Everything You Need to Know About Being Happy

Cheer up. Smile more. Stop complaining. BE HAPPY.
Happiness is something we all chase, but what exactly does it mean? If you ask yourself the question, “Am I happy?”, you might be stumped on the answer. We all know when we are unhappy, so why is actually being happy such a riddle that has us all mystified?

The Merriam-Webster definition of happy goes as follows:
Happy - favored by luck or fortune, enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment.

It’s easy to lose track of your goals and get lost in a world of possibilities, daydreaming about what your life COULD be. But true happiness comes from being content and satisfied with things in your life that are important to you.

Getting caught up in doing things that you don’t like, or things that don’t contribute to your overall level of happiness is inevitable. So it’s good to check in without yourself whenever you feel the blues sinking in to reevaluate your ambitions, and make sure you are still working towards them; or, just to make sure you are enjoying yourself along the way.

Start small by creating a list of things that you can do on your own that you know will make you smile, otherwise known as self-love. Activities, favorite foods, hobbies or songs. Try choosing things off that list to do whenever you feel like you could use a pick me up. If you keep that list somewhere handy, like at your desk at work or in your favorite notebook, you will always have a source of things that are sure to cheer you up. Just knowing you have that list may even put your mind at ease.

Here are some proven ways to boost your level of happiness to get you started if you are having a hard time coming up with things to add to your list:

• Buy yourself a small bouquet of flowers to brighten your room - The color and smell of your favorite flowers can impact your mood for the better.
• Make someone else laugh - Laughter is linked to endorphins, and is also said to be contagious. Just try to keep a straight face after you've successfully made someone else giggle. 
• Take a nibble of some chocolate - More endorphins! A little boost of seratonin too! 
• Dance it out - Take a note from the hit TV show, Grey's Anatomy. When everything seems to be falling apart, dance like no one is watching for 1 whole song. The rush is sure to get your mind off the gloom, at least for those 3 minutes. 

Even if it doesn’t feel like it, those little smiles and good feelings can help push you to make larger life decisions that impact your happiness, especially when you are having a particularly hard time being happy. At the end of the day, being happy doesn’t have to be as deep as an entire life overhaul. So remember to enjoy the little things, and appreciate what makes you smile!