How to Live a Life That Makes You Happy

When someone asks you to define happiness and what it means to you, what would you say? What would you say makes you the happiest?

Would you say happiness is having all the money in the world? Would you say happiness is being healthy and living each day like it’s your last? What does happiness mean to you?

For me, happiness is more simple. It’s not about having all the money in the world, it’s about my mindset, and what I am doing everyday.

Do you wake up and look forward to your day, everyday? That to me is happiness.

Today I want to share with you 10 ways that you can live a life that makes you truly happy.

1. Stop aiming for perfection

There is no such thing as “perfect” and the reasoning for this is because everyone’s idea of “perfect” is different. Your idea of perfection may not be someone else’s idea of “perfection.” Therefore, perfect just can’t exist.

If you try to be “perfect” all your life, you will never succeed and it will just drive you insane. Society puts these images of what perfect is and we take it too literal. Instead, be the person you WANT to be, wear what you want to wear, do what makes you happy and screw what anyone else has to say about it.

Related: How to be Happy with the Life you Live

2. Make your passion your career

If you think about it...you have to work almost all your life. At least 50 years of your life or so. That’s a LONG FREAKIN’ TIME! So why spend it at a job that makes you absolutely miserable? That’s no way to live.

You may be thinking, how is it possible to get a job that I love? It’s not possible. BUT IT IS! You have to think about what you ENJOY doing and then think about how you can monetize that passion.

For me, I really enjoy writing. One day I got so fed up with the way my career was going that I started a blog and I now make a 5 figure income from my blog and slowly working my way up to hopefully 6 figures!

I wake up everyday and LOVE what I do because I turned my passion into a career. I have the ultimate freedom of working anywhere I want to, and I am my OWN BOSS. That to me is pure happiness.

You may be thinking, I can’t start a blog and turn it into income. BUT YOU TOTALLY CAN. Here’s my story of how I did it. Don’t hold back. Find your passion and make it your career.

3. Stop comparing

This is the ultimate happiness thief. The thief of comparison. How many times have you thought to yourself, “wow, I wish I had a house like theirs.” or “She’s so lucky to have all that money, I wish that was my life.” or maybe even you thought, “She’s so successful, how come I am not? What am I doing wrong. I want to be like her!”

It’s SO SO SO hard not to compare our lives and pieces of our lives to other’s lives. We always want what we don’t have. We think that the luxuries of life will make us happy. BUT – sometimes that’s not the case. Because if you think about it, there are miserable people out there with all the money in the world.

What’s really important is to STOP looking at the lives’ of others and start focusing on the good in your own life. Maybe you don’t have a massive house, but you have a roof over your head. You may not have your dream car, but you can get from point A to point B. AND maybe she is “successful” in her career, but you can be too and you ARE!

The moment you stop comparing yourself and your life to others, you will find yourself feeling a lot happier.

4. Cut out the negative energy

Are you surrounded by positive people? If not, it’s time to cut those who are negative out of your life. It’s true, negative energy can rub off and create even more negative energy. If someone you are with is constantly talking about how terrible their life is, and is NEVER positive, or maybe you try to say something positive and they always turn it negative. That’s the kind of people that aren’t worth the energy.

Find positive people who have goals, aspirations, and are constantly radiating positivity. Surround yourself with people who support your dreams and want the best for you.

There are people out there who would rather see you fail than succeed and those are the kind of people that aren’t worth your time.

5. Declutter items you don’t use

I don’t know about you but when my space is cluttered, I feel as if my life is cluttered too. If I get rid of the items that I am not using, then my space becomes a lot more organized and I feel less stressed. I like to look at my items and think to myself, have I used this in the past 6 months? If not then I will discard it. You can donate or even sell your items!

Related: How to Manage Stress

6. Never settle

This is huge. You should know what you want and deserve in life and you should never settle for anything less! If your job is making you miserable, don’t settle for it! Find a job that gives you happiness.

If you are in a relationship that doesn’t make you happy, then what are you doing settling?! Don’t ever settle! You deserve happiness and you deserve things and people in your life that bring you that happiness. Settling is not happiness.

7. Cut out negative thinking

We are our own worst critics. Truly, we are. You are what you think you are. It’s time to cut out negative thinking, and create a positive mindset. Tell yourself, “I am beautiful.” , “I will succeed.” , “I am good enough.” Any time you have a negative thought cross your mind, you need to turn that thought into something positive.

8. Do more of what makes you happy

What makes you happy? Is it hanging out with good people? Is it traveling? Whatever it is that makes you happy, you need to do MORE of it. Enough with the excuses. You can live your happiest life if you pursue it.

9. Appreciate the little things

Sometimes I find that we fail to appreciate the little things in life. Have you ever sat outside on a porch drinking a cup of coffee, watching the sunrise? It’s moments like those that are really special. OR, when you are looking for a parking spot and all of a sudden someone backs out of the first spot, almost as if they meant to give it to you. Take in all the small things life offers you and appreciate them in big ways.

Related: 20 Lessons I’ve Learned in my Twenties so Far

10. Look on the brighter side

It’s inevitable, there will always be times where life just doesn’t go the way you hoped. There are going to be times that are filled with heartache and pain. It’s so important that we take these times and situations and try to look on the brighter side. The pain won’t last forever. After every storm there is sunshine. They say to look at the glass half full rather than half empty.

What are some ways that you create a happy life for yourself?