By Victoria Q

How do we find happiness in our life? The question is simple though, but not everyone can answer it. Happiness is something everyone deserves and wants. But when you really take time to assess your level of happiness, you may find you’re out of balance. Like anything else, it takes practice to cultivate happiness. It won’t happen overnight, but if you really make an effort on it, I’m sure you can see the changes. Here are some simple ways to discover the secrets to your happiness and live a happier life.

1. Be Grateful

Practising gratitude has proven to strengthen your mental health. It makes you happier and more optimistic, as well as boosting your relationships with others. You may not know but there are actually plenty of things we should be grateful for. Be blessed that you’re waking up another day and feeling healthy. Be grateful for what you and your body did unconsciously. You may express gratitude by writing on a journal or simply telling someone how they impacted your life.

2. Accepting Failure

You can never fail because failure is essential for learning. Every failure is considered a life lesson that helps you on to the next thing and build you up. In order to be truly happy, you must embrace those failures. Perfection is impossible, and holding ourselves to these standards is pointless. We will always end up feeling down. By accepting failure and make an effort to change, it will gradually build your self-confidence.

3. Stop Comparing

Every time we scroll through social media, we always get to see people travelling around the world or having that fit and lean body. They seem to have everything and are perfect, but things aren’t always what they seem to be. So, don’t get too caught on it. Don’t compare yourself to people on social media. We are also unique in our own ways. Your uniqueness is your secret power. Try allocating less time on social media and more on things that bring joy to you.

4. Know Where to Invest Time

We may feel like we have more time, so we often grab a drink with colleagues after work, spend 2 hours scrolling through social media or binge-watching Netflix during the whole weekend. We can fill every minute doing “stuff”, but is it really worth it? The key to effective time management is our relationship with time itself. That doesn’t mean adding more activities to our daily lives but improving the ways we choose to spend the time we have. Consciously make an effort to invest time to do something worthwhile and beneficial for yourself such as self-care, do something active or read the books you have been piling up.

5. Stop Worrying

All that constant worrying is actually bad for your health. It makes you harder to focus, make decisions, sleeping and are generally stressing you out. All that stress may weaken your immune system and causes weight gain and fatigue. So, stop worrying about what “might” happen, and focus on what you can do right now.

6. Make Smarter Choices

It’s pretty hard to maintain happiness if you don’t feel the best of yourself whether it is a job you hate, the body that feels weak or activities you don’t enjoy. Focus on building a career in an area that motivates you every single time. Eating foods that make you feel healthier and energized. Don’t waste your time if you don’t enjoy going out for a drink with your colleagues just because you have nothing to do at the moment. Be honest and consider making adjustments to things you don’t feel the best of yourself.

7. Reflecting on Past Successes and Achievements

Reflecting on past successes and achievements can help us reconnect with feelings of love and a sense of wonder and fulfilment. Our past shapes us and defines who we are. When we celebrate our wins, no matter how big or small they are, we can increase our self-confidence and happiness. Write down your favourite achievements that filled you the most, it doesn’t always have to be work or education achievements. It can be something small like you get to complete your to-do list which you’ve been procrastinating for over months. When you feel down or had a hard time, reflect on those achievements and you’ll be able to see and realized how far you’ve made.