Getting Happy is a goal you can achieve today. Here are three steps you can take each day to be sure it happens for you.
Getting Happy by Being Thankful
When I was living in the homeless shelter program, I was amazed to discover the difference this one step made to my days. I’d wake up and just say thank you to God for what I had; a warm, safe place to sleep, food to eat, and a sink to sponge bath in.
Every time I started the day by saying thank you, I did much better throughout the day. It’s still a key to my getting happy routine each day.
Getting Happy by Keeping A List
Sometimes my list has been as short as volunteer at We Care (the local food bank), and read at the library. There’s no rule that says you have to be at peak productivity every day, or even that your To Do list absolutely has to get done.
The point of the list is to congratulate yourself for the things you get done. Yes, there is a measure of self-honesty needed. It’s okay to say “today was a crappy day and I didn’t get anything done.” The trouble comes when it’s your 40th crappy day. Then it’s time to kick yourself in the butt and get something done; even something as simple as going outside for a walk.
Being able to check things off my list is a big part of getting happy for me. So I make sure there are simple, yet valuable, things on my list every day. Things like my morning walk, making supper, and opening the mail. They’re small things, and they do a lot to move me toward getting happy every day.
Getting Happy by Connecting With Others
Have you ever had a day when you just want to stay in bed and hide under the covers? I think we’ve all had a day like that. When it comes, the best thing you can is find somebody to just say hello to.
My personal favorite is a cashier. They often look like they’d rather be somewhere else, so it’s easy to think of saying hi as a way to cheer them up. (There’s no reason why they have to know I’m really doing it to cheer myself up.) The best thing about it is that the encounter is brief. I might not be good company for a long conversation that day, but this is a quick pick-me-up. And we both usually end up getting happy as a result.
Don’t be fooled by the gurus who say “getting happy” isn’t a real goal. They know that being happy makes achieving all your other goals a hundred times easier. Saying that is just their way of making you come back for more advice and coaching.
The best thing about getting happy every day is that it’s habit forming. These three steps changed the way I faced each day in less than a week.