109 Happiness Tips: Becoming Happier In Life? This Works [100%]

How can you be happy? Here you will find the 109 best tips, quotes and sayings to become happy and cheerful. Use these practical tools to immediately feel happier in your life. You can immediately start with a permanently happy life. Read along and find out all about happiness…

Happiness tip 1 – Look beyond the ‘attitudes’ about life that you learned at school

Do you see the video above? That’s the attitude I like to see in the morning. Unfortunately, you also see the contrast with all other students – and unfortunately all those other students show a ‘normal’ depressive attitude that is characteristic of ‘going to school’ or ‘going to work’.

Deviant behavior that is therefore not ‘normal’ – and raising your consciousness (joy and ecstasy) – is treated as sick in the West. A gray and depressed Monday morning is seen as normal.

To go through life too happily is unfortunately seen as naive, simple and stupid. However, it is very important not to dismiss positivity and happiness as nonsense or childish.

However, at school we were not taught to be happy and / or to  enjoy the simple, happiness-giving moments in life . In fact, at school we were taught to look at problems. Just think of math. Of course there is nothing wrong with that, but consider how important it really is to learn how to become happy.

Becoming happy — most essential — is not taught to us in schools.

What is the solution for this? You are already doing it by reading this article: do your own research and test all kinds of things to be happier , such as one or more tips from this article!

Happiness tip 2 – Be vulnerable, because then you live with risk & to the fullest

This tip is at the top because it is the key to a loving and happy life. What is Vulnerability?

Vulnerability means doing things where there is uncertainty about the outcome . So despite that risk about the result, you still show up.

In other words, you are doing something with dedication, while it is uncertain what will happen next. You give something, but it is not certain what you will get in return.

What are examples of this?

• Offer someone a hug.
• Compliment someone.
• Speaking your deepest truth to someone.
• Invite someone to sit or lean next to you.
• Asking someone out because you really hope the other person will say yes.
• Kissing someone on the first date.
• Chasing your dream.
• Pick up the phone and make a sales call.
• Express your emotions.

Read the article about vulnerability and you will soon find out how powerful it is for your happiness. When you are vulnerable, you live – as they say in English – ‘wholehearted’. You are then fully alive.

If you want to live an interesting life, you have to take risks.

Happiness tip 3 – Do something carefree

Professor Haemin Sunim once made the following wonderful suggestion. Go to the cinema for the silliest movie. Alone or with your best friend, even if you don’t normally watch comedies, and laugh out loud until it hurts! Feel free to shed a few tears as if no one is looking, like a carefree teenager.

Go to the cinema on a weekday … in the morning!

Happiness tip 4 – Watch comedy movies all day long

Make a list of funny movies and purchase them to watch them all day long. It has been scientifically proven that when you feel down, and then you watch laugh movies all day long, a special change takes place: This will help you become happier and make sadness disappear.

Happiness tip 5 – Have a ‘Super Happy Fun Day’ once a week

Dean Jackson literally lives the life of his dreams and is a successful businessman. How did he achieve that? Not because he made so much money. He does, but that’s not why he’s living the life of his dreams. There are plenty of people with a lot of money who are nowhere near as happy and relaxed as Dean.

His secret is mainly in his Super Happy Fun Day. This means that Dean has planned a whole day every week with nothing but fun things. This makes him feel completely fantastic! How would you feel after such a day? Doesn’t that have a positive effect on your stress level, work and productivity?

Being in the bodypump class early on Sunday morning can also be part of a ‘Super Happy Fun Day’! Lazy sunday my ass! Let’s go crazy!

Happiness tip 6 – Be crazy! Get out of your mind! Even though that is ‘different’ …

Unfortunately, we live in a world where ecstasy and joy are viewed as illness and seriousness as normal. In The Netherlands, #emmawortelboer became trending in 2019 because people found the presenter “too enthusiastic” after the Netherlands won the Eurovision song contest.

Do you ever go crazy? Impulsive and full of enthusiasm completely loose on that one nice song when you hear it on the radio? Or … do you first look around to see if there are others who might be able to see you if you just want to be crazy?

Do you stay in that ‘safe box’ where everything seems ‘normal’? Or are you yourself? Don’t let fear, that little ego and the opinions of others limit you!

Fully enjoy whatever happens and inspire others to do the same.

‘Normal’ is absolutely not the same as ‘healthy’.  It is normal to take in sugar through drinks and food throughout the day. But it is unhealthy. In the same way, it is considered unusual to go crazy and have a good laugh. Indeed: laughing often is seen as ‘crazy’.

The most radical act in a dormant and paralyzed world is to wake up and feel .
– James McCrae

So smile and go crazy, because that makes you happy, although it is not normal. It is normal to be unhappy. Do you see how it all turned around?

If we look purely at looks, there are ‘attractive people’ and ‘unattractive people’. However, the most ‘unattractive people’ on an external level can be the most attractive people purely because they have a continuous smile on their face. This is not normal. It is different. But they are the happiest and most attractive of all. So laugh all day for no reason. Make it a challenge until it has become normal for you.

When you hear your favorite songs, put down everything you are doing and go straight away. Bring others into this and the party is complete. If necessary, meet with a colleague at work to have such a moment every day.

Seriousness is a disease.
– Osho

You can of course behave as society wants you to behave: like a little robot. You can’t be too happy, you can’t be too happy, you can’t be too crazy, you can’t be too nice … because that would be weird and sick. Fine, but if you want to be happy, do whatever you want.

Happiness Tip 7 – Laugh (and just be happy) for no reason … Just until it hurts!

One time when I went on vacation, one of the flight attendants, while speaking through the microphone, was constantly laughing. Even during her earnest announcements, she laughed out loud as she spoke. She had a lot of fun and it added to the holiday mood of the passengers. She literally sent her happiness into the world.

Laughter is medicine.

Unfortunately, there is a taboo on laughter and joy. From the anecdote above, it is guaranteed that passengers have also been on the plane who have lodged a complaint. Laughter is unfortunately a serious crime according to many. If everyone were to show spontaneity and joy, the world would of course go off the rails. A disgrace!

Do you recognize that as a child you sometimes had those laughing moments, but that an adult soon said something like: “Well enough is enough.” Or there was a snarl, “Tell me what’s so funny.” Unfortunately ecstasy is a taboo in society …

What can be done about this? Don’t worry about what society thinks , smile for no reason and dissolve the blockages to your inner spontaneity and joy. You will work with this in dynamic meditation, among other things  .

The smile is the universal language of the lucky ones.

Luck doesn’t need a reason. Just laugh out loud and out loud wherever you are. Is someone asking why you are so happy? Happiness, love, and kindness don’t need a reason. This is natural for children and your unconditioned self. Only the ego needs a reason.

The most wasted day is the day when we didn’t laugh.
– Sebastian Chamfort

Others will thank you for this memory for a laugh. It is free. It costs nothing to laugh and you don’t need a reason to laugh. Show your ‘unreasonable smile’ more often. Be surprised by unreasonable joy. Be unreasonably joyful, loving, and kind to others and yourself. Put on your nice clothes and go out to dinner for no reason. Your treat. Call a friend for no reason. Meditate on unreasonable joy today.

The whole art of living is knowing how to turn fear into laughter.
– Alan Watts

Share your smile with others too. Smile at others. Greet them enthusiastically, and not ‘just like that’. Every ‘hi’ always seems to be the same – always the same three letters – but every ‘hi’ is truly unique, especially thanks to the gift of your endearing smile that you give.

Since everything is just an illusion, perfect in what it is, which has nothing to do with good or bad, acceptance or change, you might as well burst out laughing!
– Longchenpa

Happiness tip 8 – Process your emotions: do something with your anger (for example)

Discharge yourself on a regular basis, because bottling up isn’t good for anyone. Discharge in a constructive way and process every emotion. For example, don’t have any resentment or anger about the past. Heal it by processing it. You will learn how to do this in the accompanying article about processing emotions.

Focus on the here and now (and thus the future) and deal with the past.

You can excellently process your old emotions – your training without crying and unraveled joy – in a formal meditation such as an active Osho Mystic Rose meditation . All the better if it also carries through informally in your life – for example by simply allowing the giggles much more often when you are with family and friends.

