How can we be happy every day? We like to imagine ourselves waking up every day with a smile on our face and the certainty that everything’s going to be all right. Unfortunately, the reality is quite different. Instead, we tend to wake up stressed and skeptical about the day ahead. How about 5 things you can do every day to be happy?

1 – How to be happy: wake up with positive thinking

So how can we be happy every day? First of all, we have to remind ourselves to be happy. Because, quite often, our thoughts focus on what stresses us rather than what makes us happy.

And while we have everything we need to be happy, we’re not.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to keep a post-it note on your bedside table or bathroom mirror, with a sentence that inspires you to be happy.

You can choose one of these:

Today is the perfect day to be happy.

To be happy is not to have everything. It’s about not needing anything else.

You don’t need much to be happy.

I choose to do what makes me happy.

Choose a sentence, write it on a post-it note and put it up so you can see it in the morning.

What’s more, you can make these positive thoughts follow you throughout the day, by putting post-its in your bag, your diary, on your desk, by setting alarms during the day…

2 – Practicing gratitude

We know that great happiness is much rarer than small happiness. So why not take advantage of all the little moments of joy and love in our daily lives to create a great moment of happiness every day?

Indeed, knowing how to say thank you to life and to the people around us is an excellent way to feel happy and lucky in life.

That’s why I invite you to say thank you every day and make it a habit!

So how do you go about it? You can use a gratitude journal in which you write down every evening or morning 3 things for which you are grateful, or you can do it mentally.

Maybe you’re asking yourself, “But saying thank you to whom, to what?”

To whomever and whatever you want. It could be saying thank you to the Universe for the wonderful dinner you had, for the beautiful sun that lit up your day, for the birds that gave you a sweet concert, to your partner for listening and being so tender, to a family member or colleague for making you laugh… Whatever you want, as long as it makes you want to say thank you.

3 – How to be happy every day: congratulate yourself

To be happy, we need to have confidence in ourselves. Why do we need this? Because nobody else is going to do the things that make you happy for you. In other words, you have to take action.

So, how do you build up your self-confidence to do the things that make you happy? You have to learn to congratulate yourself.

That’s why, before or after practicing gratitude, I invite you to congratulate yourself for 3 things you feel proud of.

It won’t be easy at first. We’re not used to seeing what we do well. And we tend to see everything we’ve yet to achieve, rather than everything we’ve already accomplished.

These 3 things you can congratulate yourself on could be: I congratulate myself for having cleaned when I didn’t feel like it, for having called a friend who hadn’t given me any news, for not having grumbled at work, for having danced to my favorite music, for having preferred to take a hot bath rather than watch TV…

How can I be happy every day? By congratulating ourselves!

4 – Organize a pleasant moment during the day

Life moves at 1,000 an hour. Everything moves so fast that stress has become a way of life.

Yet time is our greatest asset. In fact, every day, we are given 24 hours for nothing in return. Unfortunately, they can be taken away from us at any time without notice. Our time is precious, and it belongs to us.

That’s why I invite you to schedule a pleasant moment for yourself every day. It doesn’t have to be an hour, 5 minutes can be enough.

Because we fit too much negativity into our diaries, why not make room for something pleasant?

How about taking at least 5 minutes out of every day to do something you enjoy?

First of all, make a list of the things that give you pleasure: drinking a coffee on the terrace, eating a croissant in the morning, going for a walk in the evening, reading a book, calling so-and-so, drawing, singing…

Then schedule one of these little moments of pleasure every day.

How can you be happy every day? By enjoying every day!

5 – Do one thing at a time

Happiness is in the here and now, in the present moment. In fact, happiness is how we feel when we do things.

But we tend to do a lot of things at once. In fact, it’s even become a quality we promote: I’m a multitasker.

But multitasking is one of the worst things we can do when it comes to happiness.

Because happiness only depends on how you perceive the things you do, how you feel about them and how much attention you pay to them, not on how many things you do in a day.

Indeed, if you’re reading my words right now while doing something else or thinking about something else, they won’t taste as good as if you were actually reading them, totally immersed in what you’re reading.

That’s why I wholeheartedly invite you to do, every day, at least one thing while concentrating on the present moment.

It could be washing the dishes, brushing your teeth, walking to your car, drinking your coffee…

How can you be happy every day? By living in the moment at least once!

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover How to live well? Top 7 tips for living happily and Zen-like
Discover Opening up to spirituality: 100 quotes that are good for the soul

I recommend this inspiring book:

The Four Tendencies by Gretchen Rubin

The author explores personality types and how understanding them can lead to greater happiness. He introduces the concept of the four tendencies – the unsubmissive, the questioning, the obliging and the rebellious – and examines how individuals respond to inner and outer expectations. By identifying our own tendencies, we can better understand our motivations and behaviors, paving the way for a more intentional and fulfilling life. Understanding ourselves and others through the lens of the four tendencies can help create habits, set goals and foster positive relationships, ultimately leading to greater happiness in daily life.

I’m always looking for ways to define and refine how I can improve myself and maximize my potential. This book has been very helpful in delving deeper into some of the topics covered in Better Than Before, and has already made a big difference in my life in many areas.

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself