What are the secrets of people who are happy?

It is ever more openly spoken about how self-awareness and mind management can help us succeed and feel happier in life. However, being a happy camper doesn’t always come easily to all of us. The good news is that it is something that can be learned and practised. We all have some of our past coding holding us back at times, but when we shed light on it and become aware, it can be decoded and recoded into something more constructive and life-affirming.

We can learn a lot from people who are genuinely happy within themselves and their lives, and take note of how we could adapt these nuggets of wisdom into our lives too. Every so often, I go over the below list of wisdoms and make sure I’m working on staying on the right track.

What happy people often do

1. Focus their attention and efforts on their own lives

Happy people are often too busy living their own lives to be checking up on what others are getting up to, or not. They are content to focus their time and attention on their own life and making a present they love to live in. Happy people speak well of others and seek to find the good in everyone. They are content in their own lives and their own skin. They do not feel the need to please and instead focus on their own life and being who they are.

2. Don’t compare themselves to others

Happy people know that their life is unique and worth their focus and attention. They know that if they put the right action plans in place, they can get where they want to go in their own time. As long as they keep moving and growing in the direction they truly want to go, they will get there. They know they cannot change others and therefore seek to find people to associate with who see the world in similar terms.

3. Keep true to themselves

Happy people know that when they honour themselves, they will be happier in life. Whether it is choosing a partner, job, work environment or hobby, happy people tend to go with what makes them tick and gets them excited. They are aware of their values and beliefs and cultivate them. They do not let the world’s chaos influence these. Happy people therefore make time to connect to themselves, either through meditation, yoga, quiet time or time alone. When they are connected to themselves, they may feel more centred and more able to be true to themselves when making decisions and choices in their life.

4. Live in the present

Happy people do not dwell on their past mistakes and what they think they should have done. However, they do take note and make sure they do not make the same mistakes over and over again. Happy people forgive others and themselves. They know the power of letting go. Happy people live in the now as they know this is the only place they can make a change or influence how things will turn out.

5. Are grateful and make time to appreciate what they have

Happy people do not feel life owes them anything. They know that they have the power within themselves to work towards what they need to live a happy life. They are prepared to work and succeed on their own merits. On the way towards what they want, they make sure they appreciate the journey and what they have. They are a success already at any stage. They know they have worked on themselves to get where they want to be and know how to be grateful for their own efforts.

6. Choose friends wisely and cherish alone time

Happy people are comfortable with or without people around them. In fact, they cherish alone time as this is their time to reconnect to themselves, their values and beliefs, which influences their next steps. Daily centring enables them to reconnect with their personal source of energy. This helps them navigate through the chaos of life and feel centred each day.

7. Establish personal control

Happy people know the only thing they can change, and control, is their own actions and the way they work through any reactions that occur. Happy people know that if they react, their crumble points are pushed, and they can work through them until they get to a solution stage where they are in control of their emotions again. Happy people also know that only constant practice makes permanent.

8. Accept things that cannot be changed

You do not often hear happy people moan about the weather, that the lift is not working or lost luggage. They know these are out of their control and not worth wasting energy on. They also know life will throw things at them which they have no control over; however, they have the belief in themselves that they can handle it to the best of their abilities. Happy people know they have a choice in how they see the world and how they react to what is happening to them daily.

9. See problems as challenges and as a way to grow

Happy people do not shy away from difficult situations. They see challenges as opportunities to grow and improve their skill set of life. They know each problem, or person who gets under their skin, may be there to teach them something they can learn from and grow. They trust themselves to act with grace in any situation.

10. Exercise daily and eat well

Happy people know the power of getting their body moving and heart pumping. They know exercise can help release stress and make them feel better. They know that doing exercise they like will motivate them to go out there and do it regularly. Happy people start small and build up. They eat well and rarely feel they deny themselves anything, as they have a balanced diet.

11. Lastly, happy people are not permanently happy

They too get sad and blue. However, the difference is that they refuse to dwell on things for too long, especially things they have no control over. They know they have control over their own emotions and actions. They make the choice to remove themselves from situations that do not serve their growth and focus on the good that there is.

What areas would you like to improve? It takes time to grow, so keep reviewing this list frequently to direct your brain to seek more opportunities to use these points and grow.