Happiness tip 9 – Cry

I don’t care how. I want to see tears. You don’t always have to be happy. Also be sad if that’s what you feel. The next tip is also related to this …

Happiness tip 10 – Dance and sing

Have you ever experienced that you became enormously joyful when you started dancing? Hopefully you weren’t surprised why that came about: dancing is even what the entire shiny cosmos does: it’s one big party!

The one thing that can solve most of our problems is dancing.
– James Brown

When people are free, they come together and sing and dance! Or we look at it (that happens in spectatoristic cultures, with respect to participation cultures). We prefer to do that all the time: dance. And that’s what our hearts do, what our lungs do, what our veins do. But is that allowed? And do we dare to admit it? This is what the next tip is about …

Emma Watson and Ezra Miller demonstrate this lucky tip in one of the most beautiful movie scenes of recent years. This scene showed how dance revolutionized the main character in The Perks of Being a Wallflower. Ezra and Emma showed how much fun dancing is here and they welcomed the main character into their dance.

Dance is my elixir of life.

Happiness tip 11 – Play, dance and don’t be serious: life isn’t serious!

Earlier in this article, the tip about dancing was discussed. Dancing is something that is not serious. We have to go into this …

Everything plays, everything dances. That’s life.

We prefer to do that all the time: dance. And that’s what our hearts do, what our lungs do, what our veins do. But is that allowed? And do we dare to admit it? Because Mom says we should seriously do the dishes. And she has forgotten that even the whole point of doing the dishes is play . You don’t do the dishes for a serious reason. You want the table to look nice.

Organizing the patterns of life is seen as a duty, a debt, and that’s the problem.
– Alan Watts

The parents are playing a game: “We sacrificed so much for you. We’ve supported you and paid for your education, and you’re an ungrateful dog. ‘ And the child feels terribly guilty because we build the idea in all people that existence is guilt . “If you don’t feel guilty, you’re not human.” Because mom and dad say, ‘Look at all the trouble you’ve caused us. If you don’t feel guilty, you have no rights. ‘

Be grateful and don’t take life too seriously.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Reality, existence, is beautiful, it is pure joy. The stars are a fireworks display: a celebration. Everything is play. Maya (Creation) is linked to the word game. This is the nature of God: it does n’t work, it just plays .

Don’t take anything too seriously, and the least you should take seriously is yourself.

Everything is done for a serious reason. Even when adults give in to play, they justify themselves, “Oh, it’s good for me, it helps me work better, it’s change, it’s exercise.” Even let that go and just play.

“The serious” is not one of the names of God.

You could play so wonderfully in your youth! There is absolutely no reason not to do that as an adult. There is no reason forever but that serious stuff.

Don’t be serious, but be sincere . To be serious means to speak in the context of the possibility of a tragedy. But the basic question must come, is God serious? Of course the answer is no. Because there is nothing to be serious about.
– Alan Watts

God always jokes. Look at your own life – it’s a joke! Look at other people’s lives and you will find jokes, jokes and more jokes. Seriousness is a disease. Spirituality is just about starting to laugh.
– Osho

Realize that life is fireworks! It is one joyous celebration! Ecstasy is inevitable. The whole universe is fireworks, it is music.

Existance is extasy.

Happiness tip 12 – Read what spiritual awakening means: this awakening provides ultimate happiness

Spiritual awakening can be explained in many ways. Let’s zoom in on one of these ways here.

To enter deep wisdom you must first be demotivated ( after confusion comes clarity ). So there is chaos in this world. You then build something and you want to change the world … Do that! This is your mission! As long as you don’t stay in the unfortunate sense that the world is a disastrous place …

Know that it’s all okay in the end, and the situation is inevitable ecstasy … You get it left or right. A lot of people don’t know and hate life. However, an awakened person sees the ecstasy through the chaos!

There is nothing for you to do right now but to laugh.
– A Zen master

And you know at some point that everything is okay, that there is peace and ecstasy and that all those other people are you (non-duality, or oneness). But there is no point in holding that feeling. We purposely forget what we really are (unity) so that we can experience the awakening again. We lose ourselves in roles and we play the social game so we can wake up from it.

‘Okay, I played the part, played the social game. I have taken on the role, with my job, social class, etc. and I have become identified with it. ‘ Other people tell you that: we tell each other who we are by how we treat each other. For example, you come to this article to read my texts, and by doing that you are telling me that I am some writer / teacher. and tell yourselves that you are students.

And that’s just one example. At work. Home. A certain behavior is expected of you everywhere. And so you are told who you are, and if you are a reasonable and sociable person, you do that, because it is expected of you. You also tell people who they are in all kinds of ways. And then you suddenly have had enough.

And then you say, ” I’ve done all that now, and who am I really?”  To find out, I have to sit down to myself . In silence. For a long time. After a long time and a lot of meditation, you not only stop talking, you also stop thinking in words. And that is a very strange experience when it happens.

The sunrise becomes incredibly more vibrant. The flowers are enchanting. The whole world comes to life. You see things that you have not seen before. You stop coding it with thinking (labeling).

This was just another description of awakening. Here you will find many more descriptions and perspectives on awakening.

Happiness tip 13 – Get out and about: day trips are designed to make you happy

The whole point of outings is to become happy. Take this activity list for fun outings and enjoy!

Happiness tip 14 – What makes you happy? Sit in the sun and feel the sun on your skin

The sun releases serotonin in your body. So many people go to the sun because the sun makes you happy! So go to the beach or the park and enjoy the sun.

Happiness tip 15 – Go for quality time with your family (and friends)

A simple example from Haemin Sunim: take a little earlier from work today. Wait for your child at the school. Play around with him on the playground. Let him choose where to eat and shower him with loving attention. Grab ice cream for the whole family on the way home. Your child will always remember this day.

A family walks on the fallen autumn leaves. The father picks up his five-year-old son and the boy showers him with kisses. The mother looks on with a smile. When we take the time to look around us, we see that we are surrounded by beautiful moments.
– Haemin Sunim

In addition, get to know your parents better while you can.

The quality of your life is the quality of your relationships.
– Tony Robbins

And your kids …

Real luxury is having the time to read to my children endlessly in bed .
– Kate Winslet

In short: call your friends and family more often, remember their birthdays and do fun things together more often. Invite your family and friends more often. Old-fashioned quality time!

Happiness tip 16 – Give or receive a sweet message

Send someone a sweet message. Then you will automatically receive one. Or even better: use this gigantic compliment list for inspiration to compliment someone!

Give unconditionally. Don’t even expect a thank you.

I already hear some people say: “But you shouldn’t force that … It has to come naturally …” Those people are absolutely right and you are now given an assignment to force it nicely, because it is something good that makes everyone happy. So just forcefully give a random compliment – especially to people you see every day.

Always have paper and envelopes nearby so you can write handwritten notes for people you care about. Imagine the extreme effect you can have on multiple levels when you make it a habit to write a letter a day. That would amount to 365 letters a year … In 25 years you would have sent nearly 10,000 handwritten letters … How many smiles will you have put on people’s faces? What is the difference you can make for others and yourself?

HappinessTip 17 – Say you love someone

Have you perhaps forgotten to say aloud to someone too often?

There is only one happiness in this life, to love and be loved.
– George Sand

Happiness tip 18 – Spend time with children, they will love to teach you how to be happy

Interact with children and learn from their fun, happiness and innocence! If you are around children, immediately ask: “Can I play?” Children are extra happy if an adult wants to participate.

Happiness is all about your willingness to be innocent again.

Learn from them how they rely on their instincts and take the greatest pleasure in everything they do. They are already happy with a puddle of water in the rain that they can jump into with their boots.

Happiness is simple when you are mini.

Children run to the mirror and kiss their reflection. They can look at themselves with love. They don’t have a sense of, ‘I really shouldn’t do that, I shouldn’t fully accept myself as I am. I’m not as good as the kid across the street. I wish my clothes were better, that I was taller, that I was thinner … “

Our true nature accepts and loves who we really are. The more we grow up, we lose that authenticity. Our goal is to find this again.

Happiness tip 19 – Be friendly and do not give criticism or unsolicited advice

For many people, these are perhaps the greatest lessons from Dale Carnegie: Don’t give unsolicited advice. If you have nothing nice to say, don’t say anything. Train yourself in the virtue of kindness .

