The ultimate goal in life is to be happy, right? Happiness is more than a state of being, it’s a state of mind and requires constant work.

1. Positive Thinking

Have you ever proclaimed that today is going to be a great day!? And then it actually turned out to be great?

Or when negative thoughts start to sneak their way into your day and instead of kicking them out, you start to entertain them, causing a great day to sour pretty quickly?

Letting your positive thoughts out win those negative thoughts can turn your day around in an instant. You’ll just need to learn to change your thinking when those nasty thoughts creep in.

Unfortunately I think we all have those nasty thoughts. Those thoughts that tell you, you’re not good enough. You’re not pretty enough. You’re not smart enough. You’ll never change. You’ll never climb out of debt. You’ll never get promoted. Blah. Blah. Blah.

I know in my heart and I hope you do too that none of those thoughts are true.

So when those negative thoughts start to seep into your day, resist the urge to entertain them. Instead of dwelling on the thought of not being good enough or pretty enough or whatever your nasty thought may be, turn it around.

You are good enough. You are pretty enough. You are smart enough. The second you start doubting yourself, just remember that you’re the greatest person in the world to someone else.

2. Being Thankful

Being thankful and realizing how truly blessed you are will undoubtedly put you in a better mood.

Sometimes you wake up on the wrong side of the bed for no reason in particular or maybe you spilled your coffee on your white blouse on your way to work, or perhaps you’re dwelling on that snarky comment your boss made yesterday.

Whatever the reason, sometimes you’re just grumpy and sometime you have a hard time pulling yourself out of the funk.

One of the best ways to improve your mood is to take stock of your life and realize just how good it is.

You can always find something to be thankful for.

Maybe you’re thankful for your job. You may hate it but you’re thankful that it pays the bills and puts food on the table.

Maybe you’re thankful to have a roof over your head or a few bucks in the bank. Maybe you’re thankful for your health or that your children are happy and healthy.

If that doesn’t do the trick, take a look around you and the beauty this world has to offer.

For me, it’s the full moon that rises just as the sun sets over the rocky mountains. Or the heat from the sun warming my skin. Or sometimes it’s the Heavenly Blue morning glory’s in full bloom by my front door.

And if that doesn’t push your mood over to the bright side, be thankful that you woke up this morning and have breath in your lungs.  

The second you start doubting yourself, just remember that you’re the greatest person in the world to someone else.

3. Be Yourself

Have you ever reigned in your personality to suit those around you? Maybe you never got that tattoo or piercing you always wanted for fear of what others would think. Or maybe you adjust your style to fit in. Or maybe you stopped speaking with your adorable country twang because people made fun of you.

I think most of us have done something to alter ourselves to conform with those around us. No one wants to be an outsider and everyone wants to belong to something. But that doesn’t mean you should be someone you’re not even if that mean’s you’re being judged three ways to Sunday.

There will always be someone out there who doesn’t like you. So instead of trying to win them over by altering yourself in some way, realize that it’s okay if people don’t like you.

Let’s put this into perspective, shall we?

Do you like every single person you meet? Do you like every one of your co-workers? How about your in-laws? Or your extended family? If you said yes, I’m absolutely, 100%, mouth hanging wide open, shocked!

The reality is that we don’t like every single person we come in contact with, right? So why would you expect every single person to like you?

So instead of worrying about what other’s think of you, worry about what YOU think of you because you were wonderfully and beautifully made to be 100% unique, so own it and DO YOU!

4. Take a Risk

Stepping outside your comfort zone can be scary even for the adventurous type but you’re not meant to live a life of comfort.

Now I’m not talking about comfort in the sense of financial stability or having great relationships. I’m talking about comfort in the sense of putting yourself out there and living a life outside the status quo.

Life can get stagnate and boring sometimes, especially if you rarely if ever leave your comfort zone.

Have you ever been forced out of your comfort zone?

Maybe you were in the same dead end job for years but didn’t want to make a move because you didn’t think you could find anything better. Or maybe you didn’t want to leave because you thought you might end up in an even worse job. Or maybe you were just scared to leave only to find yourself fired or laid off.

I’ve been there and there is nothing worse than being thrown unwillingly out of your comfort zone.

But there is always something better for you around the corner just waiting patiently for you to seize it.

5. Travel

Traveling and experiencing new things is a great way to increase your happiness. You don’t even have to go far.

Traveling doesn’t mean going to the far off lands on the other side of the world. Don’t get me wrong, it could definitely mean that but it doesn’t have to. Traveling could mean packing up your car and spending the weekend camping or road tripping to the next state.

