How to Live a Happier Life

What does it take for you to be happy? What’s the big secret?While there isn’t a recipe that will work for everyone, there are several things that most happy people have in common.

Adding at least a few of these items to your life is sure to make you smile more frequently:

1. Something to look forward to. Think about how much more you enjoy your life when you have something on the horizon to look forward to. It could be a vacation, Christmas, a baby on the way, or the pending release of a new book. What can you plan in the near future that would excite you?
2. Someone to love. It’s important to have someone to love and someone that loves you. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a romantic relationship. A child, or even a pet, can fill that role. There are many people alone in the world. All you need to do is reach out to them.
3. Challenge. It has been shown that humans require a certain amount of stress to thrive. This is referred to as eustress, as opposed to distress. Eustress is positive because it’s uplifting to be able to work through a challenge. It feels awesome to win!
4. A meaningful way to spend your time. This isn’t quite the same as challenge. Volunteering at your church or a charity might not be challenging, but it can be meaningful. It’s important to feel that you matter.
5. Fun. Who doesn’t like to have fun? A little fun now and then is crucial. However, it’s also important to enjoy it in limited quantities. For example, riding a roller coaster might be fun. But riding a roller coaster 50 times in one day isn’t fun.
6. Other people. No matter how introverted you might be, it’s necessary to spend at least a little time with others each week. That doesn’t mean you need to attend two parties every week. Meeting for lunch with a close friend might be all the human contact you require. It’s up to you.
7. Personal growth. People are happy when they’re making progress in life. There are many ways to experience progress. It might be your waistline, health, knowledge, wisdom, golf game, or your piano skills. Knowing you’re better at something today than you were last year is a great feeling.

How happy are you? What can you do to make yourself more happy? The items in this list are important, but the list isn’t exhaustive. Add a few of these items to your life and brainstorm a few more ideas that apply for you. And avoid the trap of believing that money and possessions are the key to happiness.