I know we often think being happy is something that other people just are. Like, either you have it or you don’t. Like most things in the world, it’s a little more nuanced than that. Creating a happier mindset isn’t ignoring any negative feelings it means you don’t harbor those negative emotions.
For example, if someone cuts you off in traffic you might get upset or annoyed. That’s perfectly natural. You may even say some mean things but after you expressed your frustration you don’t go back to that moment or feeling. That one interaction doesn’t affect the rest of your day and you are free to go back to a positive mood.
It’s the same if you have a stressful day at work or even something more long-lasting like a painful breakup or a negative event. You can recognize that that event was bad or even today was not the best day but knowing that the moment or event doesn’t mean everything in the world or your life is bad. Having a happy mindset is programming to have a default setting of positivity so that even if something goes bad you feel that you acknowledge it and once the moment has passed you go back to positive thinking, to a happier mindset.
How do you create a happier mindset?
The first step in creating a positive and happy mindset is to live a more mindful lifestyle. Understand that the only moment that you are sure about happening is right now. The only feelings you feel are in this present moment. As Buddha once said “The past is already gone and the future is not yet here. There is only one moment for you to live: the present moment.”
Start a meditation practice
Meditation, if nothing else, is a time to sit with yourself and do a check-in. It’s a moment to sit and be with yourself and unwind from the day or event. It allows you to just be and focus on one thing at a time. It doesn’t have to be long or even a traditional where you sit in one place. You can do a method like forest bathing, or a meditative yoga session if you’re not one to sit still.
Fill your mind with positivity
Look for the good in the world and eliminate doom scrolling. When you cloud your mind with unnecessary bad news or information, you fill your space with negative energy and leave no room for positivity to live. Create a space for positivity. When you feel as if the world is going dark like you’ve been watching too much true crime maybe it’s time to put something more positive on your TV/feed. Follow and watch things that make you happy and put a smile on your face. You can watch a nice coming-of-age movie, talk to a good friend, pet some dogs, and feel the sun on your face.
Ground Yourself
Grounding yourself is a form of self-soothing when you feel overwhelmed, stressed, depressed, or have any extreme emotions. Grounding helps keep you present and in reality, and out of your head. My favorite way of grounding is touching the earth. When I’m really overwhelmed or irritated I like to go sit in the sun for a bit and touch a bit of dirt. There’s something calming about it. A lot of people also do breathing exercises or counting, whatever works for you is good for you. If you need help finding a grounding technique, I covered the best ways to ground yourself here.
Find A Hobby
Everyone needs something to do as a form of escape. When you have a hobby, no matter what it is it’s a stress reliever and can help you cultivate a happier mindset by giving your mind something else to focus on outside of work, and the daily monotony of life. Everyone needs a break and just a chance to do something that makes them happy, it doesn’t have to be anything that makes you money, or even productive. Taking up a hobby like knitting, painting, woodworking, scrapbooking, cooking, etc gives you a chance to express your creativity and learn something new.
Thank you so much for reading this article and I hope it inspires you to live a more mindful and fulling life. I know these practices have helped me create a happier mindset and become an overall happier and balanced person, and I hope it does that for you too. You can follow me & my blog on the Facebook and Instagram pages and until next time peace and love