For one, I’d like to reckon, happiness – like success – cannot simply be chased like a big lofty life goal that awaits in the future. Happiness is just around with you – the little and priceless blessings you have.
Instead of chasing happiness – like a mouse trying to always get the cheese – it’s more practically beneficial (or, asphilosophers are apt to quip, “pragmatically plausible”) to just enjoy the journey, relish its pure and simple joys, and achieve happiness along the way.
As Viktor Frankl aptly wrote: “Happiness – like success – cannot be pursued, it must ensue.”
But then, again in a “pragmatically plausible” manner, are there really honest-to-goodness ways to enjoy a happier, fuller, and more satisfying life?
Cat Harper, enablement professional turned writer, in her article on hackspirit.com, shares the following “8 simple ways to enjoy a happier, fuller and more satisfying life according to psychology”:
1. Live in the here and now. The American Psychiatric Association defines mindfulness as a moment-to-moment awareness of one’s experience without judgment, and the research-backed benefits speak for themselves: less rumination, reduced stress, better memory, increased focus, decreased emotional reactivity, and better satisfaction in relationships.
2. Appreciate the simple pleasures in life. It’s all about recognizing the little blessings around you. In psychology, this is called practicing gratitude, and research confirms that “gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness,” as outlined by the Harvard Medical School.
3. Give back by helping others. Helping others can be incredibly rewarding. And research backs it up: generosity is known to increase happiness.
4. Smile more. According to recent research, smiling can make people happier. Even if it’s a forced smile, overall participants reported feeling happier after smiling.
5. Invest in your relationships. Research suggests that close relationships play a vital role in human happiness and the quality of those relationships is more important than quantity.
6. Positive self-talk. Research finds positive self-talk contributes to a happier, fuller, and more satisfied life by: increasing vitality, reducing stress, and providing greater life satisfaction.
7. Learn to say no. Psychology also tells us that learning to say no has many benefits. “Saying no can create more mental health stability by helping with self-care and building your self-esteem and confidence by setting boundaries,” as outlined by Psychology Today.
8. Commit to adding to your life resume. According to entrepreneur Jessie Itzler, building life resume is prioritizing the people and things you love in life to create amazing life experiences. Some might call it finding your purpose or following your passion. As outlined by Forbes, “Purpose contributes to happiness – when participants in a study felt a greater sense of purpose, they tended to feel more positive emotions – specifically contentment, relaxation, enthusiasm and joy.” Think about what you want in your life and commit to making it a reality through meaningful experiences with the people you love.
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