Spread love wherever you go. Don’t ever let anyone come to you without that person leaving you happier.
– Mother Teresa

What’s even worse than unsolicited advice? Saying unkind things or criticizing that person is not around. Gossip is for losers. Listening to gossip is just as weak.

You can travel the world with a smile. You don’t need piles of banknotes for that. Kindness, tolerance, and patience will go a long way. Friendly people achieve more in their lives, with less effort.
– Michael Pilarczyk

Be the kindest person you ever know! Be kind to everyone, but don’t become friends with everyone.

Happiness tip 20 – What are you grateful for? Count your blessings with these three simple questions

Daniel Kahneman once conducted a survey where a large group of people were asked how happy they were. A second group was also asked this question, but just before this question was asked, another question was asked: “What is something positive in your life?” The happiness scores of the second group were higher than those of the first group!

The more grateful we feel, the happier we become.

To count your blessings to feel gratitude, use these sweet questions (every day!):

1. What are you happy / proud about in your life now?
2. What makes you happy?
3. How does that make you feel?

Gratitude is actually the most important superpower for becoming happier, because it is a whole level above all other tips. Gratitude is completely in yourself: you choose how you deal with a situation, instead of reacting to a situation. You are grateful for whatever happens. For example, you can be grateful if you are even sad or angry.

When you are grateful, fear disappears and abundance appears.
– Tony Robbins

Gratitude is the most healthy human emotion.
– Prince Ea

Happiness is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.
– Marianne Williamson

By the way, gratitude has a nice little brother, namely satisfaction. Click here to read more about satisfaction.

Contentment is the philosopher’s stone that turns everything it touches into gold.
Benjamin Franklin

Happiness tip 21 – Also show gratitude to others

The previous tip was about feeling gratitude in yourself. Now it is also time to send this nice feeling into the world! Say thank you to everything and everyone.

Above all, show your gratitude to your teachers, mentors, and most important friends. Send them a card and a flower. Just to honor their trust, faith and love in you. Because of them you are where you are now.

Don’t just be grateful, show it. It is a skill that few people really use.
– Eelco de Boer

When someone makes an effort for you, make sure to show appropriate and immediate recognition. You don’t necessarily have to feel an obligation to give back to that person! Just find a genuine way to express your appreciation in words.

Happiness tip 22 – Surround yourself with inspiring people (ever heard of ‘Mastermind’?)

Be kind to everyone, but don’t make friends with everyone. What’s the point of vinegar pisses, cynics and energy vampires? It’s simple: they just have to get out of your life, no matter how hard it sounds. Life is too short to deal with unnecessary negativity. Surround yourself with happy, fun and inspiring people.

You get family, you choose friends.

Spend time with people who make you happy. If you surround yourself with people who can make you enthusiastic, you become the mean: you will be happier!

Avoid the unhappy and unlucky.
– Robert Greene

A good way to do this is through a Mastermind group . Build a group of people around you who support each other in good times and bad.

Happiness tip 23 – Look at the face of a sleeping child

Haemin Sunim put it so beautifully: “Look at the face of a sleeping child, you will soon feel waves of peace.” A child is just a very recent incarnation of God, fresh from The Source of Pure Happiness!

Happiness tip 24 – Do something different … Every day!

This is a really cool tip for better luck! Do something different every day. In other words: break through as many everyday patterns as possible.

This changes your vibrations. If you want to change your life, you have to change your vibrations . How do you change your vibrations? By doing things differently.

So constantly interrupt patterns. For that you have to step out of your usual, familiar patterns and walls. You have to let go and leave old things for this. Now space is created, which will be filled with happiness!

• Take a different route.
• Take a detour and cycle through streets you’ve never been before.
• Buy a different newspaper or magazine than you are actually used to.
• Choose a different brand.

This way you make your world a bit bigger.

Happiness tip 25 – Take action: no luck without action

Becoming happy is literally on the move . So it’s about doing things . Are you just talking about what you want to do, or about the goals you want to achieve? That is useful, but then you still have not made any progress.

No happiness without action.
– Tim Ferris

Just start doing it. Not perfect, not even good, but at least there is movement in the brewery. Without that movement there is nothing to enjoy and there is no success at all. Action is the habit of successful people who excel and enjoy what they do.

You can 100% assume that when you plan all kinds of active things in a day (dancing, taking the abs for half an hour and taking a walk on the beach), you have worked hard on your luck.

Even do ‘scary’ things that you normally wouldn’t do. This also helps you directly to get to your feelings and get into the here and now.

If you really want to feel alive, you have to have the guts to fully dive into life. Don’t stand next to the roller coaster, but get in , fasten the stirrup, feel the adrenaline and scream – with all your heart.
– Jelle Hermus

Happiness tip 26 – Keep breathing!

Before anything you will do, breathe . Let every breath matter!

Keep breathing.

Happinesstip 27 – Move physically

When you are stuck: move physically. This literally loosens things up, leaving room for happiness! Here you will find 251 tips to get into your body.

Do strength training. ‘Don’t be weak.’

Happiness tip 28 – Let the power of music make you happy

Listen to it or make it! Or make it together with someone. For example, take a look at this list of cheerful music.

Happiness tip 29 – Have self-love and become happy with yourself

You find true happiness in being happy with yourself. In fact, the only thing that makes you permanently happy is being happy with yourself.

Walk to a mirror, stand in front of it and see who you see in it. Look at yourself while looking yourself in the eye. Then put your hand on your heart and say, “I love you.” When love is within you, you have the capacity to attract more love and happiness.

You are what you are looking for.

The deeper meaning of this is that basically all the love in the world is in you, and you must have love and a loving intention for others. You can read exactly how that works in the article about self-love.

Happiness belongs to those who are self-sufficient.
– Aristotle

Happiness tip 30 – Enjoy the little things

Just a flower or a cup of coffee is enough to make you happy: happiness is in the small things in life. Also laugh about the little funny things in life. Even something crazy like a farmer.

The little things? The little moments? They are not that small!
– Jon Kabat-Zinn

In our life we ​​have a lot of ‘normal hours’ in which nothing special seems to happen. These types of hours are by far the most common in our lives compared to the ‘special hours’ with ‘special events’. For example, when we are on the way from work and to work, standing in line, having to sit at something, water the plants or feed our pets. Happiness means that you find at least a moment of joy in those ‘normal’ hours. In those ‘little’ things.

Happiness tip 31 – Live in the 20th century again: visit, have a chat …

The technological progress of the 21st century is very positive: things are faster, easier, cheaper and more efficient. However, we must prevent the apps from becoming a substitute for actually stopping by someone’s birthday – or at least calling.

This technology has made human contact scarcer – and as a result has become a luxury product. Everything that you cannot convert into ones and zeros, such as being physically together, becomes scarce and luxurious. It takes place less and less, for example in companies. There used to be someone everywhere, wherever you went: hospitals, supermarkets, governments …

All those human contacts that we outsource to technology … In retrospect, that human contact was quite expensive.

Many more teenagers and adults are finding it increasingly difficult to have a face to face conversation. They find it more exciting and they are less used to its inconveniences – although those inconveniences actually make us human. This increasingly smart software removes the inconveniences from our lives, while we increasingly have to look for those inconveniences:

• Having nothing to say to each other …
• Sometimes can’t understand each other …
• That a conversation is awkward sometimes …
• That sometimes we have to search in a conversation …
• That we all feel a little insecure …
• Not everyone is a superstar in human contact …

And then technology is an ideal solution … but we must embrace the aforementioned ‘burdens’ again.

The solution is that we have to become more and more human. We have to consciously seek contact again by not just choosing ‘quick and easy’, but by calling each other and visiting each other. So we have to train ourselves in the things that are uncomfortable in our friendships, relationships with neighbors, and with our partners.

Social contact – even with strangers – makes you happy. Visit friends, family and old acquaintances. Just a cup of coffee together. And if you are standing in line at the till, take a look at what unknown others have bought and talk about it briefly. Or help someone at the bus stop with the suitcase. Ask someone with a grumpy face what’s going on.

Don’t just stick with ‘hi’, but actually engage in something meaningful with a stranger by turning it into a real conversation: ‘How are you?’

