Happiness is not a feeling – it’s a way of life. It has little to do with having and a lot to do with living up to your true potentials. And happy people will tell you that. These people can be spotted from a mile away, handling failures like they’re a child’s play, and moving through life with an air of grace and confidence.
And while many people try to ‘find’ the right way to live so as to be happy, truly happy people simply live their life and embrace themselves for who they truly are.
If you can’t say that you’re one of these people, there’s good news: it’s rather easy to get your life on track and achieve this unconditional state very easily.
Here are 8 things happy people do differently from the rest but never talk about.
1. They don’t tie their happiness to external things
Most people wait for the right moment to be happy – that promotion at work, or that success from doing something, ultimate goals, and ideas… These things do make a person happy, but for how long?
Which is more, tying your happiness to such external events can ultimately lead to grave disappointments and an even greater feeling of unhappiness. Happy people don’t think too much about the destination when there’s this wonderful journey they are on.
2. They have at least 5 close relationships
And not just relationships for the sake of having people in their lives – these relationships are meaningful and healthy. While most people focus on having as many ‘friends’ as possible, happy people focus on cultivating a true connection with a select number of real friends.
And the number 5? According to the book Finding Flow, national surveys have found that people who claimed to have 5 or more friends with whom they can open up and discuss things of importance, they are 60% more likely to say that they are ‘very happy.’
3. They spend money on experiences
A life full of stories is a rich life. A life full of things is one that doesn’t have much to say. It’s because spending money on experiences will enrichen your life instead of your material surroundings. Remember: happiness depends on your inner sense of happiness, not the external ‘influence’ on the same.
And what makes for a rich life if not stories to tell, experiences to share, and memories to create?
4. They do exercise
It’s a scientific fact that exercise boosts your serotonin levels and makes you feel both physically and mentally better. Which is more, our active nature enjoys being engaged in activities that make us move and perspire.
It relieves your body of toxins and it can help you to start your day active and alive. Even a little exercise can do a lot for your wellbeing.
5. They become good at something
We are all good at something – it’s only a matter of discovering our hidden talents and work on improving our skill and knowledge in whatever makes us feel fulfilled and useful.
While some people choose the easy way and go for a job that doesn’t fulfill them in any but a financial way, happy people choose to become good at what makes them tick and reap the rewards both financially and mentally.
Of course, everything comes with its challenges – but when you let your love for it give you the strength, no challenge is big enough.
6. They’re not rushed, even when busy
There’s a difference between being busy and feeling rushed. Feeling rushed makes people feel miserable, and it doesn’t make for a productive mindset. Happy people know their limits and they expand them consciously so as not to get overwhelmed.
The best advice about this practice is to know when to say NO. There are some activities we don’t feel excited about, no matter the outcome, and it’s usually these activities that weigh us down. Do the things that matter to you and know that you are at the center of your universe!
7. They don’t ignore negative emotions
Perhaps the biggest mistake one can make about their emotional state is disregard and ignore their negative emotions. Not only do they fester into something that will only grow as a problem, but this way of not coping with and handling your emotions is utterly useless.
In fact, it takes more effort to push those negative emotions down than to let them come out and accept them as a natural part of you. Don’t let people fool you – it’s normal to feel sad, it’s normal to feel angry – let it out and you’ll see how freedom feels like.
8. They practice gratitude
It’s true that we can’t always have the perfect conditions in which we could thrive, and it’s definitely true that our lives could be much better than they are. But this mindset nurtures only misery – why focus on the things you don’t have when there is so much you’re blessed with?
Happy people are grateful for the life they live, and that makes their life even a better place to live. Gratitude increases one’s self-esteem and self-worth, helps us cope with stress and trauma, and helps us dissolve negative emotions.
Isn’t that something to be grateful for?
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