Think Happy, Be Well: 7 Strategies to Finding Your Happiness

Being happy is a state of mind. Is it difficult to achieve happiness in life? You might say it depends on how you define happiness. Achieving happiness may be as simple as deciding what thoughts we give power to.

You are what you think

Thoughts are powerful. We can choose to focus on positive or negative ones. Researchers state 80% of daily thoughts are negative and repetitive. According to the Huffington Post, people have between 50,000 – 70,000 thoughts per day. This breaks down to 35 and 48 thoughts per minute per person! Think about it, no one truly knows how many thoughts we have per day; yet we do know we’re wired to pay more attention to negative rather than positive thoughts. It’s our bodies’ way of naturally attempting to protect us from hurt, harm or danger. With thousands of thoughts flowing through our minds, gaining insight on framing our thoughts in a positive way may bring us closer to finding our happiness.

Think positive, be healthy

Negative thinking impacts not only mental health, but it also affects overall physical well-being. Years of research on happiness proves the connection between feelings, emotions, and overall life and health outcomes. We can all relate to how tired our body feels when we’re performing mental work all day or how drained or stressed we become when we’re exposed to negativity for extended periods of time. When fear of uncertainty enters our consciousness, multiple layers of stress and increased anxiety are piled on an already overloaded mind. Yet, we can still think positively and decide to feel happy.

Happy thoughts, better quality of life

Research validates happy people have overall better life outcomes. This is not to say they don’t have their share of trials and tribulations; they simply frame their thoughts in a more positive way. Despite circumstances, obstacles, and challenges that impede our thoughts about feeling happier, we can shift the narrative. Happier thoughts generate positive emotions, positive emotions contribute to improved physical and mental well-being.

It begins with you  

Since we can’t predict the future, we can focus on managing the present. Here are seven strategies to try.

1. Name your thoughts, emotions and feelings.  Pay attention to what you’re thinking. It’s difficult to adjust a thought if you don’t name it. What are you discovering about the raw emotion you’re feeling? What are the words (thoughts) attached to the emotion? For example, acknowledge you’re feeling “frustrated” because “it’s taking longer to complete a task you normally would have gotten done in half the time. Identify where the thought comes from and context.
2. Normalize the feelings. Notice what you’re feeling and normalize it. Whatever feelings you have, know all feelings are valid. Acknowledge them, don’t dwell on them. Recognize how your body responds to those feelings you pay the most attention to.
3. Prioritize the thoughts. Place thoughts into perspective and prioritize them. Which ones feel more important to you? Take note of what you’re learning and notice trends. What’s happening within your surroundings contributes to the meaning you attach to the thought.
4. Set realistic expectations. Establish realistic expectations. Often, we set the bar too high and become overwhelmed. When we’re overly stressed, anxious, or fearful, we dismiss or even ignore the thought as a way of protecting and maintaining the status quo. Give yourself permission to “fail forward.” You’ll be happy to realize small specific, measurable, achievable, and timely goals.
5. Be honest with yourself. Be authentic, true, and honest with yourself. Spending time diving deeper into the “why,” behind the thought provides clarity, insight and wisdom. Honesty defined in this context is simply being “real,” about what is and being with yourself in the moment. Acknowledge what you can and can’t control and let the rest go.
6. Forgive yourself. Recognize we all fall short. We’re not perfect and we’re not built to be. History allows us to glean powerful life lessons from our prior individual experiences. Give yourself space to forgive yourself and others. This is often a difficult, yet a critical part of moving the “big rocks” we place in our way. When we give ourselves a little grace and recognize we did the best we could with the information we had, we establish the foundation for walking into our destiny.
7. Mindfulness matters. When was the last time you noticed your breathing? Do you take time to meditate and get centered around feeling your presence in the moment? Slow down and calm your body. You’ll be energized in ways you may have taken for granted. Absorb the gift of life and all the perfect ways our minds and bodies were created to operate coordinated with itself.

When you need more support

If for any reason you find yourself feeling you need more support, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional therapist. It is a sign of strength to recognize circumstances in which our emotions, feelings and/or life circumstances weigh us down. Ask for recommendations from trusted friends for a professional therapist and do your research on them. You can also build a circle of support for yourself which would include a good medical doctor, therapist, dentist, financial advisor, among others.

We are what we think

We are what we think. Thoughts play a powerful role in the way our mind interprets happiness. Don’t hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Culturally competent therapists are just a phone call away. Living a happy life can be a simple concept; it’s one thought, one action away.