Capture Your Happiness

Do you ever find yourself caught up in the negativity of the world? Are you glued to watching the news or getting sucked into negative conversations? Do you every realize that certain people around you do a lot of complaining to you but never ask how you are doing? Sometimes without realizing it right away, we are bombarded with negativity around us, which contributes to us starting to feel negative ourselves. Take time to evaluate your life. Figure out where your positivity comes from and where your negativity comes from. Once you know where you need to make life adjustments, you'll find you are happier.

If you are having difficulty finding happiness, ask yourself why. Maybe it's as simple as you don't really know how to make yourself happy. Try finding the happiness in simple pleasures, daily tasks and the little things in life that you should be grateful for. If you're having a down day, schedule some "me time" for yourself. Take time to watch an uplifting movie, listen to some music, dance around the kitchen or get lost in a good book. If it's available to you, go to a beach or a lake, take a walk in a forest and get back to nature. Learn how to clear your mind of all negativity and just be in the moment. Not only will this help to reduce some stress, it will help to kick start those happy hormones that are lying dormant within.

Laughter is so important to your health. Find time in every day to have joy, happiness and laughter in your life. Find things that prompt this behavior for you so you can feel that happiness. The beach does it for me. When I'm feeling down I love to go to the beach. I sit and inhale the ocean air, absorb the sunshine and clear my mind with some deep breaths. Exhale the negatives and inhale the positives. Your life can change, you can pull yourself up from the doldrums of negativity, you just have to have strategies in place to work on it. If the laughter doesn't come naturally, schedule it in. Say to yourself, "Today I am going to make time to laugh". This may sound strange but it actually works. Give it a try.

Happiness is sometimes lost during the daily hustle and bustle. There is so much negativity on the news, stress due to the pandemic, inflation and political climate. Make sure you don't lose your happiness. You are only given one chance at life, don't make it sad and lonely. It's very easy to get lost in sadness and forget how to be happy. Love yourself enough to make happiness a priority. Teach yourself how to find happiness in a positive way. Enjoy your life no matter what the circumstances are. Find some sliver of hope in happiness in every day, it's there, you just have to embrace it.

Start cutting out the negativity. Turn your television off for a few hours, distance yourself from negative and drama stirring people. Make time for yourself to do things you enjoy. Doing things that make you happy can be as simple as taking a walk. You decide what it is that you need. As with everything, explore, set goals and make a plan on how you can be consistent in reaching your successes. To live a happier life is much more healthy than not. You have nothing to lose by trying and everything to gain. Start today. Find one thing today that makes you happy and go for it. Find your happiness, embrace it and keep it. You will thank yourself.

Written by: Sue McGaughey