“There are certain steps to happiness we can take each day to make our lives better, our relationships healthier, and our world brighter…” ~ Luminita D. Saviuc
Happiness, just like everything else in life, takes time, takes practice and takes work but the rewards are endless. And once you truly commit to crafting your life in a way that will make you happy, nothing and no one will be able to stand in your way.
12 Scientifically Proven Steps to Happiness
If happiness is something you’re interested in, here are the 12 scientifically proven steps to happiness discussed by the bestselling author, Sonja Lyubomirsky in her book, The How of Happiness.
1. Expressing gratitude
The life you are now living… express your gratitude for it. The mistakes you made in the past and all the lessons you’ve learned… express your gratitude for them.
Look for the good in your life and appreciate it all!
“The single greatest thing you can do to change your life today would be to start being grateful for what you have right now. And the more grateful you are, the more you get.” ~ Oprah
2. Cultivating optimism
Expect the best from life and you will receive the very best. Life doesn’t care whether you are a pessimist or an optimist, whether you focus on the good or the bad, whether you expect the worse or the best from life. Life will treat you exactly the way you expect to be treated and if that’s the case then you should definitely start cultivating your optimism.
“The optimist sees the rose and not its thorns; the pessimist stares at the thorns, oblivious to the rose.” – Kahlil Gibran
3. Avoiding overthinking and social comparison
Our lives and where we are right now are the result of all the thoughts we had since birth up until now. If you don’t like something, see if you can change it but if you can’t change it, don’t stress about it and just let it go. Change your attitude towards life and life will change its attitude towards you. Look for ways to be better than you used to be and not better than anyone else. Spend your time and energy improving yourself and your life and you will no longer feel the need to compete and compare yourself with others.
“Stop thinking, and end your problems. What difference between yes and no? What difference between success and failure? Must you value what others value, avoid what others avoid? How ridiculous!” ~ Lao Tzu
4. Practicing acts of kindness
Be kind to others and to yourself and you will be happy. Follow the advice of the wise Dalai Lama, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”
5. Nurturing social relationships
Go out and meet new people, socialize, get interested in what others are doing and they will automatically get interested in what you are also doing.
6. Developing strategies for coping
Work on developing strategies for coping by observing your thoughts and playing with your mind. Be the lab scientist and not the rat.
“There are times in everyone’s life when something constructive is born out of adversity… when things seem so bad that you’ve got to grab your fate by the shoulders and shake it.” ~ Anon
7. Learning to forgive
Learn to forgive yourself and those people who might have hurt you in the past. The moment you forgive, you free yourself from pain and you allow happiness to enter your life once again.
“Forgiveness means that you fill yourself with love and you radiate that love outward and refuse to hang onto the venom or hatred that was engendered by the behaviors that caused the wounds.” ~ Wayne Dyer
8. Increase flow experiences
Work with your unique gifts and talents, work with your passions, manage your weaknesses but cultivate your strengths and by doing so you will increase the flow experiences and become happier.
“Everyone has unique gifts and talents. What you love is what you’re gifted at. To be completely happy, to live a completely fulfilled life, you have to do what you love.” ~ Barbara Sher
9. Savoring life’s joy
Look at the Sun, look at the trees, look at the beauty of nature, beauty of life and savor it all.
“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.” ~ Robert Brault
10. Commitment to your goals
If you want to be happy, you have to have goals. Know what is it that you want from life, ask for it and trust that in the end, you will receive it. Make sure you set all kinds of goals, personal goals, career goals, adventure goals, contribution goals and by doing so you will have a sense of direction, security, and trust into your life.
“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.” ~ Albert Einstein
11. Practicing spirituality
The practice of spirituality makes people feel safe and secure, it gives them strength when in danger and faith when in doubt. There is an invisible force that created us all and this force is watching over us. By knowing this you become a lot happier and at peace due to the fact that you feel you are not alone.
“The further the spiritual evolution of mankind advances, the more certain it seems to me that the path to genuine religiosity does not lie through the fear of life, and the fear of death, and blind faith, but through striving after rational knowledge.” ~Einstein
12. Taking good care of your body
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.” ~ Jim Rohn
Your body is your temple and the way you feel internally will reflect externally. Exercise whenever possible, make sure you drink plenty of water- water is life, and eat as healthy as possible.
What about you? Out of these 12 scientifically proven steps to happiness, how many do you practice? You can share your comment in the comment section below 🙂
~love, Luminita💫
Comments
Luminita D. Saviuc
Luminita is the Founder and Editor in Chief of PurposeFairy.com and also the author of 15 Things You Should Give Up to Be Happy: An Inspiring Guide to Discovering Effortless Joy. For more details check out the 15 Things You Should Give Up To Be Happy Book Page.
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1 Comment
Jennifer
at 1:58 am
Although your mother’s death isn’t something you can just “get over” I get the point. I learned a trick the other day. When something negative happens be grateful. I lost my keys and I was late. I was thankful I owned a car.
I’m not comparing your mother’s death to losing my keys, but be grateful you had a wonderful mother. Some people don’t even have a decent one.
Distance
at 9:32 am
Whew!!! GREAT POST!…love it… very timing in times like this…[ My mom died 5 days ago and I badly need to move on. ] …very well appreciated…please keep it coming…mmmwaaah (“,)
Kristin E. Ernest LMFT
at 8:55 pm
As a Grief Therapist, I will use today’s message to help those who are in the grieving process. Thank you!
Lorna
at 2:16 pm
This is so great and just what I needed to read right now. Thanks.
jacinta asco
at 1:23 pm
A very significant and remarkable information every person must know..superb!!!
Rocky
at 12:08 pm
Came at a perfect time, and couldn’t have delivered the message any better!
Wijnand
at 12:06 pm
For the past two years I have been walking, depending on others to give me food and shelter. Some have stated that although I arrive empty handed, I give more than I receive. I beg to differ, but I have experienced every single point that you mention and I can tell you it is more than theory.
The only one I don’t agree with is number 11. It works the other way around. Put all the other points into practice and the result will be an experience that equals what most religions would call religious. That doesn’t mean you can rationally deduce a god from it, but it does give you that most valuable of beliefs: faith.
Happiness and peace, everybody. Start trusting and your life will never be the same.
Ciera Thomas
at 5:11 am
LOVE IT. LOOOOOOOOOOOVE IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTTTTTTT!!!! Cannot express in text how much I love this post–you definitely need to hear my enthusiasm in my voice!!!!
Trivedi Effect
at 9:24 pm
I totally agree with all of your points. Especially points #1, 3, 6, 7, and 9. Great read. Thanks.
Iulia
at 2:57 pm
Dani draga, esti grozava.Multumesc pentru toate aceste importante lectii.Ar fi minunat, daca ai avea si varianta in romana a site-ului.Te pup