Do you want to feel happy — or even happier — on a daily basis?
The simple solution is dipping into these 101 quick, easy and free ways to make you feel happy right now. They’ll help you get the big picture on how you can actively seek happiness and start to feel happier every day.
Once you’ve got started you can add more ideas of your own to make sure you get your daily dose of happiness. Life’s too short to be miserable and there are infinite ways to feel happy, it’s just a case of finding out what makes you feel instantly happy and taking a moment to enjoy those things every day.
I’ve read enough self-help and personal development books to fill a couple of tea chests, and I’ve traveled all over the world in search of happiness and fulfillment so you don’t have to.
In the long term living a life which is in tune with your values, doing work you’re passionate about and surrounding yourself with inspiring people will help increase your happiness.
But in the short term it’s about doing small things to please yourself, choosing activities that raise your happiness levels slowly but surely then keeping them there by repeating the process regularly.
Here’s the most important stuff you need to do to live in the moment and feel happier every day in one quick list:
- Smile.
- Connect with nature.
- Surround yourself with positive people in person or online.
- Do something you’ve always enjoyed.
- Do something you’ve never done before but have always wanted to try.
- Learn something new.
- Smell something that makes you happy: a mandarin, your lover’s perfume, chocolate, you decide.
- Reward yourself for your good habits.
- Eat something that makes you happy, but not too much if it’s fattening.
- Spend time with a good friend.
- Touch something that makes you happy: a cat, velvet, the bark of a tree? Take time to notice.
- Don’t worry now, worry later.
- Say, or sing, something that makes you happy.
- Challenge yourself, I dare you.
- Look at something that makes you happy.
- Stop procrastinating, do something.
- Take a small step towards your goal.
- Congratulate yourself.
- Tell someone you love them.
- Do a good deed.
- Face your fears.
- Read a book you love.
- Get outside.
- Spend time with inspiring people or read about someone who inspires you.
- Clear out your junk, literally.
- Let go of negative memories.
- Dwell on positive things from your past.
- Be creative.
- Dare yourself to do something.
- Give someone an unexpected gift.
- Change your habits just this once, do something unexpected.
- Watch the sunset.
- Get up for sunrise.
- Open a savings account.
- Be active.
- Plan for success.
- Eat something healthy.
- Trust your instincts.
- Follow your passion.
- Throw a party, or plan to soon.
- Avoid drama queens and energy suckers, you know who they are.
- Write stuff down, keep a diary.
- Set a goal.
- Clean your house, bit by bit.
- Say “no”.
- Spend a day alone.
- Devote a day to family.
- Pick up the phone and call someone you haven’t spoken to for a while.
- Wear your favourite outfit.
- Be present.
- Go for a bike ride.
- Do something you loved as a kid that you haven’t done for years.
- Forgive someone, especially yourself.
- Go slow.
- Have a meal somewhere different: try a picnic.
- Avoid advertisements.
- Pick a bunch of flowers and put them in your house.
- Ban all media for the day.
- Let something slide.
- Display a colorful fruit bowl and eat one or two pieces a day.
- Be romantic.
- Play a game: try Uno or Monopoly with the kids and chess or poker with your friends.
- Make a smoothie.
- Have a siesta.
- Do something you’ve been putting off.
- Dream big.
- Start small.
- Seek out supportive and like-minded people.
- Understand that all things come to an end.
- Feed the ducks.
- Persevere: pick up something you gave up on.
- Start a new habit, a good one.
- Look at yourself in the mirror, pick what you like best and flaunt it.
- Seek sensuous activities and enjoy them.
- Look around for funny things and have a laugh.
- Rest up.
- Change your routine.
- Take a photo, and look back at old ones.
- Stretch your body.
- Meditate.
- Write a mantra.
- Focus.
- Don’t buy something — and see if you miss it. Put the cash in a savings account instead.
- Notice what makes you happy and use it in sad times.
- Ignore people who annoy you, stop being with them.
- Play hide and seek with some kids.
- Put a picture of something you want on your wall.
- Tell someone your dreams.
- Love yourself.
- Be grateful.
- Visualise.
- Unblock.
- Use your brain: try a crossword or sudoku.
- Make a good choice.
- Acknowledge your feelings.
- Go on a journey, long or short.
- Talk to someone you wouldn’t normally connect with.
- Be grateful for life.
- Write a poem.
- Teach someone something you know well.
- Choose to be happy every day.
If you haven’t already had your happy fix today, or if you want to feel even happier, try these 101 quick, simple ideas. But maybe not all on the same day.
What makes you instantly happy?
