{"id":24004,"date":"2014-01-28T07:15:09","date_gmt":"2014-01-28T12:15:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/?p=24004"},"modified":"2016-12-28T17:13:37","modified_gmt":"2016-12-28T22:13:37","slug":"tips-for-finding-happiness","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/lifestyle\/tips-for-finding-happiness\/","title":{"rendered":"17 Ways to Get Back to Being Happy"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"17
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Whether you wake up on the right side of the bed every morning, or you\u2019re known as the \u201cDebbie Downer\u201d in your group of friends, feeling constant happiness and contentment can sometimes seem like the impossible task. This is especially true when things just aren\u2019t going your way \u2014 for instance like spilling something on your favorite shirt, getting a flat tire, or having your babysitter cancel at the last minute. It\u2019s easy to find yourself in a foul mood when these types of unexpected incidences occur. But trying to keep a positive attitude will not only make you more enjoyable to be around, it can also help your health. One study<\/a> found that people who reported feelings of optimism and high self-esteem were less likely to get sick than those who reported negative emotions.<\/p>\n

If you need some help turning your frown upside down, we tracked down our favorite happiness and wellness experts, authors, and bloggers to learn how they stay focused on the positive, no matter what happens throughout the day. Find one of their tips that speaks you and try it today!<\/p>\n

1. Create a happiness training routine.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Following a plan can help you prioritize a cheerful outlook on a daily basis. \u201cJust like some people need to put extra effort into their workouts and meal plans in order not to gain weight, I need to put extra effort into my mental health,\u201d says Kelsea Brennan<\/a>, life and relationship coach. \u201cIt means there are certain exercises that I do every day to stay \u2018happily fit.\u2019 I will either make list of what I am grateful for or think a loving thought about myself or someone else. When I can get these thoughts on paper, even better. Writing strengthens thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n

“Happiness is within me, in the center of my being. I am<\/i> happy now and always.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

2. <\/b>Connect with someone.<\/b><\/p>\n

Share time with a buddy to get a mood boost, whether it\u2019s connecting via phone, email, or even better, an in-person get together. \u201cEven on my busiest days I will always find time to cook dinner, make a phone call, have lunch and do whatever possible with someone I cherish,\u201d says Nitika Chopra<\/a>, talk show host and founder of YourBellaLife.com<\/a>. \u201cThe presence of my loved ones around me is non-negotiable to my happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n

3. Practice BOP in the morning.<\/b><\/h3>\n

Starting your day off with habits that bring your awareness to happiness and gratitude can help you change the tone of the rest of your day. \u201cRight now I\u2019m focusing on a Brain Optimizing Process, or BOP,\u201d says Heidi Hanna<\/a>, PhD, author of Stressaholic: 5 Steps to Transform Your Relationship with Stress<\/i><\/a>. \u201cBefore I think about anything in the morning, I go to the gym and work out to get the blood flowing and endorphins pumping. While I\u2019m moving my body, I focus on the things I\u2019m grateful for in my life and think deeply about them \u2014 almost meditate on them. Lastly, I think about what I want my focus to be for the day. Not necessarily the things I need to get done, but the type of person I want to be, like a good listener, someone who\u2019s fully engaged and present, or a person who seeks opportunities to be kind to other people.\u201d<\/p>\n

4. Be of service to others.<\/h3>\n

Remember how you felt the last time you selflessly helped someone? They were probably extremely grateful and made you feel that your effort was appreciated. \u201cThere’s no better feeling than giving a gift for a special occasion, but we can choose to extend that service-minded attitude in all aspects of our lives by giving freely of ourselves as much as we can,\u201d says Eric Paskel<\/a>, certified yoga instructor, founder of Yoga Shelter. \u201cWays I practice this are by letting someone get in front of me in line at the store, giving up a parking space to another, or letting go of ‘my plans’ to help someone through a tough time. No smile has lasted longer than the one that comes from helping another.\u201d<\/p>\n

5. Say affirmations out loud.<\/h3>\n

Repeating a positive mantra out loud or in your head can remind you of specific happiness goals or help keep you levelheaded when the going gets tough. \u201cTell yourself, \u2018Happiness is not dependent on outer situations, circumstances, or people,\u201d says Dr. Susan Shumsky<\/a>, author <\/i>of Instant Healing<\/i> and 9 other best-selling, award-winning books. \u201cHappiness is within me, in the center of my being. I am<\/i> happy now and always.\u2019 If you\u2019re feeling overwhelmed, say in a clear voice, \u201cI<\/i> am in control. I<\/i> am the only authority in my life.\u201d<\/p>\n

