Be Happy: The 6 Things You Need to Know

What exactly is happiness and how do you get happy?

Happiness:  The possession or attainment of what one considers good. The opposite of sad.

The feeling that comes over you when you know that life is good and you can’t help but break into a smile.

Happiness is a very individual thing, just like we all have a different DNA profile, so it is that we each define happiness differently.

For one person it can be as simple as having five minutes alone in the peace and quiet. Yet for someone else, it can be as complicated as mastering a piece of music.

Martin Seligman, celebrated psychologist and author of “Authentic Happiness” says happiness has three parts; pleasure, engagement, and meaning. Of the three he says that meaning and engagement are the most important.

Scientists say that much of what makes us happy is within our control.

If that is true, then what can you do to help yourself to be happy?

1. Reflect on what actually makes you feel happy. What is it that gives you that glorious feeling that makes you smile both on the inside and the outside?

2. Surround yourself with happy, positive people. You’ve come too far to be wasting precious time around people and things that subtract rather than add to you.

3. Practise smiling. Yes; the simple act of smiling has been scientifically proven to make you feel happier. Try smiling once every hour, after a while it just happens without you even thinking about it.

4. Be thankful for what you have. Grateful people report higher levels of happiness.

5. Don’t compare yourself to others. Set your own goals ones that are meaningful to you.

6. Exercise. Exercise regulates your hormones and leads to the production of positive endorphins that make you feel good.