13 Simplest Things to Make Oneself Happier

You're only as happy as you make your mind up to be!

1. Exercise.

It is the best thing you could do for yourself. The endorphins produced from exercise will definitely make you happier, both physically and emotionally. It doesn't happen overnight but if you keep at it for a while, you will be amazed at how even a simple 30 minutes of working out daily creates a huge difference.

2. Meditate.

It's easy to get bogged down by the slightest nuances of daily life but taking a few minutes out of your day to meditate and center yourself can make a huge impact on your happiness. It allows you to resist giving in to the negativity that is around you and strengthens your “personal bubble,” the invisible barrier between you and the rest of the world.

The strength of your bubble is directly proportional to your level of happiness. Think of a balloon being popped by a sharp object — don't let the negativity (in this case, a sharp object i.e. pin) weaken your personal space (the balloon) and you won't have to worry about happiness when your happiness is contained within your space, it's all around you in your bubble.

Meditation prevents happiness from escaping your bubble, like the air escaping from a popped balloon, and keeps anything that tries to infiltrate it away.

3. Control your mind.

The mind is like a wild horse, you must always hold the reigns tightly or you risk losing control and your thoughts can be taken over by your ego. Stay in control of your mind and your thoughts and don't give in to your egos’ need for control, it's a trap that will only fool you into a false sense of happiness.

True happiness does not feed the ego, on the contrary, you must keep it starved and to do so means to keep a tight reign over your mind.

4. Spread happiness.

It's like a boomerang. Wherever you go and whatever you do day to day, do it with love and do it with kindness, and you will see how it comes right back to you. There is no greater feeling in the world than love, it's the all-encompassing word for happiness and in its truest purest form, the act of giving alone is happiness in itself, regardless of whether or not it comes back to you. When you are able to spread love without expecting anything in return, you will experience happiness in its truest form.

5. Don't take things personally.

Everyone is fighting their own battle in life and sometimes interacting with people can seem like a game of Minesweeper, you never know when you may step on a bomb and cause an explosion, but what you should always know is that your not the one who planted that bomb, it was there all along and it was never directed towards you, so instead of taking it personally just shake it off and spread positive vibes.

6. Be one with nature.

Spend some time outdoors, let the sun kiss your cheeks and warm your bones while you take in all of Mother Nature's beauty. Let the sand tickle your toes while the wind twirls your hair or take a walk by the ocean and collect some seashells. Anything you do outdoors and in nature is bound to boost your mood and make you happier.

7. Journal daily!

Set aside a few minutes each day to do some free writing, like a daily journal or thought catalogue where you get out whatever you feel inside out and onto paper. It's healthy to be in tune with your emotions and release your thoughts in daily increments as opposed to keeping everything piled up inside until something triggers you to explode.

8. Get quality time with pets.

If you have a pet spend some time with them, they love you unconditionally and give the most positive and nurturing energy ever. If you don't have one of your own, stop and pet someone's dog. Not only will it make you happier, but it will make you want to get a puppy of your own!

9. Listen to music.

Music makes the world go round, I don't think I've ever gone a day without listening to music, it has the ability to sway your mood in any direction you choose depending on what it is you play. Happy jams will put you in a happier place, try waking up in the morning and putting on you favorite happy song, it will set the tone of your day for sure.

10. Get laid.

Sex is definitely up there when it comes to happiness, similar to exercise in the fact that it releases endorphins responsible for our happiness. STD’s or unwanted pregnancies are definitely not things that will contribute to your happiness, so remember to always practice safe sex of course.

11. Take in some Vitamin D.

Make sure you get enough Vitamin D, spending a few minutes soaking up the sun is a proven happiness booster because of its effects on serotonin production, a brain chemical responsible for our mood.

12. Get to sleep.

Make sure you get enough sleep every night, it plays a huge role in physical and emotional happiness, and my enough sleep I don't mean hours/quantity, I mean good sound sleep as in quality! Try taking a power nap during the day to make up for any sleep deficiencies you may have during the night, it's super important in regards to your level of overall happiness.

13. Don't hate, appreciate.

Oftentimes we are so consumed by all the things we don't have that we overlook all the things we are lucky enough to actually have. It creates a sort of entitled medium and sets us up for disappointment. Instead of focusing on what your missing try to instead be thankful and appreciative of the things you do have, especially things like health and family, both of which are priceless.

Of course, there are many other things you can do in your plight to happiness, these are just a few I found to be most helpful.