And are you a customer of someone? Have a chat. See that person. Pay attention. “How are you? How are your kids?” You give something with this – love – and you will always get it back.

Happinesstip 32 – Be alone for a while: go out alone!

Spend some time alone every day. Just cleanse from other people’s energies. For example, go out alone.

• To the forest.
• To the beach.
• Somewhere you’ve always wanted to go.

All alone, just you and the road. Here close your eyes and clear your mind.

Happiness tip 33 – Send out negative thoughts (by allowing and examining them)

To negative thoughts I say: get out! Or not … Actually, I do the opposite, so they come out on their own. I allow them, welcome them and embrace them with love. Then they go away on their own. You can examine and process the thoughts, after which they will be resolved automatically.

How do you examine them? Byron Katie has developed an effective method for this which you can find here . With her method she examines every thought. After examining negative thoughts, she can accept these thoughts: “It should have been. It’s supposed to be raining now. The situation does not make me unhappy, but my expectations about the situation make me unhappy. ‘

Let’s say you’re hosting a party and Debby wasn’t invited. As soon as she comes in, she annoys everyone. If you force her out the door, she will keep coming back. However, if you give her a warm welcome and give her the attention she desires, she will change or she will leave.

This takes practice, just like fitness! Eat healthy and exercise daily and your body will slowly become strong. Work on your thought process in the same way. Ultimately, you keep two types of thoughts:

• A cheerful one
• A useful one

Furthermore, nothing enters my brain for a longer period of time because I overload and research all other thoughts with love, after which they disappear.

Happiness tip 34 – Make someone else happy too: take others along in your joy of life!

There are many studies that prove that making someone else happy is the best way to be happy yourself.

Make someone else incredibly happy! For example, if you are in a group, and someone comes in, cheer for this person all together! “Piet, Piet, Piet, Piet!” If music suddenly starts to play, stand in the front of the group and whip everyone up!

Happiness tip 35 – Be considerate and helpful

Always be alert to help people with their bag, jacket, or pick something up if they drop something.

Happiness tip 36 – Sharing makes you happy

If you take food with you, take extra food with you so that you have to use it up! Start sharing it spontaneously with people wherever you go. For example, if you buy a sandwich at the station kiosk, the packaging says: “Share and make a friend.” Do that!

Caring a little about each other … a little sharing. That’s all life is.
– Osho

There is no pleasure in owning anything that is undivided.
– Seneca

Happiness tip 37 – Do one thing at a time: monotasking

Monotasking contributes to your happiness because it gives you peace of mind and because it allows you to move towards your goals much faster. Do one thing at a time.

Happiness tip 38 – All happiness is in the moment (the here-and-now)

How do you know you’re holding on to the past? If you are unhappy. Ask yourself, what of the past am I holding onto?

The same goes for the future. You may think that you cannot be happy until you have reached a certain goal. That sounds like a logical thought, but the joke is that happiness is secretly completely in the here-and-now. Read the article about the here and now.

Happiness tip 39 – Becoming happy is easy without ego!

Read the article about the ego and notice how much happiness it wants to take away from you.

Happiness tip 40 – Have a nice trip

This needs no explanation. Anyone who has ever taken a trip or been on vacation knows the blissful feeling of this. Later in this article you will discover that it is all not too bad in terms of finances. Keep an eye on the tip about ‘lifestyle design’.

Schedule it and just do it. It never comes out until you get on that plane and find out how bad it actually turned out.
– Eelco de Boer

Happiness Tip 41 – Forgive!

Forgiveness is an effective way to process emotions and become happy after someone has done something to you.

Love is the best revenge. Get Happy.

The joke of forgiveness is, it’s the only thing you can do. You can’t change what happened. Save yourself the trouble of worrying about it again for a long time. Isn’t life a lot better if you’re not angry?

Forgive & delete!

Good luck tip 42 – Take care of yourself

It has been proven that caring for others makes you happy . Yet this tip is called: ‘Take care of yourself’ ‘. Why? More energy should be your top priority for happiness.

You can’t take care of others if you haven’t taken care of yourself first . So take care of your own needs. In every situation ask yourself: is this good, sweet or beneficial for me? This increases your capacity to help others.

When you are tired, rest.

Treat yourself to:

• A healthy body that gets enough exercise
• Self-love and self-acceptance
• A healthy spirit (intuition)
• Good, healthy food
• Enough sleep
• Enough rest
• A nice book
• To walk
• Quality time for yourself
• The time and energy to fulfill your mission

This allows you to feel healthy, energetic and positive!

Happiness tip 43 – You have it in your hands to become happy (You ‘stand at the cause’!)

Go from effect to cause . What does that mean? That you step off the passenger seat and take the wheel yourself. You take responsibility and you stop blaming others. Being on the cause side means that nothing or no one can take care of your happiness or misfortune. So you step out of the victim role (consequence).

The ego loves to remain a victim, full of despair, self-pity and effortlessly pointing to others. I don’t think I need to tell you that victimization isn’t working.

(…) And do you look around and see the sun? Or are you looking for the shadow on the ground behind everything?

Do you live for happiness? Or do you die of grief and does that feel like a choice or do you not have that choice?

It doesn’t really matter whether that’s the truth or not. It’s how you see it.

How beautiful can life be? It’s just how you look, it’s just what you dream. How beautiful is your reality, you are as rich … as rich as you feel.

(…) Do you see what it said or just what it said?

Are you getting what you want or even more than what you asked for? Are you satisfied with the least or is most not enough?

Are you amazed by the snow, the rustling of the wind? Do you enjoy the birds, the laughter of a child?

You create your happiness, because within yourself is where it ends and begins. (…)

– John Ewbank & Marco Borsato (Dutch musicians from the music video above)

Where you see possibilities, a consequence person sees limitations. However, ( thanks to these proactive behavior tips ), standing on the cause side and making yourself happy isn’t that complicated. It does mean that you have to take a good look in the mirror. Whoever you see there is the only person on earth who can make you happy. Only you, and you alone. Very nice too, because you are always around!

Be deeply unhappy. Or motivate yourself. It is always your choice.
– Wayne Dyer

Only you determine what meaning you give to a situation. You will have to make the meaning of life yourself  (cause). It is not determined for you (consequence).

The meaning of life is not a quest, but a choice.
– Victor Frankl and his cousin Freddie

The best years of your life are the years when you decide that your problems are your own. You don’t blame your mother, your environment or the president. You realize that you control your own destiny.
– Albert Ellis

The internal is stronger than the external. Remember that your perception is stronger than your circumstances. How you respond to your circumstances is more important than the circumstances themselves.
– James McCrae

Very little is needed for a happy life; it’s all in yourself, in the way you think.
– Marcus Aurelius

There is only one way to happiness, and that is to stop worrying about things that are beyond your control.
– Epictetus

A related question is: How do you not get drawn into the negativity in the world? Yes, there is a lot of negativity in the world, but there is also a lot of positivity in the world. It depends on how you look and what you see. You can also put this the other way around: how is it possible that – with so many beautiful things in the world – people see so much negative …

Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
– Confucius

Society makes us believe that ‘crap’ is normal. Society teaches us to focus on war, disease and depression. ‘That’s life. Life can be difficult ‘. I do not believe that. Let’s see the world that we have so much more power. Just here and now. Fear doesn’t really exist. Only power exists. You own your own mind, your own happiness, strength and health. Our capabilities are endlessly higher than we think.
– Wim Hof

Happiness tip 44 – A day without complaint and judgment

Not every day is a good day for people who judge and cannot accept because they are only happy when things happen the way they want them to. For people who accept and don’t judge, every day is a good day, because they feel free: they know that nothing can take away their wisdom and freedom.

Apply the tips from the article on non-judgment . Do you notice that you are still complaining and judging? Then put 2 euros in a pot every time!

Happiness tip 45 – Go for ‘good enough instead of perfection’ – This allows you to do and experience more

Perfect is the enemy of good. Just start with something without being perfectly prepared for it. People who do this are happier than perfectionists . The illusion that perfectionists fall victim to is that there is always room for improvement.

So go for ‘good enough’. For example, if you go shopping, buy what meets your basic criteria and don’t spend another half day looking for something that would be just a little more suitable.

