How To Be HAPPY

i have come to realize that a lot of people just don't know HOW to be happy. i even asked myself how i am happy, and i had trouble answering it myself, at first. i understand that becoming truly happy will be a different process for everyone, but there are some things that i think everyone can do to become just a little bit more happy.

1. you have to understand that even happy people are sad sometimes. if you try and be happy in the face of everything, and don't allow yourself some time to actually be upset if need be. if you don't, then you will just become really emotionally exhausted and burnt out, which will, inevitably, lead to being more unhappy than happy.

2. you also have to understand, though, that you shouldn't get really upset over everything. if things just aren't going your way, find a way to fix it! sometimes when you are having an unlucky or bad day, you just have to go with it until it's over. but don't let it bring you down! if i'm having an especially bad time, i like to look at the clouds because they are so relaxing! if there are no clouds or it's rainy, i watch the trees instead. i always find that looking at little things in nature makes me feel best, because it always amazes me and i can get lost in my imagination.

3. stop worrying about what everyone else is doing or what they are thinking. if you keep wondering what others are thinking about you, it will only ever lead you to becoming really insecure. i know it's harder to do than it sounds, and it might take a while to stop doing it, but life instantly become a hundred times better once you stop caring what anyone else thinks of you. the way i did it was to become selfish in a way. i did things for myself, and myself only. i wore clothes that i love, not to impress anyone, but because they made me happy. i did what i wanted to make me happy and stopped trying to impress anyone at all. i mean, really, why should you care about what some random person thinks of you? they don't know anything about you, and if they want to make silly assumptions, then that's their choice. but chances are that they probably aren't thinking anything bad anyway!

4. have a major clean up & clean out of your life! honestly, getting rid of all my old CRAP that had been sitting around in my room for years was one of the best things i ever did. this means cleaning out everywhere! i only have my bedroom to take care of, but wherever it is that you store all your things, CLEAN IT OUT! this means under your bed & in your cupboards, wardrobe & drawers, along with everywhere else. make sure everything is de-cluttered. my mum helped me a little when i cleaned out my room, and her motto was, "if it doesn't have a place to go, chuck it!". if you can't bear to throw some things away, but they don't have a place, get some of those big plastic tubs that can slide under your bed. i have for or five of them full of all my toys, haha! get rid of all your old clothes, too. give them to charity or other people that may want them, and then you will feel extra-good for helping out someone else as well!

5. stop judging other people. just stop doing it altogether. this is also another process that takes a while to stop, because it's usually just habit to laugh at someone or make assumptions about someone just because of what they look like. when you judge people, it's just a show of how insecure you really are about your own identity. i used to laugh when people would say that insecurity is the reason for judging and making fun of others, but now i know that it's true. this one works two ways because; a) you will feel like a better person when you aren't making fun of people all the time & b) you will actually become less insecure as well. it's okay if you slip up sometimes, but at least try not to vocalize your judgements to friends or whoever you are with. if you keep it in your head, you are more likely to be able to stop more quickly.

6. this is my favourite one! write lists of all the things that made you happy EVERY DAY. when i first started doing this, i found it incredibly difficult to even write one thing. doing this makes you realize how many amazing things actually happened to you & how lucky you are!! it also helps to open your eyes and see all the good little things happening. because even if you had the most awful and horrible day, i'm sure you would have seen something beautiful, even if it was just the way the light was shining on a random persons hair when you were on the bus or something. if it was beautiful & made you happy, WRITE IT DOWN. you will be amazed at how your lists will grow.

so, there you are! i have given you some things to start with, but of course, it is crucial that you also evaluate your own life & situation & see what needs to be changed or fixed. it might just be that your "friends" are actually a bunch of negative assholes or that you can't stand your job. if you desperately want to change anything in your life, you absolutely can. you are the only one who can control the things you do, so you have to go for it. life really is to short it spend it upset and bitter, don't you think?!

PS - want a shorter but also extended edition? i wrote this too.

i love you!!
♥ ♥ ♥