Happiness is not merely achieved by constantly saying you are, but rather by doing and focusing on the things in your life that make you truly happy. It doesn’t have to be something big or costly, as so often the smallest things in life tend to make us the happiest, whether it goes unnoticed or not. However, sometimes life becomes hectic and we begin to lose sight of all the simple reminders on why to be happy. Sometimes we even forget on how to find these blissful, crucial moments in our lives and get caught up in all the problems the world throws at us on a daily basis. Thankfully, this article is dedicated on how to remind you of the simple ways to brighten your life each and every day.
1. Focus on your meaning of happiness
We get so caught up in striving for certain things that we think is going to fill up our happiness that at the end of the day we don’t even remember what we are all working so hard for. Luckily, one of the simplest keys to happiness is focusing on the things that make you happy. I want you to ask yourself right now, “Am I truly happy?” If so, what is it that is making you happy in life right now? What has made you happy today? It is so vital to ponder these questions as often as you can to ensure you never lose sight of the thing we are all searching for in life: happiness. You may never be able to control what happens to you, but you can always choose how you want to react to it. The simplest way to having a brighter day begins the moment you want just that, a brighter day.
2. Manifest joy
Another way to make your days brighter is simply surrounding yourself with what makes you happy. By not only being the light but then surrounding yourself with as much light as possible is a guarantee of happiness. Make sure you have something that portrays yourself as all the things you find to be important in life and be certain it’s something that will remind you what those things are and why. A simple way to do this is finding an inspirational quote or picture that not only fits your positive viewpoint on life but also makes you feel something when you read it. It should be something you truly aspire to be more alike and something that will make you want to be a better person. This little constant reminder could be your lock screen, a song, a note you reread often, or even something you put on your wall in your home. For a better description of this idea, here is my simple life reminder that always brightens my day.
3. Show kindness
Finally, in honor of National Suicide Prevention month, I’d like to leave you with this. A man in his 30s left a note in his apartment that said he would not jump off the Golden Gate bridge if one person smiled at him on his way there. He jumped. That might not be the ending you wanted to hear, but it’s real. No matter what the world is not always a happy place and there are times where it may seem impossible to find the good in situations or people. However, the power of something as simple as a smile could be more impactful than you’d think, just how words can be too. Remember to not center brightening your day solely on yourself, but use it to help brighten the day of others. You’ve probably heard the saying ‘If you can’t find the light, be the light’ and I truly believe that is something we should all try to live by. Be the happiness you want to see in the world, smile often, and don’t lose sight of all the beautiful things life has to offer. Be the reason someone has a brighter day.
All images were taken by the author.