Introduction: What is Happiness and What Makes Happy People Happy?
Happiness means different things to different people. We all have diverse aspirations in life, as well as different things that make us tick. The state of happiness isn’t achieved by just one action or gain. Happiness is a state of being in which one feels good within themselves and about themselves most of the time.
Happy people are not necessarily happy all the time. Life comes with several twists and turns, and even the happiest people go through tough situations and unpleasant circumstances. It is impossible to completely avoid the strives of life, but our actions could increase or decrease the unpleasant emotions we face and increase the pleasant ones, making us happier.
Happy people always seem to be in a good mood because they do things that make them feel good and uplift their spirits while limiting things that make them feel sad or angry. In pursuit of happiness, here are six that perpetually happy people avoid doing.
1. Happy People DO NOT Consume Negative Content
You know the topics that annoy you or dishearten you. You know the things that make you feel inferior or dampen your spirit. Why then do you still consume them? Happy people take control of the things they allow within their space. They DO NOT make a habit of consuming disheartening content every day. Any content that makes you feel terrible after watching, reading, or engaging in, is not for you. Strive to consume more content that empowers and encourages you, or simply makes you laugh.
2. Happy People DO NOT Follow People They Dislike on Social Media
You do not like someone. They annoy you, irritate you, or infuriate you. Whether it is their lifestyle that you do not approve of or their posts that get a rise out of you, WHY would you follow someone you dislike? The ironic part about this is that while you are foaming in the mouth and dropping negative comments on their timeline, or worse, in their DMs, you are decreasing your happy-ometer score while they go about their lives flourishing. Happy people do not waste time on those they dislike. The mute and block buttons are available on social media platforms for this very reason. Be besties with those buttons. Mute and block for your peace of mind and happiness, and follow accounts that give you good vibes.
3. Happy People DO NOT Keep Negative Company
There are people who never have anything good to say. They’re the first to criticise, shut down or discourage. If there is a fault somewhere, trust them to find it. They never have anything positive to contribute; never compliment you or add value to your life. When you surround yourself with people who are always eager to share bad news or point out faults, how do you achieve happiness? Happy people surround themselves with positive minds like them. They keep company that encourages them, share good news and are all-round good vibes. It is good to have friends and acquaintances who can be honest with you and tell you when something is going wrong, but the manner in which criticism is delivered and how constructive it is, make all the difference.
4. Happy People DO NOT Ruminate Over Mistakes
So, you accidentally sent the wrong email to your Boss. You realised it too late and it cannot be unsent. Or you purchased the wrong item and it was even more expensive than the original item you wanted to buy. Whatever the error is, and regardless of the degree of the error, unless you possess a time machine- in which case I would love to borrow it- beating yourself up over a past situation is a recipe for a rotten mood. Like everybody else, happy people make mistakes too. What they do not do is spend hours and days dwelling on it and playing a game of ‘coulda, woulda, shoulda’. Truth is, you can’t turn back the hands of time, so there’s no gain in ruminating over what you should have done or would have happened. Learn the lesson, keep it in mind, do what you can to mitigate the effects of your mistake and move on.
5. Happy People DO NOT Compare Themselves With Other People
Remember that saying: Comparison is a thief of joy? Well, it’s 100% true. One of the fastest ways to remain in perpetual sadness and a morose feeling of underachievement is by comparing yourself with other people. Everybody is different. Focus on yourself, your journey and your goals. Celebrate every milestone no matter how small it is, and be consistent with whatever you’re doing. Success will open its doors to you.
6. Happy People DO NOT Argue With Ignorant People
There is no shame in not knowing something; the shame lies in refusing to learn and that is how ignorant people operate. To use another saying, it is like casting pearls before swine. You can argue until you’re blue in the face, give them facts and data and they will still refuse to budge on their stance. Pointless arguments only result in frustrating you, and frustrated people aren’t happy people. End any discussion that has the potential to evolve into a pointless argument and do something positive instead. Next time, ignore that co-worker who likes to argue about things they know nothing about.
Final Words: IncreaseYour Happy-ometer Score. Be Happy!
In a nutshell, the more time you spend doing things you enjoy, the happier you will be. Spend time with positive people, do things you enjoy, control your space, let negative people and situations go, and focus on yourself.