Traveling gets you out of your comfort zone and exposes you to new people, new ideas and new experiences.

Traveling also breaks up the monotony of your routine and gives you something to look forward to and also something to look back on.

6. Journal

Venting about your terrible day can be extremely therapeutic but sometimes you either can’t or won’t vent about it. This is where journaling comes in.

I absolutely love journaling. Sometimes I’m just plain tired of hearing my own voice complain. And if I’m tired of hearing it, I’m sure other people are too. So, I write it down.

Sometimes it actually makes you feel better writing it down instead of venting to another person because when you’re venting through journaling, you just want to get it out. You’re not looking for a solution, you’re just looking to feel better.

Journaling can relieve stress and anxiety by leaving everything on the page instead of in your head.

7. Be More Social

Spending time with those you love is a surefire way to increase your happiness. Think about it. Don’t you always feel so much better after having a girls night out? It almost feels like your soul is restored and everything is right with the world.

Girlfriends are invaluable when it comes to boosting your mood because these are the people you can laugh and cry with and share your most intimate details or deepest regrets with.

These are the girls you can complain to when your husband, God love him, shrinks all of your white blouses by doing a load of laundry because he was trying to be “helpful”.  

Girlfriends lighten your load and always seem to make us happy, so the next time you have plans with your girlfriends and are considering ditching out on them, because life is chaotic and little Billy got in trouble at school and your boss is being a jerk, don’t!

You’ll always feel so much better hanging with them.  

8. But Ditch Social Media

Look social media can be a great way to stay connected to people but it’s also a great way to feel like crap.

People tend to compare themselves with others on social media. Ohmygosh, Sarah from college is now the Senior Vice President of a media company, making a million bucks a year and spends her summers in the south of France.

Then you think, what the hell did I do with my life?

Your husband just lost his job, you had to move back in with your parents to save money, your kids are acting bratty and the last time you went on vacation, it was to bask in the freezing hose water in the inflatable kiddy pool you set up in the backyard.

Social media can be greatly exaggerated. I mean, no one really ever posts about problems in their marriage or issues their kids are having.

People on social media generally post their best selves. And these ‘best selves’ are often inflated.

This is precisely why you have to stop comparing your life with someone else. They are only showing you what they want you to see.

So, if you have a tendency to do this, stay away from social media.

I personally never use social media for personal use anymore because I would fall into the trap of looking at someone’s life and wishing it was mine.

But you can’t live a page in someone else’s story. You have your own story.

9. Live in the Moment

Does thinking about your past evoke feelings other than happiness? Or does thinking of the future cause anxiety? Well stop thinking of those things!

I know, way easier said than done.

Look, there is absolutely nothing you can do about the past. It’s done and over and no matter how much you wish you could go back, you can’t. You’re just wasting valuable time and energy on something that is completely out of your control.

The future on the other hand is somewhat different.

You may have grand plans for your future and that’s great, but plans always change. People always change and nine times out of ten you end up doing something completely different.

So, there is absolutely no point in living in the future.

What’s that saying? If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.

It’s a great saying because it’s absolutely true. Plans change all the time. Circumstances change all the time. People change all the time.

Focus on the here and now and live the best life you possibly can because tomorrow is not guaranteed.

But you can’t live a page in someone else’s story. You have your own story.

10. Practice Self-Care

Woo hoo, self-care! I am a huge fan, I mean huge fan of self-care.

As women, we have a tendency to put ourselves last. I think it’s wired in our DNA or something.

We focus all our energy on making sure everyone around us has what they need, that we often neglect our own needs without really ever realizing it.

But ladies, we are just as important as everyone else and our needs count too! So, it’s time to start practicing some self-care!

Self-care can be anything.

It could be sitting in the backyard on a Sunday afternoon, reading a book. It could be taking a nice hot bubble bath with candles and music. Or maybe it’s ditching the fam and getting a mani pedi.

Self-care can also be as simple as trying that new face mask. Or slipping on a pair of those Anthropology exfoliating foot slippers, my fav, and popping in a movie.

Self-care can be anything you want it to be as long as it makes you happy.

Final Thoughts

Living a happier life is hard work and it takes dedication and constant practice. It’s so much easier to coast through life, living in a tiny bubble of comfort, but that will get you nowhere.

Step outside your comfort zone, gaze up at the stars, smell those roses as they say and learn to live a happier life.