.
Here’s what mindfulness gives you:
- It makes you happy
- You know yourself better
- It permanently changes your brain, making you smarter
- Your relationships become better
- You sleep like a baby
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Be mindful, pay kind attention to the present moment.
10. Honor Your Body
Build a healthy relationship with your body.
Respect your body by eating healthy foods and exercising regularly. Groom yourself every day and wear clothes that make you feel good. Sleep on time and get proper rest.
Take it a step further and treat yourself to a massage every month.
It’s often the little things that make a whole lot of difference.
How To Be Happy With What We Have: Honor your body with exercise, healthy diet, and sound sleep.