6 Practical Tips for Happiness

Let’s be honest… sometimes, life doesn’t go our way. I am all about looking at the sunny side of life on this blog, so today I’m sharing six practical tips for happiness, even in unhappy situations. Whether you’re going through a breakup, a stressful time in school, or you just haven’t been feeling like yourself, I hope these tips can help boost your happiness!

First of all, there are a few important things to remember. You’re (probably) unhappy for a reason, so there isn’t a quick fix. These are just little things you can do to get yourself on the right track.

Six Practical Tips for Happiness

1. Find your support system.

For me, this is truly the most important first step to happiness. If you’re upset about something, it’s so easy to lay in bed and watch Netflix instead of reaching out to people. (trust me, I’ve been there!) But, in the long run, this does nothing for your happiness. Reach out to a few friends and let them know what you’re going through. If your friends are anything like mine, they will constantly check in with you just to make sure you’re doing better. It may feel like a chore to get out of bed to grab dinner when you want to keep sleeping, but getting out of your own head can improve your mood so much. (quick shoutout to some of my favorite people – Michelle, Abby, Kristen, Greer, and so many more – for being the absolute best support system I could have imagined)

2. Spend time doing something you love.

And, no, I don’t mean watching Netflix! If you’ve been wanting to start a new hobby or you’ve been slacking on an old favorite (hello, blogging!), this may be the perfect time to refresh. I find that I spend so much time thinking of the future when everything will fall into place. “When it’s time, I’ll edit that novel” or “I’ll wait to blog when I’m in a productive mood”. Don’t wait for a certain time to do what you want! If you finally start that project you’ve been planning, imagine how great you’ll feel in the future when you complete it. You’ll have the satisfaction of seeing something to its end + you’ll know that you took steps for your own happiness instead of waiting for the perfect moment.

3. Call your mom… or your sister, or your best friend!

My mom is my biggest inspiration, and more than that, one of my favorite people to talk to. When I’m going through anything, I find that it’s more helpful for me to talk through the situation instead of keeping it inside. Something about hearing someone else’s advice helps me put my problems in perspective, plus if you’re talking to someone older than you there’s an added bonus: they’ve been what you’re going through, and they survived. So will you.

Of course, calling about one specific problem has its limits. At a certain point, talking about this problem might actually make you feel more upset than happy. This is different for every situation, but I like to keep in mind that for a lot of situations, the more I talk about it, the more time I might spend analyzing it. If it isn’t healthy to keep thinking about it, or it won’t change the situation, I force myself to talk about different things, and by doing that, I start thinking about different things.

4. Treat. Yo. Self.

This comes in different forms for everyone – for some girls it may mean going on a shopping spree (but be mindful!) and for others, that means pampering yourself with a face mask. I find that when I’m truly upset, even making simple decisions like grabbing my favorite drink from Starbucks instead of drinking coffee at home can improve my mood. It’s a little thing, but it sets me on the right track to happiness. As a plus, these little “treat yo self” moments help you appreciate what you do have in life. You may be stressed about school or a friendship, but if you know you can find joy in small moments, you’ll begin appreciating the big moments too.

5. Get back into your routine… or start a new one.

This step definitely goes with #2! If I’m busy, even if it’s just with classes and meetings, I find that I focus on the task at hand and not on what’s upsetting me. This won’t be the easiest thing for the first few days (or more, depending on the situation), especially if you start thinking about what’s bothering you, but I do my best to redirect my thoughts. Eventually you’ll find that you aren’t trying as hard to redirect your thoughts; you are genuinely focusing on what you need to.

6. When in doubt, fake it till you make it.

Now, this doesn’t mean pretending you’re 100% fine when you’re around your friends. For me, it means finding happiness in the situation I’m in, sometimes despite my inner thoughts, and letting that be my focus. This past weekend, a few friends came over with (freshly baked!) chocolate chip cookies and hung out with me. Instead of thinking about what was upsetting me, we spent hours watching our favorite vines and telling funny stories. The problem was still there when they left, but I was feeling so much joy that it felt much smaller.

I hope these six practical tips for happiness help you out no matter what you’re going through. Of course, one of the most important tips that I use is strengthening my prayer life. Praying gives me peace of mind and reaffirms my belief that even if I don’t understand why, things in my life are happening exactly the way they’re supposed to. I also find that my happiness increases when I pray for the person who might be hurting me, instead of holding on to bitterness. We never know exactly what a person is going through, and praying for them can help both their situation and help you move on in a healthy way.

So, what are your tips for happiness? Do you have a go-to trick that always makes you feel better? Let me know in the comments below!

xoxo, Cecilia