There’s really no way everyone everywhere will be happy every time. Life in its natural design comes with a buffet of experiences that can create a rollercoaster of emotions throughout our time on earth. There will always be time to be joyful and a time to mourn.
However, let’s explore things that trigger unhappiness and how they can be stopped or completely avoided.
You must have heard people say things like “It’s not that anything, in particular, has happened, but the unhappiness seems to have crept up on me out of nowhere.”
Telling yourself all these negative doubts and voices inside your head is just one of the many common habits that miserable people tend to do. Hearing and listening to these ideas frequently can be tiring and will surely affect one’s mental health.
Meanwhile, there are many ways of becoming happier, and it doesn’t cost a lot of money or time. Happiness is something everyone wants to experience in their life. The world has become very competitive, with people feeling like they need to do more than ever before in order to be happy. Here are simple things and tips you could do to stay happy:
1. Recognizing the unhappiness you are experiencing
The first step in recognizing your misery is to identify what makes you unhappy. Once you’ve identified it, recognize what you’re feeling like “I’m miserable” and so forth. In doing so, it can help a person increase his or her psychological well-being. Use scriptures and affirmations to encourage yourself. The story of David and his men coming to Ziklag after a battle and finding their family members kidnapped and the city burnt shows how David encouraged himself in the Lord in the midst of despair and uncertainty. No matter how unhappy one is, it is imperative to find to the strength to encourage oneself:
“Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept until they had no more power to weep. And David’s two wives, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail the widow of Nabal the Carmelite, had been taken captive. Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and his daughters. But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God”- 1 Samuel 30: 1-6
2. Be kind to yourself
Another way to achieve happiness is to offer yourself and others kindness and compassion.
It can be tough to go through life without people around you who understand what and how you feel. Nonetheless, saying kind words to yourself could bring moments of great comfort that only you can give.
Labeling your emotions and negative feelings such as anger, disappointment, and jealousy can help reduce stress by shifting your feelings from the “emotional” part to the “thinking” part of your brain.
There are many benefits to being kind that could improve your life in significant ways. Being good can have a positive effect on you mentally as well as physically which means less stress for yourself!
So if you find yourself in the middle of an emotional struggle, stop for a second and think if being mean to yourself will bring you any joy or happiness in your life.
3. Allow happiness to enter your life
Life is too short to be miserable. We have to make good use of our time here because we must understand that we are here for a good time and not a long time.
If you allow happiness and positive things into your life, you’ll soon see how it will change everything for the better.
Whether people think there’s something wrong with being happy or not doesn’t matter because who are they to judge? They’re certainly no more important than you so don’t let them bring down your mood by telling you those feelings of joy should belong only on certain days, certain times, or in certain places.
This is YOUR journey after all – one where whatever feeling comes naturally at any given time becomes just as normal as breathing air every day (certainly more rewarding!)
4. Surround yourself with your loved ones
Some of us enjoy locking ourselves in our homes because we love our personal space and privacy. However, neglecting the benefits of a human company can be problematic.
The feeling of loneliness and boredom are well-known tools in the devil’s workshop, and can also easily lead to unhappiness.
Moreover, isolating yourself is not only detrimental to your relationships, but can negatively affect your physical, mental, and cognitive health.
It’s important not to isolate yourself from others, so make an effort to be more social. Call up an old friend, go out of town, and spend some time with your loved ones. Just do anything that takes you out of isolation.
5. Go outside more often
Did you know that spending time in nature will make you happier?
Go outside more often and allow yourself to experience small pleasures – taking a walk, grabbing a cup of coffee, chatting with your neighbors, or visiting the park.
Rather than stressing about everything that’s going wrong, remind yourself it is okay to have fun even if part of your life is falling apart.
6. Take care of yourself
Give yourself permission to take care of yourself!
If you really want to be happy, start with taking care of yourself – that means your body!
The best way to stay healthy is by doing all the things that make you feel your best. Eating a healthier and balanced diet, sleeping enough every night, and exercising as often as possible.
7. Seek help
This may be hard for many, but we must encourage it where necessary. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. It is neither a sign of weakness nor defeat on your part.
Stop trying to do it all yourself. You are the captain of your own life, so if circumstances get out of hand, talk to someone about how you feel – whether it’s a friend, family member, therapist, counselor, etc.
It has been said that we make our own happiness. This is true, but it can be a bit more difficult than we might think at first glance!
Happiness does not exist as an end-game goal; rather, happiness exists on a continuum that we can all find our way if we are willing to make some changes today.
What have you tried or do on a regular basis to stay happy? What other steps could you take today?
Remember that only you can create your path towards happiness in this world. You are free to choose your life and become the person you want to be by focusing on what matters to you and staying happy. Learn to accept and let go of things that are beyond your control. Don’t worry; be happy!
Ogo Adelakun writes on diverse subjects.
