7 Ways To get more happiness into your life

Reflections from Family & Friends, Retirement, Senior Wellness / By

7 Ways To Get More Happiness into Your Life

Happy wife, happy life.  I’m sure you’ve heard that statement at sometime in your life.  It is true even if you’re not married but are in any life relationship. There is no way one partner can be unhappy and the other partner happy, if they truly care for each other.  That’s because in a loving relationship, each partner wants the other to be happy.  Most of the time, they  will try to be loving, giving and forgiving towards their partner, which in turn leads the other partner to do the same.  It’s a case of getting back what you give out.

So how do you get better at the happiness quotient? First of all, it’s important to get your head around the fact that “happiness is an inside job”.  Other people can’t MAKE  you happy or unhappy, for that matter.  It’s up to you  and how you perceive any given  circumstance.  You can look at anything with a positive or a negative  attitude and that will determine your thoughts and emotions, good or bad, happy or unhappy.  Just knowing this and that it is within your own power to control, is liberating in itself.

It’s very helpful to have a Gratitude journal to keep track of all that you have that is good and that makes you happy.  Just thinking about and  writing down,  each day, 5 things I am are grateful for, makes me feel more peaceful and therefore in a happier frame of mind.

Yes, We are Grateful for our lives

This damn pandemic has tried our very souls, looking for it to be over so we can get back to our “old” lives again.  Even though we can’t be with family and our interaction with our friends is limited, I still feel I have a lot to be thankful for:

  • Rita & I wake up every morning
  • I’m healthy and Rita is healthy
  • We live in a great, caring community
  • We have great friends who would help us in a “New York second if we needed it
  • Our 3 children, 8 grandchildren and 8 great-grand children are all healthy
  • One of our sons and his wife and one grandson have had Covid and beaten it
  • All of our children and grand children are successful in their marriages and careers
  • I’m sure there a 1000 more to be thankful for  and Yes, we are very lucky and very grateful.

7 Things That Will Help You Feel Happier

  1. Get more active with your faith.  Most churches have been closed for several months, leaving us wanting more spiritual guidance.  Pray, meditate, read your Bible.  A group of friends in our neighborhood started a small prayer group – Sunday evenings, outside, masks and social distancing, for music, prayer and a little fellowship.  It was especially welcome when we were all in strict quarantine.  Reading The Bible or other spiritual readings on a daily basis always makes me feel connected to God and that makes me happy.  This is one,  “The Daily Bible NIV” https://amzn.to/3EjXBsf, I really like because it helps you understand the timeline of the Bible , which for me has always seemed confusing. . This site  contains affiliate links, which means that we may receive a commission if you make a purchase using these links. As part of the Amazon Associate program and several other Affiliate programs, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you) from qualifying purchases.  Another all time favorite of mine, “A Course in Miracles”  https://amzn.to/3zfriae, affords a lifetime of lessons on life and how to live as Jesus would have us live.  
  2.   If you have a hobby, work at it.  It will take your mind off the things that make you unhappy.
  3. Keep busy.  Even those “honey-do’s” can make you feel better.  Just getting them off a list is good and it  will really make your wife or partner happier and you also, in return.
  4. Don’t dwell on the bad that might happen in your life.  Try to remember that the bad things usually involve a lesson.   We should learn from them and know that happier times will certainly follow. 
  5. Think happy thoughts.  Sounds like Pollyanna?  Maybe, but it works.  Read a happy book, watch a happy movie, turn off the news.
  6. Don’t forget to Dream.  You are never to old to have dreams and aspirations.  How to make them into reality will keep your mind active.
  7. Always tell your loved ones that you love and appreciate them every morning and every night.  Rita and I do this twice a day with a kiss and an “I love you”.  Even if we’ve been having a “discussion”, we never let that be the end of our day.  It’s amazing how happy you feel when you start and end your day this way.And my favorite

And Finally...............

I know there are some of you who have lost spouses, relatives or dear friends and you are wondering WHY and why not me?  Just remember that God works in mysterious ways and He has a purpose for us all.  It’s not your time yet because God has some  more for you to do.

We can all be kinder, more forgiving and happier if we just try!

The key to happiness, is having dreams;The key to success is making them come true
James Allen

Happiness is an Inside Job, nobody but you  can make YOU happy
Robert Upham (Rita’s Dad)

Ron