Let’s be honest—figuring out how to be happy with yourself in the moment can be a bit of a struggle. Many of us find ourselves thinking, I’ll be happy when… and then focus on achieving those goals. Although there is nothing wrong with trying to make your future self happier, we should be cultivating our current happiness, too. This slight obsession we have with figuring out our own happiness may be due to the fact that we’re bad at it—or at least that’s what our experts say.
Embrace Experiences Over Things
Pursue new experiences, rather than new things. Book vacations, take fun strolls in the park, purchase tickets to concerts or unique performances. You can opt for some solo time exploring the city or invite your friends to go on an unexpected adventure. “Go someplace new or do something new,” Benton suggests.
Meditate Regularly
Not only is meditatinghelpful in reducing anxiety and depression, but it will also help keep you grounded.2 And did we mention its health benefits? “Mindfulness meditation for just 10 minutes per day can lower blood pressure and pain levels,” says Benton. YouTube has a number of free meditations to follow, or you can download an app like Calm or even Peloton for a selection of meditations.
Make a Daily Gratitude List
We become more satisfied when we focus on what is good and right in our lives. Dimitriu says, “Sincere gratitude helps shift our focus to what is right, not what is wrong or missing.” It’s as simple as getting a journal and writing down five things each day that you’re grateful for. Maybe you had a really delicious coffee, or a great phone call with a loved one, or a low-key day full of your favorite TV shows. “Take time to turn off your steady stream of negative and worrisome thoughts each day,” says Benton.
Cultivate an Active Social Support Network
“We all do better when we have a community we feel connected to,” Benton explains. No matter what, carve out time to spend with family and friends because these will be the people who will always have your back. You can plan a friends’ road trip to a new city or take your parents out for lunch on the weekend.
Help Others
When we are compassionate and caring toward others, we end up becoming happier in our own lives. Volunteer at a soup kitchen, mentor at-risk youth, or simply help out a family member or friend. “There is a belief that a lot of anxiety and possibly depression can come from being too inwardly focused or preoccupied with one’s self and one’s needs. In these cases, any distraction, especially one that shifts the focus to the world outside or other people, can help,” says Dimitriu. “Volunteering and helping other people is one of the most effective ways to focus outside of one’s self. Additionally, the act of helping others can also make us feel better about ourselves—and there may be specific [benefits] to doing it for free or without anything expected in return.”
