People who suffer from mild bouts of depression or anxiety fear true happiness. In their mind, they believe that when things go too well, it’s only a matter of time before something bad or disturbing will happen to make them feel sad or anxious once again. Thankfully, happiness is a state of mind, and you can control it.
Remember the Glass Is Half Full
Life isn’t perfect and from time to time things will go wrong. Knowing that will allow you to get through hurdles without falling into a state of depression or letting anxiety take hold and cause you to become ill. For example, you plan a picnic lunch in the park with a loved one. It’s a beautiful day. You can hear the birds chirping and the breeze is heavenly. Suddenly out of nowhere a single black cloud hovers over you and it begins to rain. So now your picnic lunch is ruined and you return to feeling blue. This does not have to happen — remember the glass is half full. The rain is temporary, and with an umbrella in hand, you can enjoy your lunch just the same, have an adventure and have a story to tell later.
Look for Happiness
Happiness isn’t something that’s hiding behind a closed door you need a key to unlock. It’s present every day, you just need to choose to unleash it. For instance, you can feel sad, totally down in the dumps, and then you put on a movie or one of those funny ecards your friend shared on social media, and all of a sudden you laugh uncontrollably. The ability to be happy is there, always. You just need to learn to view events in your life differently.
Love You for Who You Are
The key to living a happy life is up to you. The world around you can present people who seem on the surface to have everything, and then you think to yourself, I wish I was them. No person is perfect, and everyone has flaws. You need to learn to love you first. Everyone has a different body type and most people have a few more pounds on their body than those appearing in magazines. If you feel good, be happy.
Surround Yourself With Positive People
One of the best ways to feel better about life is to surround you with people who express positive thoughts versus negative ones. It’s so easy to fall prey to negativity — we all have someone in our lives who reminds us of Eeyore. However, it is possible to overcome these influences and change you on the inside and start viewing life in a positive manner. The first step is to avoid these people who view life as doom and gloom and find ones that lift you up instead of dragging you down with them.
Find That Inner Peace
Finding peace within you is something you can achieve, and is necessary to be truly happy. Meditation is a fantastic way to connect with you and find peace. A few minutes a day will allow your mind to connect with your body and become one. It will also help you release stress, anguish and sorrow.
Exercise Your Way to Happiness
You already know that exercise is something everyone needs to remain in good health. What you may not know is engaging in just about any type of physical activity releases neurotransmitters called endorphins. Endorphins wipe away negative feelings leaving you feeling happy. And, this often called euphoric feeling, lasts long after you finish with your work out.
Turn Events Into Life Experiences
When something doesn’t turn out as you planned, turn it around as a life lesson and move on. A bad relationship or even a bad job can provide you with valuable information unique to you. Each event that happens in your life makes you who you are, embrace it.
Being happy is something you deserve. You have a choice. While clinical depression needs professional help, if you are just feeling down occasionally taking these steps can help turn those moods around. Life is never going to be all sunshine and roses. By learning to accept and work through situations that will come along, you will be well on your way to a happy, fulfilled and satisfying life.