How to Be Happy?

So, how’s your mood?…

Does it feel like the tide is turning a little?

Things are opening up, the R rate is staying down. The sun is here to stay and we’re allowed out to enjoy it.

Things are getting better, right?

Maybe it’s time to be happy again…

While it’s easy to feel that our happiness depends on our circumstances, research tells us that…

Happiness is a CHOICE

Now to be clear – I’m excluding those with depression from this statement.

For people with depression, Happiness requires hard work and support – so if you need support please get in touch – I’m here to help.

For those who are suffering from low mood or are knocked sideways by the current crisis…

So how do we CHOOSE to be Happy?

According to author Karl Moore, there are 18 Rules to Happiness

How to Be Happy? Here are Rules 1-5

  •  Stop feeling sorry for ourselves – self-pity drains our resources to make positive change. We might have to start small, we might need some help to get moving. But we can always make things better than they are right now (Emo Logging would help)
  • Be grateful – Gratitude is a powerfully positive emotion that we can create any time we choose to raise our mood – make gratitude a habit – every morning and night think of 3 things to be grateful for – in time be grateful in the moment for every blessing.
  • Say Yes more – “No” closes off many of life’s wonderful experiences and causes us to resist what’s happening around us. Buddhists call it flowing with the river of life – saying “yes” more injects more fun, more expansion & more excitement into our lives.
  • Follow your Bliss – bliss is what we’re doing when we’re so immersed in it, it doesn’t even feel like work – it could be our career, our favourite sport, our family, our DIY project – whatever it is for you, seek to spend more time doing it.
  • Learn to let go – Ask “can I let go of this emotion?” If yes great let it wash away and feel your body unclench, if no that’s fine – hold onto it for a while just remember it’s a choice. Letting go in no way condones or forgives it’s simply a choice to stop allowing something external to eat at you any longer (EFT is excellent for this).

Here are Rules 6-9

  • Do random acts of kindness – how well does it feel when we randomly do something nice for someone without the expectation of reward or acknowledgement? – charitable acts, simple kindness they don’t need to be grand or expensive, just frequent, to fill up your happiness account
  • Happiness is only ever Now – Stop worrying about the past or waiting to be happy in the future – enjoy the journey, practise living in the moment – don’t miss the beautiful sunset thinking about who you will share the photo with
  • Experience don’t hoard – studies show having financial security makes us happier BUT happiness created by material things is transient – investing in experiences creates greater lasting happiness. It doesn’t have to be big or expensive and you can even do it on your own
  • See both sides of the coin – the truth is we can’t experience true happiness in life without experiencing sadness – without sadness we have no scale on which to measure happiness

Whilst Happiness is indeed a choice. When times are tough it can be pretty challenging to make that choice by yourself

So if you need any help, just give me a call. I’m here to support you – online or face to face in Acton, Chiswick or Windsor.

Wishing you Well & Happy.

(Keep on reading: How to be More Happy (part 2)

Nichola
Crisis Counsellor, Hypnotherapist and EFT practitioner
www.londonlifesolutions.com
nichola@londonlifesolutions.com
07946 526 838

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