We all need a little “whoosah” in our lives, some internal Zen to push us through the hard moments of each day. We hope that the content we deliver in our “happy” category will reflect those objectives.
So, what does it really mean to be happy?
Let’s take a look at the definitions of both “happy” and “happiness”:
- Happy is defined as enjoyment, showing, or marked by pleasure, satisfaction, or joy.
- Happiness is the state or quality of being happy.
In the U.S., we have the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as stated in the preamble to the Declaration of Independence. (Thank you, founders!)
To attain the happiness that we all (rightfully) desire, you’ll actually have to pursue it. This takes effort and it won’t be easy.
As we’re sure you know, you are not going to be happy every single moment and with every single person all the time. It’s important to try not to get too high or too low.
With our content, we will attempt to provide resources and advice for how to maintain an overall state of happiness, despite all the ups and downs of life.
Life often throws you curveballs, and you could be ready for them if you have been planning carefully and/or you could not expect them at all. The trick is to embrace the chaos!
Here are some topics we will cover within this category:
- Curiosity
- Competitiveness
- Family
- Skepticism
- Value System
- Convenience
- Creativity
- Joy
- Pleasure
- Satisfaction
- Intentionality
- Traditions
- Productivity
EXPECTATIONS
Having expectations for other people can be tricky. If you set them too high, you’ll find a world of disappointment. On the flip side, if you set them too low, you might become someone’s doormat.
Don’t allow others to take advantage of your good-natured or good-hearted attitude.
A good rule of thumb is to set expectations for yourself, slightly higher than you believe you’ll be able to achieve. Then, once you achieve that, reassess and adjust your expectations higher again. This is our life (and business) motto: be slightly better every day.
This can also be applied to others in your life, but be careful not to give too much weight to these expectations. You can’t control other people, nor should you want to. However, having reasonable expectations can help you identify those who want to better your life vs. those who want to take advantage of you.
The funny thing is, the more you focus on your expectations for yourself, the more those around you will reveal their true motives. It sounds a little contradictory, but trust us, it works!
“HAPPINESS” CHEAT SHEET
You may find it helpful to write out a list of all the things in your life that make you the happiest. It can be used as a guide to continuously mold happiness into your everyday life.
We would recommend starting with a list of 50 items. If this sounds like a lot, start smaller and add to it as you think of more. Don’t let intimidation or fear stop you from trying!
Think of both big things (like places you enjoy vacationing or activities you enjoy doing) and little things (like watching the sunset, a hug from your loved one, or a great yoga session). This will allow you to refer to your list when you have many resources (time, money) and when you have very little resources.
As a human, it is inevitable that you will feel negative emotions (anger, sadness, fear, etc.). Refer to your list in these moments to find joy, positivity, and (ultimately) a moment of happiness in the face of despair.
A SHORT-CUT TO HAPPY
We’re all striving for this ever-moving goal of true happiness. We think statements like “when I get this next raise, then I’ll be happy” or “when I’m finally debt-free, that’s when I’ll be happy”. Unfortunately, this mindset is like searching for gold at the end of the rainbow.
Whatever your end goal is for happiness, there will always be something else you’ll seek after you reach it. And you’ll be disappointed at the end to find no happiness waiting for you.
See, the trick is to find happiness in the small stuff. Little things throughout each day that bring you joy, that is true happiness.
The journey of life and feeling gratitude for where you’re at in it will bring an even greater happiness than you’d ever find at the end of that next goal.
Here’s a shortcut to reaching that happy mindset you so desire:
Start a daily gratitude practice!
Write down 5-10 things that happened in the last 24 hours that you are grateful for. Not big things, like your dog, your mom, your friends, your home, or food in your fridge. Try to really think about the day and small things that happened that brought you a moment of joy.
Here are some things I (Jamie) write down daily:
- A fun date night with Andrew.
- A beautiful view of Lake Michigan on my morning walk.
- A really productive day.
- Waking up early (5 am).
- Reading a really great book.
- Eating a delicious, healthy dinner.
- Facetime with my family.
- A clean, organized home.
- Watching a really beautiful sunset with Andrew.
- Enjoying a new movie.
Be super specific and take time to think about these moments so you feel the joy all over again. It’s a great way to start your day out, thinking about how blessed you are to be alive and living the life you’ve chosen.
You’ll also start to notice the little pleasures of the day more, as you get used to writing things down each morning or night. It will become a habit so that you will be making mental notes each time you find joy in your day so that you can write it in your journal later.
This is the real magic of your daily gratitude practice, noticing all the joy in your life throughout your entire day!
Even on bad days, you’ll start to find yourself looking for the good. How can you not be happy with this mindset?