Creating Happiness

It’s okay to not be happy all the time, it doesn’t make you a bad person if you feel sad sometimes; it makes you normal.

People say that to be positive you have to always love yourself, no matter what. There’s ways you can have some positivity in your life without this self-love that may seem difficult or impossible.

Instead of having to show love to yourself, find things that make you happy, and do things that make you proud.

Sometimes, the things that make me proud of myself are doing things that seem difficult and I panic about for ages, but I manage to do them and prove myself wrong.

Some ways to make yourself happy (not all will work for everyone) include:

• Draw. It can be on your body or on paper, but draw whatever you want to. I find drawing on my arm relaxes me, but use a felt tip pen if you do this so it does not hurt.
• Read. Reading is a great way to escape from the world, and enter a completely different one, where you are surrounded by new people, but many that you will learn to love, and possible incorporate aspects of them into your life.
• Play music. If you can play an instrument, play a song that makes you happy. You will get lost in the music, and be happy with how it sounds after. Listening to music you love also helps, and you can dance or sing along to it if you want to as well.
• Exercise. For many people, exercise can be stressful, but if you find that type of exercise that makes you feel good, and you enjoy doing it, then you will be happy. Exercise has also been proven to help mental illnesses, and make people feel happier due to the chemicals produced in the brain.
• Eating healthier. This may sounds uninteresting, but healthy food is much better for the brain, and for your mental health, than other food. A balanced diet provides you with everything you need for the day, and is much better for you, not just your body, in so many ways.
• Make others happy. This does not work for everyone, but some people gain happiness from making those around them happy. It doesn’t have to be a large gesture, it can be as simple as complimenting someone, but you will make their day better, and it may also make yours better too.
• Smile. Smiling may seem difficult, but it has been proven to increase happiness. Even if the smile is fake, if you fake it enough times, it will become real, and you will not have to fake it anymore. Also, seeing a smile on your face can improve someone else’s day, even if it is just a stranger you pass in the street.
• Walk. Going for walks makes you appreciate the nature, and that may make you love the world around you more. Walking also releases happiness chemicals in your brain, similar to other exercise, which will increase happiness.
• Find a hobby. If you find a hobby that you enjoy, you will want to take part in it more often, and having a part of your life that makes you happy, will create happiness for you more often.

Even if you only try one of these things, hopefully it will create the happiness in your life that you require. Always remember this: it is okay not to be happy all the time, you’re still a human if you experience bad times.

So try it. Try something that may change your life for the better. You won’t regret it.