How to Be Happy Again
What does it mean to be happy? There are so many ideas and perspectives when it comes to being happy. By definition happy means characterized by or indicative of pleasure, contentment, or joy.
Truthfully, Your ‘happy’ is whatever it means to you. Of course, not everyone will agree, but that is to be expected because no two people are alike.
Have you been generally feeling down about things lately? What has caused that change? As you may have heard before, getting to the root of an issue will pinpoint the problem and ultimately tell you where you need to start working towards change.
The best way to do that is to compare and contrast; that’s right, just like we did in elementary school. This article will help you figure out what could be preventing you from finding happiness and provides tips for cultivating your version of happiness.
A Comparison List to Find What’s Blocking Your Happy
Before you embark on your happiness journey, it’s helpful to list what makes you happy and what doesn’t. After you make this list, you’ll better understand what you need to work on to bring more happiness and peace to your life.
Below is an example of a list, yours can, of course, look different from this one. This is just to help you get started.
What Makes Me Happy
- Meditation
- Body positivity
- Optimism
- A good support system
- Self care days
- Passion for life
- Less social media
- Positive affirmations
- Exploring nature
What Makes Me Unhappy
- Comparing myself to others
- Body shaming
- Pessimism
- Isolation
- No personal days
- Feeling unappreciated
- Too much social media
- Negative thoughts
- Self-doubt and shame
Now that you have your list, what are you going to do with it? Review it and take a trip down memory lane. Try and track back to happier times in your life. When were you your happiest in life? Channel those moments and see if you can find that part of you again.
You may not be able to recreate those moments, but you can at least get inspired by them. Happiness comes in layers. And you may find that you’d like to explore newer options that bring you happiness, which is completely fine.
If you take a close look at the right side of your list, you’ll see what you need to eliminate from your life to feel happier.
Is shame holding you back? Do you feel overwhelmed or alone? Are you having trouble loving the way you look? If any of these things ring true for you, it’s time to address those negative feelings so you can work past them.
A therapist or other professional can help you address these roadblocks and provide you with tools that can help you overcome them.
