Maybe you want fortune, or maybe you want fame. Perhaps you just want a peaceful life. Whatever it is, we all seem to agree that what we really want is to be happy.

Even a little kid understands the concept of happiness and yet it’s a super difficult subject to give advice on. Happiness is a lifelong study for most of us. Nonetheless, there are a few tips that I can give you that are quite certain to bring more “happy” into your life.

Stay positive and optimistic

Maintaining high spirits throughout your journey can affect you in the most profound of ways.

Don’t underestimate positivity. Positivity keeps you going. No matter how great your failures might be, if you manage to maintain your optimism you will remain strong and stand your ground.

Having faith in brighter days to come and a prosperous future ahead is somewhat a self-fulfilling prophecy – it will come true of you believe it to be true. This has nothing to do with “law of attraction” or whatever. It’s merely the fact that positively minded people see opportunity everywhere they go and bounce back from failure with greater ease.

At times, one cannot help but fall into a temporary sense of desperation and boredom. That’s perfectly natural and will not determine the outcome of your personal development – as long as it’s temporary. What really matters is that you overcome such lapses; if you fall ten times, you should rise ten.

For as long as you are breathing, there is opportunity for a new beginning. Starting again does not mean starting all over.

 

Know your strengths

In the process of spiritual and psychological growth, you will stumble upon personal qualities that are your strength points. Maybe you’ll find that you have unconditional affection for your interests – what one might call passion – which may lead to accomplishing great things in your lifetime. Or maybe you possess one of the rarest qualities of mankind – that of patience. This will be hugely beneficial in dealing with slow progress, should this be the case.

Whatever it is that you find in yourself, acknowledging and listing the strong areas of your own personality is a crucial step towards being a happier person.

Look for your points of strength, bring them into your awareness. Create a plan for improving their effect upon your life. Think: how could you structure your life so as to make the most of your strengths? Utilising your positive traits for the greater good of everyone is simply a much “happier” way of living than constantly trying to combat your weak points.

That is not to say you should not try to improve your negative traits and weak points. You certainly should. However, don’t let your life stand still behind them.

 

Create a support network

On your journey towards happiness surround yourself with friends and loved ones. Try to pick those who care the most for your well-being, those who cherish listening over speaking and judging, and confide in them. Sharing your concerns and doubts with loved ones can have a major positive healing effect on you.

Positivity is a contagious quality. Surround yourself with people who look at life and see it as a wonderful experience full of learning, growth and opportunities. At times of most despair and lack of interest, those who have been blessed with a positive aura will uplift your spirits and keep you focused on what truly matters. Avoid judgmental and closed-minded characters – those will have terrible effects on the natural process of your personal development and growth.

 

Take care of yourself

Looking after yourself is one of the cornerstones of being happy. The thing most associated with happiness is the inner image you have of yourself. If this image is that of a weak, unworthy person, your road to a happy life will be blocked.

If you want to be happy, work hard on finding your self-worth. The way to enhance the vitality of your self-image is by being a good caretaker of your own well-being.

The thing about taking care of yourself is that it does not end with your external appearance and health. Stay acutely aware of your psychological state, how it has been adapting and which direction it’s moving in.

You need to be conscious of your inner changes. The subliminal changes that happen deep within your mind are of the highest importance for your process of personal development.

 

These are only a few things to keep in mind on your way to happiness. What are some of your own tips for a happy life? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Image credit: Happy by Greg Westfall