6. Practice deep breathing.<\/h3>\n

No matter what kind of foul state you\u2019re in, connecting with your breath is one of the easiest ways to come back<\/a> to the present moment and feel better \u2014 fast. \u201cWhen it comes to feeling calm, the best tool I have yet to come across is breathing,\u201d says Jon Rhodes<\/a>, clinical hypnotherapist in the United Kingdom. \u201cWhether you feel stressed or anxious, breathing always becomes quick, shallow and erratic. To reverse stress or anxious feelings \u2026 concentrate on breathing slowly, deeply and evenly. After just a few seconds you can calm down, no matter how stressed you were.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

7. Find time for a furry friend.<\/h3>\n

Pets are more than just a cute and cuddly source of joy \u2014 their companionship is good for your health. So why not take at least a few minutes each day to walk, play with, talk to or appreciate your companion in some way? <\/b>\u201cWhen my two adorable mutt pups jump up on my bed in the morning, we snuggle and take deep breaths together while they lick me and I pet them for about 10 minutes,\u201d says Natalie Berthold<\/a>, health and lifestyle coach. How could I ever wake up in a bad mood when this is how I start every morning?\u201d<\/p>\n

8. Eat lunch without distractions.<\/h3>\n

If you\u2019re like many Americans, you\u2019re probably wolfing down lunch at your desk or in transit on the way to an appointment. But mindless, speed-eating habits can often lead to overeating<\/a> because you\u2019re not clued in to your body\u2019s signals that it\u2019s full. \u201cI eat a proper lunch every day. I turn off all distractions, put my\u00a0food on an actual plate, and sit somewhere away from my computer,\u201d says Amanda Cook<\/a>, certified holistic health coach. \u201cThose\u00a015 to 20 minutes bring me back into the present moment, make me enjoy my food much more, and I eat less!\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“She turned her cant\u2019s into cans and her dreams into plans.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

9. Set a positive password.<\/h3>\n

You\u2019re spending a big chunk of your week logging in and out of websites and email, so why not make this an opportunity to remember an affirmative thought or message? \u201cMake your password a suggestion to be positive,\u201d Ray White<\/a>, author of Connecting Happiness and Success (<\/i>slated to hit shelves on in June). \u201cOne of my recent passwords was \u2018Help2bhappy\u2019 which reminds me to help someone be happy. I have to change it every 60 days, so I find other happiness expressions to use.\u201d<\/p>\n

10. Reflect on the day\u2019s achievements.<\/h3>\n

While you may feel like the entire day got away from you and you didn\u2019t check anything <\/i>off your to-do list, you\u2019re probably underestimating your progress. \u201cI end every day with a free digital service called iDoneThis.com<\/a>, where I take a few\u00a0minutes to remember and record what I got done that day,\u201d says Ari Meisel<\/a>, productivity and wellness expert at GetLeverage.com. \u201cDoing this helps me mentally process the events of the day so I maintain better self-awareness and improve the next day.\u201d You might be surprised by how much you actually accomplished that you forgot about!<\/p>\n

11. Conquer stress with laughter.<\/h3>\n

When you hit your highest stress time of the day \u2014 perhaps it\u2019s after getting the kids off to school or when you have an important project due to your boss by noon \u2014 squeeze in a few minutes to watch a video that\u2019ll make you giggle. \u201cDuring stressful times, I’m rescued by animated videos,\u201d says Mansi Goel<\/a>, yoga practitioner and happiness writer at WorkoutTrends.com<\/a>. \u201cI’m a big\u00a0fan of Pixar animation and a few absolutely hilarious characters like King\u00a0Julien from the Madagascar<\/i> movies, and the Minions from the Despicable Me<\/i> movies, are my\u00a0favorites. I keep a few videos stored in my cell phone, and whenever I\u00a0feel beaten down by work, I steal a few minutes to watch a random video\u00a0and pick myself back up.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Pond5<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

12. Keep inspirational quotes on hand.<\/h3>\n

When you see a quote that speaks to you, take a minute and jot it down in a place where you\u2019ll remember \u2014 like a journal, a notepad app or text pad in your cell phone, or start a\u00a0Pinterest<\/a>\u00a0board of sayings and images that make you feel good. \u201cI keep a journal of my favorite quotes that I flip through each day,\u201d says\u00a0Natasha Stoneking<\/a>, founder of\u00a0Hello! Happiness Blog<\/a>. \u201cI started this ritual in college and it’s something I still enjoy doing, as it helps get my mind motivated to take on that day and enables me to focus on the positive. Right now I\u2019m loving, \u2018She turned her cant\u2019s into cans and her dreams into plans.\u2019”<\/p>\n

