how to boost your happiness

“When I find myself focusing overmuch on the anticipated future happiness of arriving at a certain goal, I remind myself to ‘Enjoy now’. If I can enjoy the present, I don’t need to count on the happiness that is (or isn’t) waiting for me in the future.” ― Gretchen Rubin, The Happiness Project

The pursuit of happiness has been a key interest among humans for many centuries now. Aristotle even declared that happiness is the summum bonum or the chief good in life, and hence the primary purpose of human existence. Sages and philosophers from all around the globe have pondered upon this age-old question: What is happiness and how can we truly achieve it?

Happiness is an abstract notion, so the best way for us humans to enhance its presence in our lives is to think of it as a by-product and set concrete goals that resonate the most with us. Happiness is in the journey, so when we actively pursue meaningful tasks, instead of putting them off, and focus on staying true to ourselves and living our personal legend every step of the way, we naturally feel better.

Don’t make happiness your end goal. Instead, focus on doing things that matter the most to you every single day — things that help you make forward progress and achieve the change that you desire in yourself or your life. When you do that, you’ll experience small steps and moments of happiness along the way, that’ll further keep you motivated and inspired, getting you on the upward, positive spiral.

It’s wise to adopt the motto, “Change your life without changing your life”; it’s possible to attain the highest level of happiness from the most mundane of situations. You don’t have to drop out of society, move to the Himalayas, and live like a hermit, or make any other dramatic change in your life and lifestyle in your search for happiness. All you have to do is commit to doing a few simple things every day that help you become a little happier and more content with the life that you’re already living.