7 Ways to Boost Your Happiness Levels and Quit Being Negative Forever
Being happier means being healthier, both mentally and physically
Do you find yourself being negative more often than not? Are you surrounded by people who complain about every little thing? If so, you’re not alone. According to a recent survey conducted by Harris Interactive and published in the Wall Street Journal, 40% of American adults believe they’re unhappy and have been that way for years.
In fact, the average person is less happy now than 20 years ago! The good news is, that there are plenty of ways to boost your happiness levels, quit being negative forever, and be happier in general — no matter what life throws at you.
Start with being grateful
Research shows that grateful people are happier than those who aren’t. All you have to do is take a moment at some point during your day, perhaps when you wake up in the morning or before you go to bed at night, and think about three things for which you’re grateful.
It doesn’t matter if it’s material or personal; just look for things in your life that are valuable enough that you should be thankful for them. Once you have three things in mind, write them down, you can even keep a small journal with an entry every day or so and realize that there was probably something else for which you could feel thankful.
Don’t be so judgmental
Try taking a less than critical look at your own thoughts. Are you constantly criticizing yourself? What are some realistic ways that you can be nicer to yourself? Accepting criticism from others doesn’t mean you have to accept it from yourself.
Learn how to see beyond your insecurities, flaws, mistakes, and failures and focus on what really matters in life. You don’t have control over everything; sometimes things go wrong no matter how hard you try.
But if you’re constantly negative about everything (including situations outside of your control), then maybe there’s something wrong with your attitude and a new way of thinking is just what you need.
Stop avoiding discomfort
Avoiding discomfort is a huge problem for many people. Maybe you’re afraid of being judged, rejected, or hurt. Or maybe you don’t want your life to change (even though it’s already changed…that’s part of life).
Whatever your fear is, there’s no reason not to allow yourself to face it head on — because, in reality, you’re never going to grow if you never put yourself in uncomfortable situations.
Start saying yes to things you normally say no to
Saying no can seem like a way of keeping ourselves safe. The problem is that we need to say yes to trying new things, meeting new people, finding opportunities, going on adventures, and finding happiness. Negativity often comes from having our perspective limited by not experiencing enough of life.
Instead of being afraid of what can go wrong, get out there and start saying yes! You’ll be amazed at how many great things you’ll be able to experience by being open-minded.
Start speaking up about what makes you happy
One of your best weapons against negative thoughts is to speak up about what makes you happy. Instead of internalizing how you feel, try keeping a gratitude journal by writing down everything that’s making you happy. Or, in even smaller increments, list three things that made you smile that day or week.
Studies show there are health benefits associated with keeping a gratitude journal, not just mental benefits but physical ones as well. It’s been shown those who keep a gratitude journal were less likely to get sick and more likely to recover faster from illness than those who didn’t make an effort to write down things they’re grateful for.
Do something that scares you every day
It’s okay to feel fear, but don’t let it take over your life. Whether it’s public speaking or going on a new date, facing our fears allows us to see that we aren’t as vulnerable as we imagined. Challenging ourselves outside of our comfort zone also builds confidence that helps us achieve greater things in life.
Even if you find yourself failing, you won’t regret trying because success is always more fun than failure. So go ahead, take a risk! Every time you succeed, another piece of your inner self gets built up and reinforced. Every time you fail, another part of your inner self gets torn down.
Surround yourself with positive people
For many people, your friends are a huge influence in your life. If they’re constantly negative, it can feel hard to shake that mindset. Socialize with positive people who support you instead. Try finding a local Meetup group or talking with people at work; socializing with others is key when you want to stop being negative and boost your happiness levels.
Avoid dwelling on bad things: Bad things happen; that’s life. But if you’re someone who likes dwelling on them for hours on end, it’s easy for negativity to take over. Whenever something bad happens, try not to spend too much time thinking about it — find something else positive in your life and move forward from there.
Final Thoughts
It’s easy to feel blue for days on end. Sometimes, life just isn’t what we expected it to be, which leads us down a path of negative thoughts that can cloud our lives for years. Fortunately, you have more control over your own happiness than you may think.
By making a few adjustments here and there, both mentally and physically, you can shift from feeling negative forever towards something much more positive. The above tips will get you started on your journey towards a happier life!
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