As a woman, what do you need to be happy?
Pause, take a minute or two to search your heart. What do you think makes you happy currently? Or what do you think will give you the greatest happiness once you have it? It is all in our heads.
Have you ever been in a situation where something happened to annoy you, but you caught yourself in time and said, ‘No, I won’t let this make me sad,’ and gradually, that feeling of anger flutters away?
From personal experience, it works almost all the time. The problem, however, is in catching yourself before the anger or any negative emotion sets in.
The chances are that 90 percent of the time, you’d forget to change gears in your brain.
This is not to say that being happy is as easy as switching a button in your brain, but being happy is not rocket science.
You don’t need all the wealth, success, or relationships in this world to be satisfied.
So how can you make yourself happier, dear woman? The first point to note, the source of your happiness may not be the source of my joy.
Seeing a baby struggling to walk might make you happy, but the sun’s setting, which I find amazing, may not elicit the same emotion in you.
With this scenario, you need to discover what makes you happy. Fortunately, only you can make this discovery, not social media, not society, not your family.
This means that you are the one that can set the standard for your happiness and what makes you happy. Leaving it in the hands of society means you are no longer in pursuit of your happiness.
1. Make a Happiness List
A list of the things that make you happy—recalling who or what made you happy can help you to create more time for such moments. You can create a picture collage of these moments.
2. Savor Every Happy Moment
You’ve toiled so hard to get your certification, strategized to win the contract, and labored to bring your bundle of joy into the world. Yet, after you acquired this feat, you are already looking for the next step, jumping right into the next plan without a pause to savor the happiness of your achievement.
When you crush these milestones, pause, look back at your tenacious journey, pat yourself on the back, and pop the champagne.
While you are on the journey of daily living, savor every moment. Taste the wine, hold it in your mouth, savor the taste, and enjoy the moment.
On your way to work, admire the people walking past, the birds, the vehicles, or whatever you see that you like. Even the ones you don’t like, make the best of it.
Stuck in traffic? Recall fond memories and reminisce on them, listen to your playlist. Don’t wait for the perfect opportunity to be happy. There’s no ideal time for happiness.
3. Converse More
Another way to infuse happiness into your life is to strike up positive conversations with people. It could be with colleagues, friends, families, or total strangers. Surround yourself with happy people, invite your family over, hang out with the girls, and go on a picnic with your team.
Make merry, be happy, and lose yourself in the moment. This doesn’t exclude introverts. You can still bask in the presence of loved ones or strangers, irrespective of your temperament.
You only need to find a balance suitable for you. If, as an introvert, you need to go into your shelf to recharge after a while, do that. Do what works best for you, do you.
4. Give, Give a Little More
It is in giving that we are worthy to receive, says a Catholic chant. Giving brings happiness. It doesn’t matter what you offer. You can give money to someone in need, donate to a charity cause, give a helping hand to someone carrying loads, hold the door open for someone, be a shoulder for someone to lean on, etc.
We can’t limit giving to cash donations. When you give, especially if you can glimpse at the impact of your kindness on the recipient, it triggers tremendous happiness and a sense of satisfaction.
You can vary the type of gifts you give and the people you offer your kindness to. This will increase your joy as well as keep things interesting.
Don’t forget to savor each moment of your giving spree.
4. Smile More
You have probably heard that a smile begets a smile, but have you ever tried it? Try it right now. When you are walking on the road, you suddenly smile at the stranger coming before you. By default, the person’s instinct is to smile back.
Some will go a step further and wave at you or ask you how you are. You’ve not only made the stranger happy at that moment, but you’ve also made yourself happy, even if it is for a second.
By the time you do that to ten people in a day, your happiness will increase. When you are feeling down or angry or in pain, smile amid the chaos and blues. You’ll notice a boost in your spirit. Researchers agree that a smile can ‘trick’ your mind, pushing it into a state of happiness. Also and don’t forget that when you smile, your face is transformed, making you look more beautiful; so, smile.
5. Exercise
Exercise may seem like hard work when you are starting, but it has the power to lift your mood considerably.
Make it fun, and perform the physical activities that you like. According to research, people who work out, even for as short as 10 minutes weekly, are more cheerful than those who don’t exercise.
Exercise not only reduces depression and anxiety, but makes you happier. According to WebMD, “When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins.
They trigger a positive feeling in the body, similar to morphine.
As you embark on the journey of making yourself happier, give it your best shot, and don’t forget to make yourself the priority. Life can get quite challenging, but if you are not in the best frame of mind, everything and everyone dependent on you will feel the brunt. Be intentional about making yourself happier.
