9 Daily Habits That Will Make Me Happier

9 Daily Habits That Will Make Me Happier

For many people, happiness is the only true measure of personal success. Making other people happy is the highest expression of success, but it's almost impossible to make others happy if you’re not happy yourself.

With that in mind, there are nine small changes that I can make to my daily
routine that would increase happiness in my life. The following 9 habits are
for me to keep in mind:

1. Start each day with expectation.

If there's any big truth about life, it's that it usually lives up to (or down
to) your expectations. Therefore, when you rise from bed, make your first
thought: "something wonderful is going to happen today." Guess what?
You're probably right.

2. Take time to plan and prioritize.

The most common source of stress is the perception that I've got too much work to do. Rather than obsess about it, I pick one thing that, if I get it done today, it will move me closer to my highest goal and purpose in life.

3. Give a gift to everyone you meet.

we are not talking about a formal, wrapped-up present. Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod.

4. Deflect partisan conversations.

Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but
they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out with a polite excuse.

5. Assume people have good intentions.

Since I can't read minds, I don't really know the "why" behind
the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's
weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves me open to reconciliation.

6. Eat high quality food slowly.

Sometimes we can't avoid scarfing something quick to keep us up and running. Even so, at least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or an imported chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.

7. Let go of your results.

The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside my control. Once I've taken action, there's usually nothing more I can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen.

8. Turn off "background" TV.

Many households leave their TVs on as "background noise" while
they're doing other things. The entire point of broadcast TV is to make you dissatisfied with your life so that you'll buy more stuff. Why subliminally program yourself to be a mindless consumer?

9. End each day with gratitude.

Just before I go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that
happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge as a million dollar deal. Whatever it is; be grateful for that day because it will never come again.

[林貝卡]

Thanks for sharing these good habits. Have a nice weekend.