People go between states of emotions constantly.
You can be happy for a short period, and then you are thinking about something that stresses you out. Even people who seem happy all the time go through changes in emotion. These people are more likely to be content. No one is truly happy all the time. This is an important concept to learn so you don’t put too much pressure on yourself when you see others who seem happy.
Consider what you have in life.
Not many people in the world have everything they want in life. Consider what you do have. Take time to appreciate those things and people. When we express our gratitude, we increase our contentment. Tony Gaskins sums it up best, "To be content doesn’t mean you don’t desire more, it means you’re thankful for what you have and patient for what’s to come."
Happiness is not just about money.
Although having enough to provide for your family is less stressful, people who are happy in life don’t care much about money. When people become obsessed with money, they can usually obtain it. But, it doesn’t lower their stress. In fact, the obsession often raises stress because it becomes the sole focus.
People who are happy don’t chase dollars.
They are content with what they are doing and don’t worry about trying to squeeze out another salary increase. It’s okay to get them occasionally. But, if you chase the buck, you will never become good at anything. People who are happy often are experts in what they do. They made it this way because they stuck with it and didn’t chase dollars.
It’s rare to find people who are happy and don’t have any friends.
Socializing is a big factor when trying to be happy. You don’t need dozens of friends. When you have a few that you can trust, that will be all that is necessary. It’s okay to use social media to connect, but if you can get together in person, that is even better.
Try to make your home an environment where everyone feels safe.
People who are happy, know that family is important. They know that their homes should be a sanctuary. If it’s not, they take steps to correct the situation. Spending time with family is a huge part of what makes people happy.
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I always tell people we don’t have lots of money but we are very rich. Rich with love of 56 years of hubby and I being together, rich with a beautiful, kind, caring and giving family. There are so many things that money can’t buy but we can still be rich.
Yes! Those are priceless treasures.
Excellent post. Happiness seems so elusive for so many people. I think it would be a good idea for everyone to write about it – their ideas of what happiness is for them, etc. I am content and a person of little wants. I do have periods of happy and not so happy.
I think that is an excellent idea. When we are aware of what we have we are more content and happy. But it is also normal to have periods where we are not so happy. Thankfully those periods don’t have to be long.
Wonderful post. I agree with most of what you’ve said. Gratitude is a powerful gateway to happiness!
Thank you.
The challenge of making a meal plan for the next 30 days would not make me happy. I am happy with ensuring I have enough for the next week. Beyond that would be stressful and pure speculation. The best part of being retired is the ability to be more spontaneous and not have everything scheduled. That makes me happy!
Blog on!
I agree a good mix of planned and spontaneous activity gives a spice to life. I hope you’re enjoying retirement.
Pivot is crucial but always a challenge. Some great pointers to be happier .
Agreed! And it is the challenging aspects that yield the greatest growth.
U.K. healthcare group Bupa sponsored the survey that asked 2,000 people what brought them happiness, and here are the 50 feel-good results:
1. Sleeping in a freshly-made bed
2. Feeling the sun on your face
3. People saying “thank you” or a random act of kindness from a stranger
4. Finding money in unexpected places
5. Having time to myself
6. Laughing so hard it hurts
I totally enjoyed looking through the full list. Have a great day
#3 and #6 are my favorites of the list you shared.