Happy people seem to walk with an air of, well… happiness about them. They feel good to be around, and seem to shine from the inside. Their very presence can leave people wondering; how do they do it? What is their secret? Perhaps we can begin to understand what can help us to be happy, by looking at things which happy people do:
1. Spend Time On Their Own
You may think that happy people are always the life and soul of the party, and are forever surrounded by people. Whilst this can be true, it can also reflect the opposite; if someone is afraid of their own company then they can not be happy. Happy people dedicate a lot of time to themselves, and do not shy away from their own company.
2. Enjoy The Company of Others
Balanced with spending time on their own, happy people also enjoy the company of other people. There are a lot of people in the world, so it would be difficult to be happy if you couldn’t learn to love them. Happy people enjoy spending time with family and friends, and also enjoy strangers too. They see differences as a reason to unite, and people are there to interact with.
3. Learn Not To Judge
Part of enjoying the company of other people is learning not to judge. If we constantly judge people, for their looks, status, or personality, then we cannot enjoy the world, or the people in it. Happy people learn not to judge.
4. Forgive and Forget
Happy people forgive. They know that if they didn’t it would only detriment their happiness. They learn to understand that other people make mistakes, and they are willing to let it go. No hard feelings eh?
5. Show Compassion, and Give
Compassion is one of the traits of a happy person. Many religions and teachings try to show us that. When we give to other people it makes us happy. When we learn to show compassion and to be there when people need us, to act selflessly as far as is possible, then we will be happy. Happy people probably became happy through giving. Their happiness encourages them to give more, and the cycle perpetuates. A happy person knows that this motion works equally well the other way round, and learns to give more than they take.
6. Set Healthy Boundaries
Because happy people show qualities like non-judgement, forgiveness, and compassion, they also have to set healthy boundaries. Unfortunately, greedy and selfish people take too much, and upset the balance of the giving. Aggressive and dominant people can see happy people as a vulnerable target, if they have not learnt to set boundaries. As a result, happy people sustain their happiness by setting boundaries. They define their limits of giving, and learn to defend themselves and their being, enough not to be walked on.
7. Vary Their Life
Nothing stifles happiness more than a mundane existence. Happy people know this, and they take steps to ensure their life is varied. They may still have a routine and a job like many other people, but within their routine they have a rich and meaningful life.
8. Do What They Love
If they do have a routine, happy people tend to cram it with what they love. They have hobbies and interests, and develop them by learning and practicing, maybe attending classes. They understand that the world is full of things to see and do, and they see time as a valuable unit. Life is already too short, so why waste it? Happy people don’t want to waste a second.
9. Enjoy Their Job
Jobs and careers are a large part of many people’s life. Much of the day is spent working, and more of it can be spent thinking about work. A happy person tends to enjoy their job. Perhaps they have found their niche, their dream job, or perhaps they have adapted themselves and found ways to make the most, and enjoy whatever work they have. Either way happy people know the importance of enjoying their work.
10. Follow Their Dreams
Happy people are rarely lethargic. They want more. Everyone has different dreams, and a different direction. Some people tend to act on them, and others less so. Happy people move fast, with optimism, and they enjoy every step along the way.
11. Relax
All this talk of working, and doing what you love, and following dreams, and somehow, some way, happy people still find time to relax. They understand the importance of winding down, and their ability to switch off is sublime. They can forget about work, forget about their hobbies, and even forget about their dreams, at least for long enough to relax for a bit.
12. Look After Themselves
A happy person loves themselves, and because they love themselves they look after themselves. They are more likely to eat well, get enough rest, exercise, bath, and generally respect their body and mind.
13. Know Themselves
Happiness is not all about beaming smiles out left right and center. It is more about knowing yourself. A happy person is able to be so well balanced, so stable, and so enjoyable to be around because they know themselves well. They have taken the time to get to know how they think, and have accepted their body and mind.
14. Live Balanced
A key theme that keeps arising is that happy people live a balanced life. We all have our own idea of what happiness is, and our own ways of feeling it. Balance is central to happiness, no matter what our definition. A happy person is always balanced; they feel uncomfortable when they sense imbalance, and constantly readjust. If a happy person does one thing over any other, it is live a balanced life.
