7 Things to Start Doing Today to Be Happy

1. Decide to be happy.

Make a decision today to be happy. Then start doing things that will make you happy.

Stop settling for what others expect of you and start going after what really matters to you.

Have the tenacity to get over fear barrier and really chase after those things that matter to you.

Most of all, don't just decide. Really decide. You'll know it when you feel it in your guts. You've made decisions like this before, where you will do whatever it takes to make things happen because you're committed and able.

Decide. It really is as simple as that.

2. Practice affirmations daily.

What's the difference between an affirmation and the negative talk that goes on in your mind constantly? Nothing.

Affirmations are no different than the negative thought patterns that pop up whenever you're about to do something that scares you and excites you.

So, start off small, with just one affirmation. Recite it at least a hundred times a day for the next week, until you start to reflexively say it in your mind whenever something comes up that would have normally had you going to negative thoughts.

Most of all, make sure that you're at least slightly emotionally invested in your affirmations. You'll have to feel good about it in order for this affirmation to become your new paradigm. You might even find yourself in disbelief the first few days or weeks that you start reciting it.

As long as you can get to the point where you start believing it and start feeling good about it, you're on the right path.

3. Practice gratitude daily.

Start being grateful for what you have rather than what you lack. When you practice gratitude, you put your mind in a different vibration.

Gratitude reframes our mind and starts helping us see what's possible and what's abundant rather than what's impossible and scarce.

Most of all, even practice gratitude for the things that you do not have but want. When you start thinking on this wavelength, invariably your mind will start coming up with creative ways to help you get what you really want.

4. Meditate daily.

I have to admit that affirmations are hard when you are first starting out. A big part of the challenge is just generally lack of belief and investment. Being in a positive frame of mind is such a shift when you have been living a life of lack and scarcity your entire life. So, it does take quite a while for your affirmations to take hold.

You, however, can help yourself along by practicing meditation. Meditation not only sharpens your focus, it also quiets the mind and helps you to become impartial and non-judgmental to the random thoughts that enter your mind. I've heard somewhere that we have about 30,000 to 50,000 thoughts a day! Imagine trying to control it all.

Here's something that will surprise you about these thoughts: Many of them occur at the unconscious level! By being able to dismiss these thoughts without judgement, you stop feeling bad about things.

5. Stop blaming other people and start being more proactive.

Successful and happy people learned a long time ago that ultimately the only person that they can blame and subsequently change are themselves.

Everything they have in their lives is a result of themselves, both the good and the bad. When you realize that you yourself are ultimately the only one to blame for your circumstances, you also realize that you alone have the power to change those circumstances.

There's another word for blaming other people and the environment for your problems: It's called the victim mentality.

And here's something that will shock you about victim mentality. It comes fundamentally from poor self-esteem and self-hatred.

6. Make time for yourself.

While life is best lived in the service towards others, you have to ultimately make time for yourself. You have to eventually face the music.

By making time for yourself, you learn more about yourself. Do things that make you happy. Work on your affirmations. Daily, write out ten things for which you are grateful. Meditate to help you focus and be more successful in reciting your affirmations.

7. Start a Journal of Healing.

When you have time to yourself, consider writing into a Journal of Healing. Simply put, you write down the things that are bugging you.

When you are able to concisely and clearly put your thoughts into words, you can exactly define what's bugging you.

After you've ranted and vented, start another section in your journal called Healing. In this section, discuss some of the things you can do to start the healing process. It could be to verbalize your problems, think of how different people perceive the problem and potential solutions, talk to a friend, just write more later to vent (believe it or not, this one actually helps over time in helping you to let go), or perhaps go hiking or do something physical to help you take your mind off these thoughts.

Conclusion

So, start doing these 7 things today to be happy. First, make the decision--really make the decision--to be happy. When you feel it in your guts, you know that you have really decided. Next, practice affirmations and gratitude daily. If you need to, write down your affirmations on a small card and carry it in your pocket so that every time you put your hands into your pocket, you'll feel it and pull it out to read it.

Next, stop playing the victim and start taking responsibility for the things that happened to you in your life. You alone have the power to change things. Make time for yourself and start a Journal of Healing to help address some of the past issues that are keeping you from being happy.

So, you see. Happiness is a decision you have to make. Then, you have to start doing things to get you towards that happiness.

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