Wonderful is that … Let go and just start doing things!

Lower your expectations.

Happiness tip 46 – Don’t be afraid to do difficult things

In fact, life becomes easy when you are willing to do difficult things. And if you just want to go for the easy, then life will be difficult for you.

Life consists of seasons. Sometimes things go well, sometimes less well. Embrace the season you are in and trust that better times are about to come.
– Eelco de Boer

Happiness tip 47 – Don’t expect anything

Lower your expectations and you will instantly become happier. This applies to everything in life: everything that has to do with yourself and everything that has to do with others.

Happiness is reality minus expectations.

When you do something for someone, you actually want a thank you. If you pay for dinner once, you expect the other to pay the next time. You keep a kind of accounting about this, as it were. Let go of this thought immediately! Just give your goodness because you want to do it yourself. You find it important or fun yourself.

Be grateful that you can afford something for someone. Be grateful that you have the opportunity to be generous.

Happiness tip 48 – Accept and surrender

Exchange expectations for appreciation and acceptance. Use the “serenity prayer” below and read the acceptance article  to discover how essential surrender is to being happy now.

Give us the calmness to accept what we cannot change, the courage to change what we can change, and the wisdom to distinguish between the two.
– Serenity Prayer of Francis of Assisi.

There are peaks and troughs in life. Don’t strive for a life without dips. Setbacks are inherent in life. Find happiness in them by accepting them.

In fact, without troughs it is impossible for there to be peaks. And vice versa: you can only sit in a valley if there is a mountain in front of and behind you. And even more: problems are teachers. The bigger the problem, the bigger the lesson / gift and the more grateful we can be for it. This is the principle of non-duality.

Another way of describing acceptance is “the noble art of not giving af * ck.” See next tip …

Being okay with uncertainty – accepting it – is a sign of inner strength.

Happiness tip 49 – Don’t try to be happy: learn the noble art of not giving af * ck

‘Not giving af * ck’ means that you will no longer strive, try and force . We don’t have to strive for happiness. We don’t have to  try  to get it.

Pessimism is a win-win situation: either it is not too bad or you are right.
– Theo Maassen

There are also many ‘annoyances’ and setbacks in life. And those setbacks can bring us a lot. All we have to do is not try to resist those ‘annoyances’ in order to force happiness.

Life doesn’t have to be fun, and when it doesn’t have to be fun anymore, it gets fun.

We can also ‘just do’. We can safely accept that ordinary life is sometimes a little bit ordinary and a little bit sad and vulnerable. And then everything suddenly becomes pleasant and happy. Then suddenly love and connection appear.

Do you not go out that often, do you not have visitors that often, do you not often go on vacation, do you not often do exciting and adventurous things? That’s totally fine! You are enough with the ‘normal’ life you have. In fact, the ultimate happiness is ‘just’ to be found in a moderate life, including the inconveniences and challenges.

Life doesn’t have to be all fun. In fact, that is not even possible. See non-duality . This teaches us that peaks (feeling good) do not exist without dips (feeling bad). Happiness can arise when you accept the valleys and see them as gifts because they are also part of the peaks in an invisible way.

You can only become as happy as the degree to which you are also willing to be sad.

So don’t strive for a ‘happy life’. The world is full of dullness, weakness, misfortune and transience. That acceptance makes happy. You cannot be ‘happy’ 24 hours a day. Crying, suffering and sadness are part of it.

With ‘positive psychology’ and ‘keep thinking positively’ you are in many cases just fooling yourself.

Now let’s build a bridge to the noble art of ‘not giving af * ck …’

The less you care, the happier you will be.
– English saying

The miracle is not to walk on water. The wonder is to walk on this earth.
– Thich Nhat Hanh

An ‘ordinary boy next door’, Mark Manson, teaches us many lessons in ‘The Noble Art of Not Giving a F * ck’. This noble art has several refinements. To sum it up, it boils down to the following bullet points.

• Trying to be happy makes us less happy. Accepting unhappiness makes us happy.
• The more we want to control our own feelings and impulses, the less powerful we feel.
• The more we long for freedom, the more, ironically, we become limited.
• The more we want to make ourselves feel secure, the more we generate insecurity. If you are okay with insecurity, you will be allowed to feel more confident.
• The more we want others to love and accept us, the less they will. And most importantly, the less we will love and accept ourselves.
• The more we demand respect from others, the less they respect us. The more they respect ourselves, the more they will respect us.
• The more we try our best to make others trust us, the more likely they are not to. The more we trust others, the more they will trust us.
• The more we want great trips, activities, parties and weekend getaways (and want to post this on social media), the more we miss the joys of the ordinary things in life.
• The more we seek deeper meaning and mission in our lives, the more obsessed with ourselves and superficial we will become.

“The harder we try to do something with the conscious will, the harder we will succeed. Skills and results only come to those who have learned the paradoxical art of doing and not doing, or combining relaxation with exercise.”
– Aldous Huxley

Happiness tip 50 – There is no quest for happiness… It is not even an end goal!

Do not go for a ‘persuit of happiness’, because happiness is not in another row and space. It is here, now, and in fact, it is you yourself. Not only are you entitled to it, but you are pure luck. You don’t have to work for it to get there. It is only sometimes very veiled. It’s like sitting on the horse, looking for the horse …

Happiness is a journey without distance.

Moreover, happiness is never the end goal. It is the very foundation on which you build a great life. Happiness is only the beginning, the foundation.

You’re on the horse … looking for the horse.
– Proverb

I am what I am looking for.
Mantra

It’s also a process, so it will never be finished. That way your eating pattern is never ‘finished’ . You can optimize it by eating less sweets and more vegetables, but you keep eating every day. It is never finished, never an end goal. That is also the case with luck.

This cannot be stressed enough: happiness is never the end goal. Luck is not a prize you get at the finish line, but it is the starting ticket you need before you even start. The path to the goal is therefore full of moments of happiness in the here and now. You walk this happiness path on the way to your goal.

Happiness does not depend on anything.

It is a mistake if you try to achieve a goal in order to achieve conditional happiness. There should be no conditions for happiness.

Success is not the key to happiness. Luck is the key to success. If you love what you do, you will be successful.
– Herman Cain

Success & happinness means doing the best we can with what we have. Success is the doing, not the getting; in the trying, not the triumph.
– Zig Ziglar

There are therefore no gradations in the degree to which you have ‘achieved’ happiness. And those people who took 18 years to get from misery to happiness? There are no people who have done it 18 years. They waited 18 years to jump into life. You jump right in in a second.

You cannot travel to happiness. Happiness cannot be earned, owned, worn out or used up. Happiness is the spiritual experience of every minute of a life full of love, grace and gratitude.
– Denis Waitly

Any end goal you set in life is relatively important. Absolutely important is the fullness of life in the here and now. You will not be happy if you subordinate the journey to the goal. You become happy when you find absolute happiness in the journey, and seek relative happiness in the goal. Replace desire with joy , or at least let them balance.

Happiness does not depend on anything. It doesn’t depend on anything. If it did depend on something, then there would also be pain. So just be happy for no reason now and don’t think you’ll lose it if you do something crazy. You already have it. It is not a quest or an end goal.

You do not become happy as a result of a change in your external environment. A full enough savings account, an obedient daughter, finally that one trip or a hip coat … You need more and more shots of this rat race to get high and in between highs you feel empty and lost.

Joy cannot be delayed. If you are already unable to be happy, then you will not be happy in your dream villa with your dream job and dream partner.

This is good news: Luck is not behind the tricky final boss of the entire video game, but simply in the very first level where you can still happily jump back and forth without effort.
– Jelle Hermus

In short: nothing needs to change in the present moment. The only thing that needs to change is the belief that something needs to change. And even that doesn’t have to change. Be blinded by the blatant fact that you have and / or can get everything you desire here and now – and that you are already perfectly happy.

Happiness Tip 51 – Don’t try to be happy all by yourself: ask for help, especially during challenges

From now on I want – when someone asks you how you are – you do not want to communicate by default that you are doing well. Don’t hesitate to say that things are going badly. Suddenly special things happen: you no longer keep it a secret, others can offer you help, others find recognition in it, others appreciate that they finally meet someone without perfection masks and special connections arise.

