101 Ways To Live a Happier Life Today and as We Get Older!

​Has it ever occurred to you how distracted and stressed we have become as a society and how we could live a happier life?  We have lost the ability to slow down and appreciate the good things in life. Perhaps we have forgotten how simple it is to embrace the moment, be grateful, and to find happiness no matter our current situation.
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​A local blogger recently made a list of 101 ways to live a happier life on her blog, and every single one of them resonated with us.  They are things many of us already do, and some of them we plan on implementing moving forward. Our hope in sharing the first 25 items of ways to live a happier life is that it will inspire others to choose happiness despite the stress of the world around us!

1. Leave people better than you found them.  At the end of every day, seek forgiveness from those you’ve wronged, and forgive those that have wronged you.  Don’t poison your relationships by holding grudges.  “Be the one who nurtures and builds.  Be the one who has an understanding and a forgiving heart.  One who looks for the best in people.”- Marvin J Ashton
2. Remember that family is forever.  Family is the most important aspect of life.  Who you call family doesn’t necessarily have to be related to you by blood.
3.  If you’re having a flare up of pain, keep in mind that there was a time you didn’t
   feel this way, and there will come a time
   again that you feel better.  If you suffer from chronic pain or mental illness, it’s easy to view your bad days as a sign of weakness.  But try to remember that those are the days you’re actually fighting the hardest.  You are a warrior and you are enough.
4. You are capable of change and daily improvement.  The human brain is literally wired to adapt.  “If people never changed, we’d all still be wearing diapers.”- Autum Burkett
5. “You can be as happy as you choose to
   be, even under the most horrifying circumstances.  It’s all about the story you tell yourself.” – Julie Bayron
6. Look for the beauty in inconveniences.  Welcome them as opportunities to momentarily break from the routine.  The word inconvenience is often synonymous with adventure.
7. Don’t ever, ever, EVER allow possessions and the love of materials to gain priority over your relationships, health, and divine purpose.  It really is just stuff and you can’t take it with you. Focus your energy on creating a life that feels good on the inside, and doesn’t just looks good on the outside.  The less you own, the less that owns you.
8. It isn’t what you get from this life that matters. It’s what you bring to it.
9.  No matter what happens…no matter how horrible the day was- the sun will rise
   again tomorrow. Don’t underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep and the sense of renewed hope that rises with the sun.  What a difference just 24 tiny hours can make in changing a sense of hopelessness.
10. Always say, “Please” and “Thank you.”  Even if you don’t want to.  Especially if you don’t want to!
11. Hold the door open for the people behind you.  And try not to feel contempt toward the people that don’t thank you for it.
12. More often than not, you have to just suck it up and continue in spite of it
    all.  “If you can’t fly, then run.  If you can’t run, then walk.  If you can’t walk, then crawl.  But whatever you do, you have to keep moving forward.”  Martin Luther King Jr.
13.  “Forget yourself and find someone who needs your service, and you will discover the
    secret to a happy, fulfilled life.”
    -Ezra Taft Benson
14.  Be careful when it comes to love, sex, alcohol, food, and all the other drugs.  The abuse of any one of these things can cause mass emotional and physical destruction and potentially destroy your life.
15. Soak in hot baths.  But make the effort worthwhile.  Listen to some soothing music, light a candle, and nurture your skin with quality bath salts or bubbles.
16. Work hard.  Work hard enough each day that you don’t need sleeping pills to help you sleep at night.  I doubt anyone has ever collapsed in bed saying to themselves, “I wish I hadn’t worked so hard today.  I accomplished way too much.”   Find the intrinsic satisfaction that comes from being a hard worker.
17. Be genuinely humble.  Step back often enough to gain perspective of who you are and where your place falls in the world.  Nothing truly beautiful and worthwhile has to beg for attention.
18. Faith without works is dead.  Get on your knees and pray, and then get on your feet and work.
19. Anxiety is pointless.  Don’t get caught up in “what ifs.”  “What if I don’t have enough money?”  “What if I’m not good enough?”  Whenever I get caught up in the psychological flu of “what if’s” my best friend asks, “What if birds had machine guns?  Then we’d all be in trouble.”  Worry is useless.  Don’t run from something that isn’t actually chasing you. Worrying is like praying for something you don’t want.  Let it go.
20. Take the time to decipher between what is supposed
    to be the big stuff and what actually is the big stuff, and set your priorities accordingly.
21.  Don’t be clueless.  Learn life’s necessities- how to work, clean, garden, cook, etc.
22. Don’t be afraid or too prideful to occasionally lean on your parents or other trusted people.  Nobody ever said we had to do this alone.
23. Find the hidden strengths in your weaknesses.
24. Be a goal oriented person.
25. Have dreams.

For the complete list of the ways to live a happier life, Click Here.

What would you add to the list of living a Happier Life?