Four Ways to Become a Happy Person

If you often feel unhappy, slightly depressed and unmotivated, then you may need to re-evaluate your unhappy habits. Happiness is not a given in life, unfortunately, but there are ways to help alleviate unhappy feelings by instilling some happy habits. Life is too short to be unhappy, so here are four happy habits that you can develop that can help keep unhappy moods and feelings at bay.

Keep a Happy Journal
Writing in a journal is a great way to relieve stress, brainstorm new ideas, and assess emotions, but it can also be a functional tool for becoming a happy person. Consider keeping a happy journal. In this journal, write down three things that you are happy for. This can be a daily journal or a journal that you use when you are feeling especially blue. Don't feel obligated to romanticize the things that make you happy. It could be finding a lucky penny in the subway or an unexpected smile from a stranger. Sometimes when you are feeling down, it takes a little bit of effort to find the happy things in life, so by creating a journal, you can document and reflect on those little things, which when they add up can mean a lot!

Don't Dwell on Unhappiness
Sometimes when you are feeling a little down you may start to become self-destructive. For example, if you are going through a break up you may torture yourself with sad love songs and look through pictures of happier times. When this happens, make a conscious effort to stop digging yourself into a sadder state. Instead of listening to sad love songs, listen to some rock and roll. Instead of dwelling on old photos, start redecorating your space or trying out a new hairdo. The bottom line is to switch gears when you are feeling down and do something that will take your mind off of whatever is making you feel blue.

Make a Change for the Better
Another way to get over unhappy feelings is to make a change for the better. For example, if you are always griping about your job and how awful your boss is, then do something - anything - that will move you into the direction of a new career or position. Consider updating your resume. Or taking a night class to learn some new skills. When you take the object of your unhappiness by the horns and start making headway into positive change, then there is a good chance that you will be happier in the long run.

Make a Happy List
One exercise that you can do if you frequently find yourself in a funk is to create a happy list. A happy list should consist of things, both little and small, that contribute to a happier you! This could be eating strawberries, drinking a nice cup of hot tea, a bubble bath, sitting down with your favorite books or whatever else strikes your fancy. Make a list and keep it with your journal or organizer. The next time you are feeling blue, pull the list out and pick an activity that you can do that will lift your spirits. Sometimes it is just a matter of concentrating on a happier activity that will help you start feeling better immediately.