Moreover: do not hesitate to actively ask for help. In society we have gone through in autonomy and ‘identity’. However, too much independence is unhealthy. Getting help is a sign of ‘together’, rather than ‘me against the rest’.

In fact, if you never get help, you win absolutely nothing. You don’t even get a ribbon at the end of your life that says “Award for never having to ask for help in your life.” What’s the point of such a ribbon?

You don’t have to do it alone.

Ask for help. Life is not all fun, but luckily we are not alone in it. Don’t you want to be called and asked for help when a friend is feeling down? So feel free to ask for help.

This tip interweaves nicely with the previous tip, in which you learn to accept the annoyances of life. We can safely accept that ordinary life is sometimes a little bit ordinary and a little bit sad and vulnerable. Because then suddenly love and connection appear. At difficult times in life, people (such as lovers or close friends) come together. “Come here, what’s going on?” Happiness is achieved together.

Share your small sorrows with others more often!

In general, people are eager to help you, but not everyone can sense that you need help. Dare to ask for help and don’t judge yourself!

You are only one question away from the solution. Ask for help!

Dare to ask for help. You are just one bottleneck from the next level. Actively look for the bottlenecks in your life or large projects. Find the right people around you who want to support you in this. People are happy to help you, so dare to ask for help.

Happiness tip 52 – Get touched: hug, free and lay against your partner

In the previous tip you already learned that we also need help from someone else. Moreover, man is made to be handled. You also do this together. You cannot do this on your own. You will really have to let go of your independence and ‘self-reliance’. However, this is rarely actually done in society.

Go for a walk with a dog. People will then address you at some point. ‘What a nice little dog! What is his name? Is it male or female? How old is he?’ And they caress the animal. The next day you walk again, but now without a dog. No one speaks to you, no one asks for your name, no one asks for your age and no one asks, “Can I pet you?”
– Dirk de Wachter

In this society, people have learned to isolate themselves and to bunker. We have forgotten that we need the other . We want to see each other, we want to be heard and we want to be touched.

Because your skin is your largest organ, people need touch. So cuddle up on the couch with your partner! If you don’t have a partner, use these flirting tips !

Happiness tip 53 – Give people hugs more often

Have a look at the video above. It is a loving expression of “actions, not words,”  in the midst of a tough environment in America. World star Kanye West does not charge any money for this. All he wants is connection, embrace and prayer. He even does this on a weekly basis.

Think about how often you give someone a hug outside of your own family and best friends . Could that frequency be increased? A high five is also possible, but with a hug you give a lot more!

So give people hugs more often . The smallest reasons are enough. For example, after they have done something (small) for you, or after you have done something for them. Perhaps the other person could use it very well at the time.

Think more often of a group hug.

Do you want to take this a step further? Then offer a joint meditation or  breathing session , for example by standing / sitting with your back or stomach against each other and breathing synchronously. You feel that we are all connected and all have the same struggles … without having spoken a word.

I’m also not afraid to say, “Let’s pray.” As the Americans consider it so common. Prayer and God are getting cool again – not in a dogmatic, sectarian way, but let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water.

And if you really want to give yourself up to it, write ‘Free hugs. I trust you, do you trust me? ‘ on a plate, stand in a square, put the plate on the floor, put on a blindfold, spread your arms and be that bright spot of happiness for everyone!
– Sochicken promotion

And did you think the hug was so important? The hug is important, but the hug is not the point. It’s just an act. It only becomes special with inspiration. Do it mindfully . Attention to each other.

When someone in a wheelchair enters a pub in the Eindhoven nightlife scene, we immediately greet him and shake hands, even if we don’t know him.

So if it’s not a hug, it’s a high five, handshake, encouragement, fistpump, toast, or whatever … as long as it’s with real attention! What color is a person’s eyes? An attentive ‘good morning’ – with intention – is also a good start to get people out of their unconscious trance. Break them out. With eye contact and attention. Or greet people a lot more warmly and louder. Or bring them your beautiful smile .

Become happy? Encourage someone! Piet! Piet! Piet! Piet! Also give a round of applause to loving people. If you are with a whole group, give enthusiastic applause with the whole group. For example when employees pass by. They also deserve appreciation.

Happiness tip 54 – Live every day as if it were your last day and your first day

Live like every day is your last day. Ask yourself these questions: have I lived? Did I matter? Have I given love? Open, honest and generous?

Live your life every day as if every day is your first day on this planet. Be amazed every day about everything you experience and see.

Happiness tip 55 – Put on something nice

We live in a physical world, where appearance does play a role. Wear the colors you like and clothes that make you feel good. Fine fabrics, sustainable clothing. It’s your body and you take good care of it. Ray!

Happiness tip 56 – Say ‘yes’ (and ‘no’, see next tip)

If you are invited to do something you don’t really dare, say yes! Does a child ask you to play with him? Then say yes! This makes for adventure! Do ‘epic shit’ like helicopter flights and trips to Las Vegas and say yes to people who invite you to ‘epic shit’!

Say yes, and you’ll figure it out afterwards.
– Tina Fey

Happiness tip 57 – Say ‘no’ (and ‘yes’, see previous tip)

By saying no, you guard your own limits.  That is very important. Know what you want for yourself and act accordingly.

Happiness Tip 58 – Read Poetry or a Novel

A good starting point for poetry is Bol.com’s top 3 bestseller list.

Happiness tip 59 – Switch off your mind, because it is superfluous when you are happy

You probably know them: those news items where a reporter interviews some residents in a working-class neighborhood. They sit comfortably in their garden and enjoy themselves to the full, even cleaning and hanging the laundry. And all those political situations about which the interviewer asks questions? It’s all fine for them. They prefer happiness to excessive thinking about problems that are not happening here and now.

Life is beautiful when you are simple.

The video above is an extreme example for illustration. Take it with a grain of salt.

Why do you stress people?
– Shirley from the video above

You cannot think yourself happy. You really have to do things. The thinking mind is redundant if you are in true happiness. So it promptly makes up a few problems so you can start thinking again instead of being happy.

Ignorance is bliss.
– The Matrix

Fortunately, excessive thinking is just a bad habit, and bad habits can be broken! Also read the article about the insane, worrying mind.

Happiness tip 60 – Make something fail

You have to make mistakes. Make it a point to let something fail. Otherwise you will learn nothing. In fact, otherwise nothing will happen. Aim high and fail big.

Happiness tip 61 – Eat your frog: handle an annoying job

How much fun does it give you when you can finally cross off that task that has been waiting so long to be completed? Just pick one simple thing that makes you feel guilty for not doing it yet, and do it right now. Call that one person to ask how things are going, make that doctor’s appointment, fix that cupboard, make that backup of your phone …

Do you like this? Then it is time for the next step. Then make this a habit. Every morning, first do that one job that you don’t like the fertilizer.

Happiness tip 62 – Feel non-duality: feel one with life

The secret of happiness can be summed up in four words: one with life. This needs more explanation. So read the enlightening article on non-duality.

Life, or God, dances in me and in all other life forms. So I am the life.
– Eckhart Tolle

All thoughts that contradict this are of the ego.

Happiness tip 63 – Walk barefoot

Walk barefoot. Inside and preferably outside. In the grass and on the beach, for example. Even on the street! This brings you into contact with the happiness of Mother Earth (Gaia).

Happiness tip 64 – Give a ‘Change Personal History’ as a present to your inner child

Think of this as an experiment. Give the younger you a wonderful gift: the knowledge and capacities you now have. You can do this with the technique: ‘ Change Personal History. ‘

Happiness tip 65 – Keep growing: get out of your comfort zone regularly

Success does not bring happiness. Happiness is precisely the road to success, and that road to success is filled with growth. Growing and working on your mission, without striving for the outcome as ultimate salvation , makes you happy.

Happiness comes first. Success can only come after that.

You will have to keep growing. You may feel that you have learned enough for now, developed yourself enough and that in the coming years it is time to enjoy your comfort zone, but soon enough you will still want to go through a ‘stretch’ again. Sooner or later you will want to become committed again for something that is important to you.

Having already been successful means that you are done with your work on Earth … I like a state of continuous growth, with a purpose in front of me and not behind me.
George Bernard Shaw

Life is like cycling. To keep your balance, you have to keep moving.
– Albert Einstein

A practical way to increase your comfort zone is to do comfort zone assignments!

