6 ways to add happiness to your life

by Christy Burke

There are some simple ways to add more happiness to your daily life. Happiness should be an integral part of your life. You can plan to be happy. You really do have a lot of control over how your life plays out. Your state of mind has a lot to do with the quality of your life. You really can change your life by changing your thoughts and the way you approach your life. You deserve to be happy!

1. Make happiness a priority

Just as you set daily goals for work and in your personal life, you must make plans to be happy. Set happy goals. Go ahead. Pencil it in. Be happy today. Planning for happiness is essential. Refuse to let the stress of everyday life get in the way of this goal. If you put it on your schedule, if you plan for it, you have to act on it. Plan to be happy! So, plan activities each day that will bring happiness to you and your family. Putting yourself in a positive state of mind at the beginning of each day will set the tone. Your mind is very powerful. If you envision it, it will happen. Remove all negative thoughts and worry from your mind. You did not set goals for worry and negativity today. They are not on your schedule. You have no room for them in your day.

2. Be grateful

Get into the daily practice of being thankful for everything that you have. Especially when it feels like all hope is lost, you should make a list of all of the good things in your life.  This will help to put everything into perspective. Look for the positives. Here’s a list to get you started:

family, friends, health, shelter, food, pets, work, church, love, your strengths and talents, creativity

3. Invest time and energy into the key relationships in your life

This includes loving yourself! Treat yourself well, and make sure you set aside time each day to focus on your own needs. Do something you enjoy every day. Take some time to read, paint, create, play. Take time for yourself. Go ahead and pencil time for yourself into your daily plans. You also need to work on the important relationships in your life…with your kids, your spouse or partner, your parents, your family and your friends. Relationships are important. Spend some time with people you love to be around each day. Surround yourself with people who lift you up, rather than bring you down. Empower those around you to be the best they can be as well!

4. Have fun!

Look for new ways to be happy, approach life, and have fun. If you feel like nothing is happening, like you are doing the same boring things each day, look for ways to revitalize your life. Reinvent yourself. Life should not be boring! Find out if there are any activities going on in your community. Take up a new hobby. Read books about positivity. Surround yourself with people who give off positive energy. Plan to have fun each day of your life. Smile more, laugh often, love life. Plan some fun weekend activities with your family and friends. If you are sitting around waiting for life to get exciting, it won’t happen. You need to make things happen.

5. Be optimistic!

I always try to look for the positives in life. I try to do this in every situation that I approach. Looking at life through rose-colored glasses does not make you naive. It does not mean that you avoid any conflicts or problems, because negative experiences and tragedies are unavoidable. It just means that you look for creative solutions to your problems. When something negative occurs, you try to figure out the good that could come out of it. Being positive and consciously putting yourself in that state of mind each day will make you happier. You control how you feel about any situation. Don’t let things happen to you. You decide how you feel about things that occur throughout the day. Your reaction to life’s ups and downs is key! Be hopeful and optimistic and good things will come! 

6. Get some sleep

Find out how many hours of sleep your body needs each night, and then make sure you sleep at least that many hours every night. Sleep is so important for your body, mind, state-of-being. When you sleep well, you feel refreshed and ready to start the day. It is going to be really hard to plan for happiness, nurture relationships and be good to yourself when you’re exhausted. Sleep makes you happier and gives you more energy. It’s a fact. Get some good sleep tonight!

(Author’s note: I’ve included pictures of my beautiful daughters because they make me so happy and are my daily reminder that life is good!)

Christy Burke

Christy is a freelance graphic designer, full-time mommy, positive thinker and part-time blogger.