Some people spend their whole lives chasing happiness, as though they were constantly trying to reach the end of a rainbow to claim the treasure beneath its beautiful colors. Indeed, for most of us, obtaining happiness and living a happy life can give us a good reason for being alive. We seek happiness and joy in all aspects of our lives, from relationships to work. However, trying to reach the treasure chest of joy can be a struggle, as the drudgery of daily life, setbacks and stress keep pushing us further away from that rainbow.

There are however, people who find happiness, despite life's ups and downs. They take negative experiences and see them as a chance to learn and grow. They also recognize that happiness sometimes comes from that which most people take for granted. Many people already have their treasure, but can't see it because they don't appreciate the value and greatness of what they have.

There are also particular things which happy people tend to do, which must surely have a lot to do with their ability to notice opportunities for happiness, and pull it towards them with open arms. Adopting behaviors of people who are happy can help happiness seekers find their joy too.

# See beauty in everyday life

According to the ancient Chinese philosopher Confucius. "Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it." Sometimes people rush to and fro, not really seeing what's around them. To coin a cliché, they don't stop to smell the flowers. Recognizing the beauty and value of what is already in front of you can lead to happiness, as you begin to appreciate what you've got and make the most of it, instead of hurriedly walking on by what could be a source of joy.

# Practice the art of gratitude

Studies about happiness reveal that people can become up to 25% happier if they regularly practice the art of gratitude. Interestingly, people seem to have a happiness level which can be affected in the short term by events in life, but which settle back to their normal level after about six months. This means if you win the lottery your happiness may seem to increase for a while, but later on you'll end up being as happy or miserable as you were before cashing in the winning ticket.

Luckily, you can increase your happiness base rate by adopting the art of gratitude. Try keeping a journal in which you write down all the things you're grateful for that have happened each day. Doing so is likely to help you relax and sleep well too.

# Find your life's purpose

Instead of imagining you're just here on Earth by chance, or waiting for someone to tell you the meaning of life, take responsibility for discovering why you are here, and how your presence can make a positive difference. Happy people have dreams and goals. They know they're working towards something special, or already living a life intended for them.

Discover what you really want in life, and what makes you feel great. If you have a dream you haven't begun to follow because you think obtaining it is beyond you, break down the journey into smaller, reachable steps. If you've always wanted to write a book, for example, but imagine you'll never have the time, set aside ten minutes a day to make a start. That's seventy minutes a week, which if you keep it up, will be 3640 hours by the end of the year. That should provide you with time to write quite a lot.

# Find your inner life coach

One major task a life coach undertakes when hired, is to help individuals organize their lives in more productive, less stressful ways to help them gain happiness. Resolve to begin giving yourself good advice. Become your own best friend and motivate yourself to adopt practices which help you increase emotional wellness and joy.

If you find yourself down in the dumps, try and imagine what a life coach would tell you to do in order to recover your happiness and emotional strength. You already have the answers to such questions inside of you. Sometimes the best way to retrieve them is to imagine them filtering into your consciousness via a wise sage, spirit guide, or in more modern terms, a life coach. If you find this difficult, turn the scenario around, and imagine you are the life coach helping a client with a problem. You'll soon find you know more about how to be happy than you thought possible.

You can find happiness and joy without having to chase rainbows, if you slow down and look at what you already have, practice the art of gratitude, plan small steps towards your dreams, and take your own good advice for a change.

References

quotationspage.com

PsychBlog (spring.org.uk)