Progress is luck. Challenge is luck.

Happiness tip 66 – Listen to your heart and follow your heart!

Would you happy his or happy look ? It doesn’t matter what the outside world says you have to do to become happy. Discover what you really want. Don’t use the ruler of others, but what your heart really wants.

How do you do that? Do what you want to do most. This is what your heart tells you, at least … if you listen to its subtle voice. Read this article on how to listen to your heart and how to follow it too!

Do what you like and devote to it for the rest of your life.

You are a blessed person if you can do the things you love every day. That is real wealth.

Happiness 67 – Take care of your intuition (soul) and listen to it

Your intuition will take you into a rollercoaster of positive and happy experiences. Feel what is wrong or what is correct and tackle it. Read this article about how to take care of your intuition and how to listen to it.

Happiness tip 68 – Know your mission: your Ikigai

Your Ikigai is a combination of what you enjoy doing, what you can get paid for, what the world needs and what you can do. Here you can read the full explanation with tips about Ikigai.  Then immediately apply all the tips to make your dream come true successfully.

Don’t be self obsessed but focus on your mission for the world.

By the way, do you see the word ‘your’? So it is all yours. So don’t look at others  or compare yourself to others to determine what makes you successful or happy. Decide for yourself what is most important.

True happiness is when what you do, think and say is in perfect harmony.
– Gandhi

Most people don’t know what they want. The question takes many students and adults by surprise: what are your dreams, wishes and goals? What do you really like?

How do I find out what I like? How can you not know? Well, that’s because of the restrictive work attitude in our upbringing and education: regulations restrict teachers and people must color within the lines.

At school they don’t ask you questions like, “What would you really want if money and time were not an issue? What is your ideal life like? What would you like to change? Or is it good as it is?” They don’t let you dwell on your dreams.

They teach you to let your creative ability and imagination die. ‘You have to be realistic, go for certainty … Just do and stay, don’t start living from your heart. Let your environment determine your life. Don’t you dare dream without limits. ‘

That’s why you don’t know what you want. Make a change in that now and ask yourself these questions.

Happiness tip 69 – Do as you’re happy

You can also just pretend you’re happy. Use the wonder question technique for this . If you’re not something, just pretend.

This sounds strange, and at the same time it is one of the most effective things you can do while being very simple. This is even suitable to apply to depression. Search this associated article for the explanation .

Happiness tip 70 – Stop comparing

Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t do something because – like the others – you also need a Ferrari. Do something because it makes you happy. One person becomes happy doing business, the other happy working from 9 to 5, then eating with the family and then going to the park together. If that means happiness to you: great! Then do that more often!

It’s the same as in a race: if you keep looking back at how the others are doing, you can stumble over something in front of you and lose speed. Don’t compare yourself to others. You have to give everything you have for yourself.

Cut ‘better’ and ‘best’ from your vocabulary. Just say “good.” Everyone is good!

It doesn’t matter how beautiful you are compared to others, how much money you have, how beautiful your partner is, how much power you have or how many followers you have. It is like the most beautiful flower: it also changes. Everything changes.

But what is real , and will remain forever, is who you are, what virtues you have developed, and what gift you have come to give.

Happiness tip 71 – Goals give your life meaning, so set them!

Set beautiful goals . Working on something beautiful and cool makes you very happy. Then celebrate achieving your goals.

Happiness Tip 72 – Don’t seek happiness in material matters

Do not associate your happiness with the things of the world. For it is certain that everything outside of You (with a capital letter) in this world is changeable in its nature. All things change. So if we put our happiness on something outside of us, like our job, stuff, a relationship, or your physical body … Then you prepare yourself for the loss of your health. So detached!

Affirm: “I am the source of happiness and health myself.”

Happiness tip 73 – Feel free to earn money and do not look for ultimate happiness in it

There is nothing wrong with making a lot of money, but do you see how it is an illusion if you think it will lead to ultimate happiness? About 90 percent in the Netherlands is rich. We all have a roof over our heads, we can always choose what we want to eat , there is always drinking water , we have a social care system and we have freedom of expression. With this we already belong to the realms of the earth.

So yes, you can earn good money. Go for it. And do you see that normally everything your heart desires is already there in the Netherlands? That basis is already enough to search for happiness elsewhere than in material wealth …

Feel free to make money and don’t be sad if you lose it again.

Because what makes really happy? People. Spend your money on experiences with friends and family. Not expensive stuff, cars, bags and meals.

Don’t let money be your dream. Don’t do it for the money. Then you are not in connection with your heart. Fulfill your dream and abundance will come naturally, for example in the form of money.

Happiness tip 74 – Practice ‘Lifestyle Design’ and create freedom in your life

Have you ever heard of ‘lifestyle design’? It means that you shouldn’t strive to get rich, because being rich doesn’t necessarily equate to being happy. What is much more valuable to be happy is that you have the time to live a fun lifestyle.  So freedom in your life is more important than money.

Dan Bilzerian lives the dream life of every man, full of luxury and leisure. Yet he indicated that he was unhappy. That’s simply because money and luxury don’t make you happy. Just an example he has experienced: If you often eat in star restaurants, you will appreciate ‘normal’ food less.

Plus, you don’t have to have a million in the bank to enjoy life in freedom. A holiday where you rent a ski chalet, sit by a pool or learn to dive costs a few thousand at most. And you are not going to tell me that you cannot put that together with the wonderful skills you have. Tim Ferris can explain this very well in the book ‘The 4 hour workweek.’

Also effective and smarter to do a lot with this. Don’t be busy, be productive!

On the other hand, believing that money makes you unhappy is a harmful thought. Money can greatly contribute to a happy life, if you know how to deal with it. Then it can offer opportunities and choices.

Happiness tip 75 – Live in abundance

Read the article on how to live in abundance and how to attract it.

Happiness tip 76 – Use the Law of Attraction

Trying to be happy doesn’t work, because then you will force it. So instead of trying or even wanting to, what is? One of the secrets (The Secret) is: feel and visualize what you want (such as happiness) in the present tense, as if you already have it. Then the law of attraction comes into effect.

Happiness tip 77 – Give money

Generosity makes you happy! Even if it is a little, the giving itself is incredibly lucky. Give to give and not to take!

Heaven and earth can live for a long time because they do not live for themselves.
– Lao-Tse

• Make an anonymous donation to charity.
• Give the operator a generous tip.
• Help someone who is at the till and who had not brought enough money.
• Just put some coins somewhere for someone to find.

It is more blessed to give than to receive.

Happiness tip 78 – Relax

Immediately throw away anything that only takes up space. Once you get rid of it, you will feel tremendous relief. Relaxing makes you happy!

Happiness tip 79 – Be on the internet as little as possible

The internet generally only takes time and energy. Of course you can use Spoitify or podcasts, but also use apps like Freedom to block ‘the rest of the internet’.

Facebook is poison to your soul.
– Eelco de Boer

Happiness tip 80 – Digital detox (for a day)

Turn off all screens one day a week and keep them off: digital detox! Or switch off all your notification messages. That’s a good idea anyway: you only need to check your e-mail a maximum of twice a day.

Or do you know what, visit a multi-day festival  and of course leave your phone at home. Completely offline with your tent, the sun and music. And maybe you choose an even tougher approach by going on a long-term retreat.

Happiness tip 81 – End something

How many goals and projects have you started, while you are actually not really working on them, but that you think you will one day pick up? If such a project only causes misery, let it go.

Happiness tip 82 – Give your house a fresh, colorful, update and cleaning

Tidy house, tidy head!

Happiness tip 83 – Let your hemispheres work together

Do all kinds of exercises in which both hemispheres of the brain work together. Think of juggling, walking crossways, making lemniscates, making music or NLP New Code games.

Happiness tip 84 – Recharge yourself in nature

Go to the forest regularly. Do not only take short, but also nice long walks. Nature gives a zest for life. Everything here wants to grow and flourish.

Happiness tip 85 – Go to a massage / sauna / beauty salon

Treat yourself regularly to a massage, a visit to the sauna or the beauty salon. Also think of a manicure and pedicure. Not only is it relaxing, it also makes you look good.

