Remember the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy”? It tells us that taking one day at a time, dealing with things as they happen, and not worrying about the future is a good way to go about life.
Lose Your Negativity Bias
A negativity bias means that something positive will generally have less of an impact on our feelings than something negative. As Fight Club author Chuck Palahniuk writes, “It’s hard to forget pain, but it’s even harder to remember sweetness. We have no scar to show for happiness.” When we experience negativity, our body chemistry is affected. Over time, the stress hormone Cortisol weakens the body’s immune system and increases the risk of health problems. To live a happier life, it is important to “Accentuate the Positive,” as another song recommends.
Make happiness a habit
Each of us is the source of our own happiness.
Self-understanding and mindfulness are part of the happiness equation
Helping others is foremost
Seeking to find the positive amidst the negative comes from practice.
There is no prescription for being happy. But we can all focus more on what produces joy, so that we can create opportunities to repeat those moments.
As Mahatma Gandhi said,” Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”