5 Happiness Habits

We all want to achieve happiness. If you ask anyone what it takes to attain happiness you will get a variety of answers, but most of them will contain the words "if" or "when." So, if you really think about it most people seem to think happiness is only attainable if or when certain things happen. For example:

• "I'll be happy when I have kids"

• "I'll be happy if my kid finishes college"

• “I’ll be happy when I make more money"

• “I’ll be happy when I own a house!”

I'm sure if you think about it you have plenty of your own "if" or "when" statements that you may not have even realized make your ability to feel happy conditional. I want to fill you in on a little secret I learned a while back: There is no IF or WHEN for finding happiness! Matter of fact, you cannot find happiness at all. You are either happy or not because you choose to be. 

So, when people go through life seeking happiness, they are usually unsuccessful because you have to look within. That being said, there are some common habits of happy people that i wanted to share with you to help you to be happy now.

1. Find joy in the day to day. The feeling of sun after a summer rain. Your favorite song coming on in the car. A bite into a juicy watermelon. A nice warm hug from a loved one. These small moments, are the joys of life. If you focus on these day to day moments, you'll be more present and more happy during each of them.

2. Remember—life is bigger than just you. Think of the last time you felt upset. Were you cutoff in traffic on 95 on the way to work? Did a friend or loved one offend you in some way? It is human nature to make everything about you, but in reality this is usually not true. So, instead of wrapping your thoughts about the injustice of what upset you, think about why it happened. Maybe the driver who cut you off was rushing to make it to a job interview. Maybe your friend/loved one who offended you just found out they have a serious medical problem minutes before you spoke. Doesn't that make your anger fade away pretty quickly? If you focus on the other, it is much easier to remain in a happy state.

3. Be a good listener. We go through each day in sort of a blur. You get your work done and spend most of your time trying to get those around you to listen to you. It is much easier to focus on others if you are a good listener. It will help you to strengthen your relationships, and go through each day with a bit more purpose.

4. Don't pay attention to time. Alarms, reminders, and schedules can be stressful and exhausting. They also cause you to be glued to your phone. If you don't focus on time and just get lost in the activity, project, workout, etc. the time will fly by and you will be enjoying each moment.

5. Become a silver lining expert. This might sound obvious, but it is an often overlooked skill. If you get good at finding the bright side in every situation, you will be a happier person. Instead of complaining and dwelling on what went wrong and what could have been different, pull yourself out of it by finding what did work. If you do this enough it will become a habit and turn you into a happy optimist.

One more bonus habit of happy people is to be healthy. It is way easier to feel happy when you feel good. So try chiropractic for better health without the use of drugs or surgery.