Over my years of experiencing happiness, unhappiness and perhaps slightly obsessing over the topic, I have conjured up a top 5 practical happiness techniques to shift your brain & heart towards what we all prefer. Here are the magical 5…

One: Gratitude

What? Being thankful for what you have. Gratitude shifts a negative perspective into a positive one really quickly. This can be done when you are having negative thoughts or feelings, or as a daily exercise for ‘happy maintenance’.

How? I find it easiest to write down a list of things I’m grateful for, to have the feeling of getting it ‘out there’ and making it official. The listed items can be anything that you’re thankful for. Car, friend, nature, health, a nice comment, an experience etc. If you think about why you feel grateful for these things, you will further expand the experience of gratitude.

Outcome? Instant feeling of happiness, as your whole ‘now moment’ is focused on things you love & appreciate. If done regularly, you’ll start to feel very blessed, focusing on all these great things around you.

Two: Self Love

What? Being kind to yourself and putting yourself first. Experiencing yourself as the empowered, magnificent, unlimited and beautiful being you are.

How? There are so many ways to love yourself, and we’ll all have different favourites. Here are a few practical ideas that are simple & easy to put to use: a bubble bath, a massage, a healthy nutritious meal, writing a list of things you love about yourself, indulging in something you love (chocolate anyone?), sticking up for yourself by speaking your truth quietly and clearly. Literally doing things to please & honor YOU and only you.

Outcome? A growing feeling of worthiness, empowerment and self acceptance. A true inner confidence.

Three: Forgiveness

What? Forgiveness, also known as Letting It Go, Releasing the Past. Taking a situation that is bothering you, realizing it’s not doing you any good by holding on to it and letting it go. By forgiving, you are not condoning behaviour. You are letting something go because it is affecting your current feelings and you don’t want it to anymore. You want to move on.

How? Think of a situation that isn’t making you feel great and apply the following 10 thoughts to the situation/person.

1. This situation isn’t what it seems.
2. There is a higher perspective I can consider this situation from, that will free me from bad feelings.
3. All is perfect in the universe, and all is brought into my experience through the Law of Attraction, for my highest healing.
4. If I am feeling anything but good, if I am in a state of resistance, I am looking at an experience from a trapped perspective.
5. This situation is not a direct attack on me personally, but more so a chance to look at something from a different angle & grow in wisdom, love & peace.
6. On a higher subconscious level, this situation has been attracted to play out a situation for my highest growth.
7. All people or events involved are simply playing their parts.
8. I realise that the greatest spiritual growth comes from apparent suffering, as this is what makes me question why & move beyond my normal thinking patterns.
9. I send thoughts of love, understanding & peace to this situation, and let go of all my bad feelings. I do this for me.
10. I am free.

Outcome? Freedom, lightness of heart, happiness! You have moved on from the past & you are a new woman/man/child/furry animal.

Four: Fun

What? A personal favourite happy technique is having fun – whatever that may mean to you! We are naturally playful beings, and this is nurtured in childhood, but filtered out as adults. So be conscious of squeezing some fun into your life.

How? Think about what you consider FUN to be. Dancing, laughing, making things, surfing, being silly, dressing up, driving fast cars, travelling, going somewhere new. Do something fun regularly and for no reason but happiness.

Outcome? Heightened passion, vitality, feeling more relaxed, this is a good one if you want to attract new people into your life too.

Five: Connection

What? Feeling connected to nature, people, source and your highest self. Loneliness, depression and anxiousness stem from lack of connection, so let’s be conscious to include connection in our Happy maintenance 🙂 In the highest truth, we are all one. We are connected by energy and when it’s put under the microscope, everything is connected & everything effects the whole. Feeling disconnected is resistance against yourself.

How? To feel connected, here are some practical ideas. Meditate, phone a friend or relative, hang out with a friend, join a regular class doing something you enjoy, invite someone for dinner, try some automatic writing, spend time with pets, talk to people at work you may not usually talk to.

Outcome? A feeling of belonging, acceptance, worthiness, togetherness and connection.

Practical happiness tools

Need guidance to maintain a sense of balance in your mind & life? Browse the range of happi tools available to order in the soul shop. You’ll find the Self Care Playbook will give your sense of self worth a huge boost, the Gratitude Journal will shift your perspective and charge you up to magnetise positive experiences towards you, and Happi Cards will help you tap in to your intuition on a daily basis.

Photo by Rodolfo Quirós