Make someone else happy. Helping others enhances our self-esteem and sense of life purpose; both of which are key factors in increasing our happiness. Make a habit of being considerate and giving to others; it will reward you with an increased happiness set-point.
Meditate. In meditation our cognitive processes are literally rewired so that we are calmer and happier. Our brains are actually malleable and respond to our mindful efforts to improving our moods and attitudes. Eight weeks of daily meditation have been shown to increase our happiness. Dedicate time, even if it is only ten minutes each day, to quiet meditation, it will improve your sense of wellbeing .
Give thanks. Make it a habit to find reasons to be grateful. Especially when you are feeling down or sad, change your mood by searching for and giving thanks for the good things in your life. Looking for the existing positives will increase your feelings of happiness by putting your focus on the things that bring you joy.
Stretch, exercise. When we move our bodies, positive endorphins are activated and soon we're feeling better! Spend regular time stretching mindfully and moving; your body and mind will thank you.
Smile. Our facial expressions influence our moods. When we are frowning, we feel pain deeper and are sadder. Just moving your facial muscles into a smile will trigger an internal process of shifting your mood to a happier one. Soon, you will feel better and the smile will come naturally from within.
Go out into nature. Nature is healing. When we are connected with nature by being around trees and plants, earth, mountains, rivers, lakes, or ocean, we are soothed and comforted. Even photos of natural scenes reduces our stress and enhances our wellbeing
This is not a prescription for being Pollyanna. You can help mitigate and release grief. Life is a journey, things happen for reasons that we may not understand at the time. Hold a longer perspective and face each day with equanimity. Trust that life is unfolding as it does for good reasons, and you will be happier each day. It's your life you get to choose, choose happiness.
"It isn't what you have, or who you are, or where you are, or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about." -- Dale Carnegie
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