Cultivating Happiness: Make a Choice

While setting goals in counselling sessions, clients often state they want to be happy. For some it can be difficult to imagine what that would look like or how they can get there. For some they cannot remember what happiness feels like.

In the above infographic from Tech Insider they share 9 things that happier people have in common.

Happiness doesn’t just happen, it is means setting goals and putting the work in. One of the 9 things is spending time with close friends. Putting yourself out there can be challenging but by picking up the phone or sending that text and asking to get together the rewards are enormous. Take action and be an active participant in your own happiness.

In a society where our culture focuses on things, change your way of thinking and instead of spending your money on stuff use your resources wisely and invest in experiences. In childhood if we are asked about our favourite memories they seldom involve material things. Childhood memories are about that family camping trip, impromptu meals with friends, swimming in the neighbour’s pool or maybe playing cards or board games on a rainy day. Focus on what matters and do what brings joy into your life.

In the article 10 Ways To Achieve True Happiness the steps are simple. Care more about yourself by knowing your own worth. You are valuable and the opinions of others don’t need to be given so much power.

Spending time doing what makes you happy is one area that many of us can go wrong. As adults we don’t have as much fun as we used to. Evidence to support this is the increase in adult focused programming with the “fun” component highlighted. Paint Night with friends, adult summer camps, color runs and spending the afternoon driving a race car. There is a consumer market of adults yearning for a bit of childhood type fun.

Whatever your idea of fun is, take the time to do it. It doesn’t just happen, it means making conscious choices and putting your happiness first. People love being around happy people. This week in Canada we celebrated the life of am iconic Canadian rock group. The outcome was people across the country on a hot summer night in public parks watching their final concert, or at a backyard barbeque with outdoor screens, people really just coming together to find happiness in what could be viewed as a time of sorrow. Whatever you do choose well, choose happiness and you will not be disappointed.

Save