5 Simple Steps to Happiness

1. Stay Off Social Media

Comparing yourself to others on social media can have an underlying influence on your self-esteem. Social media tends to skew information, giving people a platform to display what they have and neglecting to show what they don’t. If you are constantly reminded of what you don’t have by measuring yourself against others, it is possible that this can impede your own happiness.

Make it a habit to stay off social media for at least one day a week. Use those 24 hours to separate yourself from the emotions you feel when comparing yourself to others and detox your mind. Over time, this can help you start to regain your sense of self.

2. Don’t Talk Negatively about Others

Negativity creates a toxic environment that can severely affect your mood. A healthy flow of serotonin, one of the happiness hormones responsible for good mood, can help maintain a positive outlook on life. What you may not realize is that negativity may be strong enough to send your happiness plummeting.

Add positivity to your life by giving at least one compliment a day. By noticing the good in people, rather than the bad, you can focus your efforts on achieving happiness and satisfaction.

3. Give Gratitude

Comparisons to ideals that are unrealistic or unnecessary can encourage an unhappy disposition. While healthy amounts can help boost our motivation, excessive comparisons make you forget what you have achieved and leave can leave you feeling unworthy and negative.

It is scientifically proven that expressing gratitude impacts happiness by 25%. Send yourself an email for one thing you are grateful for every day. Save all the emails in a folder so that when you feel unhappy you can remind yourself of all that you have and start to appreciate it.

4. Make Time for Yourself by Saying No

Sometimes it’s hard to say no to others because we want to help them be happy. However, if you forfeit your own happiness for others, it could start to feel like they are consuming your life. The resentment you may feel from this can impact your own happiness.

Start fixing this by saying no to others and making time for yourself at least twice a week. While it may seem difficult at first, you have to remember that prioritizing yourself at least some of the time is important.

5. Say Sorry

Saying sorry is one of the hardest things to do, especially when you feel it’s not deserved. However, holding grudges against people can completely drain your energy. The longer you wait and ruminate on the negativity, the worse you will feel.

Start by apologizing today. It’s never too late to repair a friendship with a loved one! Once you do so, you will realize what an immense impact this can have on your happiness.