Too often we put off finding happiness and joy as something that can be done another day. It’s so easy to say I’ll worry about being happy after this is done, or that is taken care of. Even though you know you should be living each day as if it were your last it’s hard to actually do it. There’s always one more thing to take care of before we can allow ourselves to relax and just “be happy.”
Take it from me, as someone who has survived two heart attacks — it’s more important to take time each day to be happy than it is to push yourself to just get one more thing done.
And, it doesn’t have to be a big thing either. Sometimes finding happiness and joy can be as simple as stopping and taking a deep breath of fresh air.
Finding happiness and joy in life has become my number one priority. These are just a few of the ways I’ve found to go about it…
1. Spending time with family. Nothing makes me happier than spending quality time with my son. Whether it’s taking a long walk, playing a round of golf, or just sitting down to watch a hockey game it’s a great source of happiness for me that he’s still willing to spend time with Mom.
2. Doing something enjoyable. This is a biggie, especially when working from home. It’s so easy for me to keep working right up until I’m ready to fall asleep at the computer. Even though I know this is not conducive to happiness or good health, I still do it way more often than I should. I’ve found that taking the last hour before bed to do something just for me is a great way to relax and I go to sleep feeling happier and more relaxed that if I worked all night and then stumbled into bed.
3. Getting outside. I wasn’t kidding earlier when I said that happiness could be found in a deep breath of fresh air. Being able to spend a few minutes in nature each day (even if it’s only your backyard garden) is a great way to reconnect with the outside world.
4. Trying something new. Do you have a list of things you’ve always wanted to try? If you pick something on that list and just do it, you might be surprised at how happy and rejuvenated you feel when you move outside the familiar confines of your comfort zone.
5. Finally, eliminating as much stress from your life as you possibly can is a great way to instantly feel more happy. Worry and stress are two of the biggest obstacles to finding happiness and joy in life. When you find ways to reduce the stress in your life you will find yourself feeling much more happy and relaxed. If you need ideas on how to reduce stress in your life, you can grab the free booklet “50 Simple Stress Relief Strategies” from the Acorn Stash website.
I hope that these tips for finding happiness and joy in your life are helpful. I’d love to hear your thoughts.
There are two things I’ve learned over the years when it comes to being happy. 
I’m finding lots of new blogs today as I start my new system of using Google Reader to keep informed and organized. 
My mother was a very angry woman. So was her mother. Without dragging too much dirt out of the family closet, let me just say that neither of them lived a happy life. They’re favorite sayings to me were always either “Happiness doesn’t grow on trees” or “You can’t always have what you want in life.” 
Latest Comments