Happiness tip 86 – You eat happily: cooking and eating together makes the soul happy

No, no sweets and unhealthy food. Food that makes you happy is food that is good for you. Cook and eat lots of vegetables. And chocolate that melts in your mouth is of course also fine.

Happiness tip 87 – Don’t do anything

Not every minute has to be fully planned. It may feel useful, but it really isn’t. Stop.

• Lie on the couch.
• Look out the window.
• Sit in a chair for five minutes and do nothing at all.

Happiness tip 88 – Take your time for something

Not everything is necessary today. Some things can wait … So now you can take extra long to brush your teeth or clean your tongue!

Happiness tip 89 – Night’s rest works wonders

Don’t be crazy. Sleeping at 23:00 is fine. Then you still have 8 hours until it is 7:00.

Happiness tip 90 – Learn NLP

What is NLP?  It is a series of communication techniques that hardly anyone knows! Try one out and see how it affects your happiness.

Happiness Tip 91 – Meditate

Meditate together and alone. Use these meditation texts to meditate wonderfully.

Happiness tip 92 – Develop your talents

Test new things, choose something and develop this talent. It makes you happy to get better at something!

Happiness tip 93 – Trade without end goal (Zen)

Zen and Karma-Yoga are about this. You do something without worrying about the outcome of what you do. You do it without intention. For example, you sit purely to sit.

We have the right to act, but we have no right to determine the outcome of our actions. You should leave that to the universe. Whatever you do, make sure you do it for the process itself, not the end result you get from it. In this way you get into a flow that automatically makes you happy.
– From the Bhagavad Gita

Happiness tip 94 – Don’t be too hard on yourself

Sometimes you don’t have to do anything at all. If something doesn’t work out sometimes, it’s okay. Sometimes let go. Some things just don’t have to be done anymore. According to whom? Yourself!

Happiness tip 95 – Don’t have loose ends: put everything you need to do in a GTD list

A Getting Things Done (GTD) list consists of three parts: an urgent to do list, a non-urgent to do list and a wish list. Put everything that haunts your mind in this document. You can read exactly how this works in the famous book by David Allen.

Happiness Tip 96 – Have a morning routine

Successful people have a morning routine. That is why something like this is sometimes called the management routine. By the way, they also get up at 5:00. Their routine goes like this:

1. Drink half a liter of water.
2. Stretching.
3. Showering.
4. Meditate.
5. Take a look at the goals of this day.
6. Express gratitude (see one of the previous tips).
7. The frog is eaten: the main task.
8. Only now can other people draw your attention, such as your children who want breakfast or colleagues who have questions.

And also have an evening routine in which you read at least a novel or poetry. Not all readers are leaders. But all leaders are readers!

Happiness tip 97 – Take a Yoga or Mindfulness class

Where are you now, what do you hear, what do you see, what do you taste, what do you feel? Take a Yoga or Mindfulness class. Or use these Mindfulness exercises and Yoga exercises right away.

Happiness Tip 98 – Get Pets (or Test These Alternatives!)

Pets are always there to teach you how to celebrate life anytime. Animals are our best teachers!  So bring pets if you can. If you can’t, there are just alternatives that are just as valuable:

• Apply to a dog walking service.
• Volunteer at an animal shelter or goat farm.
• Offer your friends to look after their pets while they are away.

Enough alternatives!

Happiness tip 99 – See also – or better: only! – the positive side of everything

See only the good in people and things. Make this an exercise for yourself: name the positive things about a situation or a day.

Be happy. Not because everything is good, but because you can also choose to see the positive side of everything.

For example:

• The trip to school went well.
• Two people greeted me kindly when I arrived.
• It is tidy and clean here.

When an accident happens, luck is everywhere.

Enjoy these positive moments that you have just been able to relive through this exercise.

One day, Jesus and his disciples came across the carcass of a dead dog. The dog was long dead and his rotten stench filled the alley. The disciples of Jesus held their noses and picked up the hem of their robes. One of them said, “Hey! What a terrible smell!” Another said, “The sight of all this makes my stomach sick.” One by one they passed the dead creature, while others in town gathered around the carcass to make one more comment about its awfulness.

Jesus, and Jesus alone, stopped at the dead dog. He knelt and stared lovingly at the dog. After a long pause, he finally said, “Praise be to God, what beautiful teeth this creature has.”

Use this principle especially to assume the good in every person. Does a person have ten bad qualities and one good? Then see precisely that good quality! Find that one good thing in another.

When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.
– Dr. Wayne Dyer

By the way, at best you agree with your close friends that you are going to catch each other for negativity. Once you catch each other making a negative statement, turn it around to a positive statement.

One must see the good in every person.
– Abdu’l-Bahá

Happiness tip 100 – Put your problems into perspective and laugh

Being able to put things into perspective means taking yourself and life less seriously and being able to laugh at your problems.

Happiness tip 101 – Sometimes have a deep conversation (with others and with yourself)

Have a distinctive conversation instead of dwelling on the surface level. Fortunately, there are great tools for a deep conversation: use these deep questions  or the logical levels of Bateson to dive deep with your partner or a friend.

Have such a deep conversation not only with other people, but also just with yourself. Take the time to really think deeply about the most important things in your life. You do this by asking yourself good questions. These are, for example, reflection questions .

Happiness tip 102 – Make reflection a part of your life

Regularly reflect and keep a diary (example).  Make sure that reflection comes after action. You cannot let your whole life consist of reflection. There must also be something to reflect on.

Happiness Tip 103 – Keep a ‘5 Minute Journal’

Keep a 5 minute journal every day. Every morning and every evening you make some notes about your day. This way you become much more aware of the little things that you experience every day. This journal contains a fixed template for every day. For example, before going to sleep, you write down three things that made you happy today. Try it out! If you have kids, do it with them!

Happiness tip 104 – Guarantee your success with a personal trainer or another type of coach

A personal trainer is a guarantee of strength and fitness. A different type of coach is a guarantee for a different type of goal that you would like to achieve.

Happiness tip 105 – Go through life with confidence

Your level of happiness will increase significantly if you can go through your daily life with confidence. So learn all the tips to get rock-solid confidence.

Don’t be afraid … and be yourself!

Happiness tip 106 – Buy flowers for yourself and your family more often

Instead of buying a lottery ticket or a cake, do something different: buy flowers for yourself and your family . Every time you see beauty when you enter the room. Isn’t that much more meaningful than the unhealthy feeling of pie and gambling?

Happiness tip 107 – Maintain at least these areas of your life

Different models, such as The Wheel of Life , always show the following areas in life. It is important not to neglect the areas below and / or to keep them in balance.

• Spiritual and Meaning
• Relaxation and fun
• Financial
• Career, mission, work
• Family and friends
• Love and Romance
• Personal growth
• Time
• Emotions
• Health and Vitality

Also check that your basic needs are being met in your life – and your other important values. Failure to meet your basic needs often leads to stress and anxiety. The basic needs are:

1. Security, safety and control
2. Uncertainty and variation
3. Importance
4. Love / connection
5. Growth
6. Contribution

Happiness tip 108 – Take as many opportunities as possible to celebrate

There is something to celebrate every day. Especially if you expect fun things and festive moments! So why don’t we just celebrate more together, so that every day looks (even) better? In fact, celebrate every moment of the day!

And guess what: the more we recognize and celebrate the positive things, the more we start to have a positive ‘vibration’, the more we can attract even more positive things! This is guaranteed to happen, because it is a law: the law of attraction.

By the way, don’t just keep it to four if things are going well … Give it extra throttle as well! Then you can have an even bigger celebration soon!

Happiness Tip 109 – Be honest, even if it is difficult

It can be hard to be honest, but it’s even harder to not be fair. Without honesty in the world, everyone should always be on their guard and there is suspicion …  Read more about the virtue of honesty here.

If you don’t like something, say so.

Happiness tip 110 – Even more happiness tips!

These were all tips to start being happy right away. You will find a whole load of happiness tips in the article in which you learn to follow your intuition . Also read the top 10 books about happiness. Finally, let us know in the comments what you want to say about this topic!

Do you want to be and stay happy? Above were the 100+ ways to do that. By the way, do you also have any additions? Please let them know, then they may be added!