13. Change up your vocabulary.<\/h3>\n

Make a decision to omit certain phrases and words from your everyday language that aren\u2019t serving you well or helping you reach your goals. \u201c<\/b>My clients find it helpful to make small changes\u00a0to language,\u201d says Adina T. Laver<\/a>, MBA, M.Ed., CPC, divorce and relationship coach. \u201cEliminating phrases like \u2018have to,\u2019 \u2018need to\u2019 and \u2018should\u2019 and\u00a0replacing them with \u2018want to\u2019 is huge. Also, taking statements like \u2018I don’t know how\u2019 or \u2018I can’t do that,\u2019 and adding a \u2018yet\u2019<\/i> to the end is beneficial. Just that three-letter word changes the statement from being defeating to\u00a0affirming. \u2018Yet\u2019 is filled with possibility.\u201d<\/p>\n

14. Practice positive visualization.<\/h3>\n

Spend some time thinking about the big things you want to achieve in life and bring to mind exactly <\/i>what that can look like for you. \u201c<\/b>Visualize meeting the man or woman of your dreams, a successful relationship, and all the other goals and dreams that you have,\u201d says Dr. Robert S. Berberian<\/a>, D.O., founder of Whole Health & Soul. \u201cVisualize them and dream bigger than you’ve ever dreamed before.\u201d<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

“Having this daily practice\u00a0helps us stay in touch with being grateful for what we have.”<\/p>\n

 <\/p><\/blockquote>\n

15. Make your work space a joyful place.<\/h3>\n

Surround your most stressful environments \u2014 like your office space or car if you spend a lot of time in traffic commuting \u2014 with knickknacks and images that make you smile. \u00a0\u201c<\/b>To keep myself happy throughout the day, I fill\u00a0my office desk with a collection of little, colorful trinkets and characters,\u201d Danny Groner<\/a>, manager of blogger partnerships and outreach\u00a0for Shutterstock. \u201cThere’s a small pink pig with an ice cream cone in its mouth that was a holiday gift from a coworker this year. My personal favorite from my collection is a little blue troll with wild hair that I got at a company event last year. These little gems are reminders during the day not to get too overwhelmed by work and to make sure to infuse it with a sense of excitement and color.\u201d<\/p>\n

16. Give yourself private time in the morning.<\/h3>\n

Find yourself at the mercy of everyone else\u2019s schedule in the a.m.? Try waking up before the rest of your clan. \u201cI stretch, lift some light weights, get a nice\u00a0big cup of coffee and check the news, social media, and email on my phone\u00a0\u2014\u00a0all while watching CNN curled up under a blanket,\u201d says Dayna Steele<\/a>, CEO of YourDailySuccessTip.com<\/a>, author of 101 Ways to Rock Your World: Everyday Activities For Success Every Day<\/i><\/a>.<\/i> \u201cIt\u2019s just the dogs and me \u2014 nice\u00a0and peaceful before the day takes over.\u201d<\/p>\n

17. Start a gratitude jar.<\/h3>\n

Having a visual reminder of appreciation is a good tool for helping you remember to say \u201cthank you\u201d for what you have each day. \u201cMy husband and I have a jar we keep on our kitchen island, and next to it,\u00a0we keep slips of blue and pink construction paper,\u201d says Keryl Pesce<\/a>, author of Happy Bitch<\/i>, happiness expert, founder of Happy-Bitch.com<\/a>. \u201cEvery\u00a0day, he and I write down something for which we are grateful, date it and
\nput it in the jar. Having this daily practice\u00a0helps us stay in touch with being grateful for what we have. On New Year\u2019s Day this year, we sat over a glass of wine and read
\nthrough all of the slips from the past year. There were lots of smiles and a few grateful tears. As\u00a0a bonus, we keep green slips in there and ask our guests to write down
\nsomething as well. Everyone can do this.\u201d<\/p>\n

Which happiness tactics bring you the most joy? Share your thoughts in the comments below.<\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Having a rough day? Here are some easy ways to beat the blues and get smiling again from some of the best happiness and wellness experts around. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":24129,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_titles_title":"","_seopress_titles_desc":"","_seopress_robots_index":"","site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,12,15],"tags":[187,103,282,345,416],"class_list":["post-24004","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-lifestyle","category-mental-health","category-stress","tag-happiness","tag-motivation","tag-stress","tag-tax1conditions","tag-tax2lung-cancer"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24004","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=24004"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/24004\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/24129"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=24004"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=24004"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/dailyburn.com\/life\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=24004"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}