How To Live A Happy Life

In my research on happiness, there are some significant sources that matter most. Feeling a sense of purpose in your contribution; sustaining meaningful connections with others; having opportunities to stretch, learn, and grow; and gratitude are all correlated with happiness. Ninety-five per cent of what we call happiness can be achieved by just sitting for some time every day and foc¬using on the present. Make it a daily practice, som-ething you can't do without, like eating food drinking water. It is crucial to happiness.

Here are a few things I have learned to do, that make my life full of happiness:

• Smile

You tend to smile when you’re happy. But it’s actually a two-way street. We smile because we’re happy, and smiling causes the brain to release dopamine, which makes us happier. That doesn’t mean you have to go around with a fake smile plastered on your face all the time. But the next time you find yourself feeling low, crack a smile and see what happens. Or try starting each morning by smiling at yourself in the mirror.

• Love yourself

Of all the tips for living a happy life, this is probably the most basic. Self-love means that you accept and appreciate who you are and care for yourself in ways that support your mind, body, and spirit.

• Boost your self-confidence

If we don't have self-confidence, it’s easy to think that there’s something fundamentally wrong with us that there's nothing we can do to change ourselves and create the happy life we desire. But self-confidence is actually a skill. When we learn how to think, feel, and act in ways that make us a person we really love, we can be more self-confident and, as a result, live happily more easily.

• Exercise

The health benefits of exercise are numerous, Your regular exercise routine should include workouts that promote flexibility, strength and cardio. A combination of these three keeps you in a high state where you are full of energy. One without the other doesn't have the same impact.

• Spend time wisely

If you want to be happy, you’ll also do well to spend your time on activities which are both relaxing and rejuvenating. Research at the University of Nottingham found when you spend time on a hobby you enjoy or whiling away the hours playing games, these are correlated with happiness.

• Spread Kindness

Feel and send out feelings of good¬will, forgiveness, compassion and an assurance of harmlessness out into the universe. The Laws of Nature always send these back to you. When you do it with real intent, you will experience joy while doing it. It brings a tangible sense of bliss.

• Don’t hold on to the past

The fear of the future may bring us sadness, so can the memory of the past. Don’t let past events define you, even if they still hurt. You don’t have to deny your pain, but acknowledge that the past cannot be changed. You can only change your response today. Create a positive response to your memory of the past. This way, you can make good use of something unwanted like recycling waste.

• Empathy and Forgiveness

Ayurveda emphasises that the cause of all ailments lies in the mind. Have Empathy for every living being, including yourself, and especially for those who hurt you. Holding on to grudges or anger causes toxicity and, over time, we end up with chronic ailments.

• Practice gratitude

Gratitude the simple act of being thankful registers as optimism in your brain. This is probably one of those life tips you’ve heard before. Yet, it bears repeating. When you feel gratitude for what you have your life, and your abilities, it’s so much easier to feel good. You’re present with what is, instead of lamenting what isn’t.

• Meditate

When you are alert but relaxed, your brain can slip into soothing alpha waves like a mini massage for your brain. Meditation may have numerous health benefits, ranging from reduced stress to slower aging, and yes — increased happiness.

In the end, you don’t need to simply wait for happiness to blossom around you. Instead, you can create the conditions for your own happiness and taking positive action can be its own source of happiness, as well.