Elephant Journal: 10 ways to choose happiness now

Happiness is not a one-time achievement, it takes constant effort.

When was the last time you felt truly happy? When was the last time you noticed yourself smiling for no reason? When was the last time your heart was full of gratitude and bliss? When was the last time you chose to let go and be truly happy?

My work toward achieving happiness is an ongoing process. Sometimes I succeed and sometimes I falter. More often than not, it’s a task to climb out of the black hole you have just dropped into and get back to your life. The key is not to give up.

10 ways to choose happiness now

What if I told you that you could choose happiness, not just at this moment or this year but always? Are you ready to embark on a roller coaster ride of happiness?

Here are some suggestions to start your journey:

1. Detach. Many of us carry expectations and make our happiness dependent on them. Problems arise when we don’t get things we expected and we choose to mope over what went wrong and not focus what we already have.

2. Give and receive. Do you help someone thinking that the favour will be reciprocated? Give and share what you can with no strings attached. Receive openly, accept thanks and compliments you receive with openness. Give your time, love, and affection, and you’ll be surprised at how much comes back to you.

3. Appreciate yourself. Allow yourself to make mistakes. You’re human and you are bound to make mistakes and learn from them. Give yourself some love on a daily basis. Take time to do something you love, pursue a hobby, or spend quiet time in nature. Every day, write a note to yourself, listing positive qualities and telling yourself how awesome you are.

4. Connect with nature. There is something therapeutic about connecting with nature, a long walk in the woods, soaking in the sunlight, walking on the beach, or just sitting in the garden and connecting with the greenery around you. Nature is full of energy. Focus on how your body feels when you are in nature.

5. Be in the moment. We are so busy lamenting about the past and fretting about the future that we forget to live in the moment. Before we realise it, the present becomes yesterday. Learn to live in the moment; there is nothing that you can change in your past and we don’t know what the future holds. Enjoy the now.

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