Do you wish you were happy with where you are in life?
Frustrated and want to just be happy with yourself?
We’ve all been there at one time or another. Felt that feeling of unhappiness with ourselves, and where we are in life.
Plans change, goals change too, and somehow it can feel like your life never changes and you’re not where you thought you’d be. It’s even more challenging when other’s might see you as successful and not understand your dissatisfaction.
You wake up every day wishing and hoping that you’d just feel happy with your life. But a quick scroll on Instagram reminds you of all the things in life you lack. Maybe for you, you’re still single, have no kids, stuck in a dead-end job, struggling to make ends meet, or even still living at home with your parents.
And even still, perhaps your parents, family members, and societal expectations are weighing heavily on you.
How do you shake out of this feeling of disappointment? How do you let go of jealousy and anger you might feel with others and yourself?
You must make a decision on how to be happy with where you are in life. You can choose to be angry with your situation or you can choose to take steps to make a change and see the bright side of where you are.
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How to Be Happy With Where You Are in Life
#1. Simple Things To Make Your Life Happy
Sometimes the easiest way to be happy with where you are in life is through things. Being in a situation you don’t want to be in is a whole lot easier with something you want.
Retail therapy is seriously real. If you can’t think about anything else besides, get it. If you think it will make you happy, it’s worth it.
This doesn’t need to be a luxury purse (unless that is what you want) but it could be purchasing yourself a fun coffee drink or your favorite meal to make yourself happy!
It doesn’t even have to be Instagram-worthy either, just enjoy that favorite sweet treat and let it put a smile on your face.
#2. Do Something New and Different
A physical item isn’t always the answer. Another way to be happy where you are in life is through doing activities and going to events.
When you’re not loving life, it’s easy to retreat back into your shell. You might find it harder and harder to get up, get dressed up, and go out, which is why you’ve got to!
Find a fun event in your area or close by on MeetUp, Eventbrite, or even on social media. It’s important to put yourself out there, meet new people and add some excitement to your life. Doing something new breaks the routine, and helps you feel better.
You could also pamper yourself or go on a solo date by going to the spa, getting a massage, getting your nails or hair done. Even just changing locations can make a big difference in your mood and mindset, relocate to a local coffee shop, park or even go for a walk.
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#3. Take Notes on Why
If you are just beginning to figure out how to be happy with where you are in life then you need to know it will take work. Start by taking note of when you are not happy, or further, take note of when you are negative. In order to discover how to be happy with where you are in life, you need to realize when and why you aren’t happy.
Next, see how you can change this. If you find it is the 30-minute traffic jam you have every morning take steps to avoid it or turn it around. So, you could leave earlier to avoid the rush hour or you could find a podcast that you love so this is now just more time to listen!
For example, if you find that you’re unhappy with your skin and have a lot of stress breakouts, you could go get a facial, see a dermatologist, read articles on skincare, and even test out new products.
#4. Choose Gratitude and Happiness
Some people may always seem happy by nature, but that may not be so true. Most people have to make a choice to be happy. The best way to find how to be happy with where you are in life is by choosing to be happy.
Some call this seeing the glass half full. I would say that’s exactly the way a happy person lives (and sees the glass).
The next time you feel like being negative, pessimistic, or feeling down, list three things you are grateful for at that moment. Give yourself a reason to be happy! You have the power to find happiness at any moment.
#5. Allow Yourself To Not Be Happy
The truth is that you can’t always be happy. Nobody can. All emotions, no matter how “bad” they seem, whether sadness, grief, disappointment, envy, anger, loneliness, are healthy expressions of how you feel. It’s unhealthy to bury these “negative” emotions or to pretend you don’t feel them.
There will eventually be a time when you will not be happy, and you need to feel those emotions too. Don’t force yourself to be happy too quickly. This will lead to a buildup of negative emotions that will come out at some point, like an outburst at a loved one when you don’t mean it.
It’s healthy to sit with, to feel the depth of your emotions, and to process them. Cry, yell, run, do whatever you have to to make it through your emotions.
👉🏽 RELATED POST: How to Improve Emotional Health
#6. Make Little Habits
Big changes first take small habits built upon each other over time. You need to find small habits you can easily do when you are making a choice to be happy. SO, instead of just saying, “I choose to be happy” you need to learn how to spark that happiness within yourself.
Some examples are to
- start smiling when you become frustrated,
- making yourself to laugh when sad,
- watching a funny video when you’re down,
- being grateful for what you have and where you are or
- taking a moment to understand why you truly may not be happy.
These little happiness triggers make it easier to choose happiness.
#7. Find Your Happy Place In LIfe
You might be wondering, how do I find my happy place in life?
Just like it sounds like, your happy place is where you are most happy. The thing is, this doesn’t have to be a physical location.
Your happy place can be when you’re around someone, it can be when you are in a certain mindset, or when you are doing a certain activity you love.
And of course, it can be a physical location like your favorite book shop, that cute cafe on the corner, that painting you love at the art gallery, your parent’s kitchen table, or even that little spot in your garden.
#8. Stop Choosing Unhappiness
You think you’re special. You think your situation is worse than others. That’s choosing to NOT be happy. You think your life is just bad but really, it’s your outlook that is bad. Reread some of these pointers and try to have a new mindset.
If one bad event after another keeps happening there is still space to be happy. Don’t focus on the negative events. Yes, they happened and can be recognized but they do not have to take your full attention.
When life is just plain old bad, redirect your attention to what is good. If nothing seems good, redirect your attention to something that isn’t bad.
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 12 Ways to Always Be Happy
#9. Ask Yourself Two Questions
The American Cancer Fund says that when confronting each day you should ask yourself these two questions:
- “Why do I feel that’s positive?”
- “Why do I feel that’s negative?”
This is saying that in order to decide how to be happy with where you are in life you should take it day-by-day and situation-by-situation. When first confronted with a situation there may be an immediate emotion, but upon further inspection, you may find that there is some positivity in it.
#10. Give Something Up
Instead of adding something to your life to find happiness, give something up. Give up the expectations you (or someone else) has for you. Give up the negativity too!
A knee-jerk negative attitude can make everything seem negative. Make a conscious effort to change it. Give up past issues, give up on old ways of thinking. Don’t let past events keep you down. It has happened in the past, let it remain there.
Wake up each day with a renewed commitment to being happy and embracing today and what lies ahead. Each new day is filled with possibility and potential, wake up ready to meet it.
#11. See Your Accomplisments
Still wondering, how can I be happy with my life? The main way to be happy with where you are in life is by taking a moment to value all you have accomplished and all that you are capable of.
Even better, make a list of your wins and achievements so the next time you’re feeling unhappy you can read it to yourself. Let the feelings of success wash over you, and rinse away the feelings of unhappiness.
After the moment of appreciation is up, start to take action. Start with your small habits. These will become innate, then you can build upon the small successes you accumulate to reach your ultimate daily happiness!
👉🏽 RELATED POST: How to Be Happy Alone
#12. Clean Up Your Eating Habits
It’s a well-heard saying that if you eat junk you’ll feel like junk. The thing is, it’s true. Start your day off right with quick and healthy breakfast ideas (from a professional nutritionist).
If breakfast isn’t your thing, that’s okay too- it’s not for everyone. Just be more aware of what you are consuming throughout your day and how it makes you feel! Each nutritious food throughout the day, hydrate with water and make healthy meals for dinner.
Sometimes the unhappiness we feel could be a lack of nutrition, so by fueling your body you can shift your emotions too.
#13. Challenge Yourself
Psychological therapist, Emma Kenney, says that one way to make yourself happy is by challenging yourself to do something you are afraid of.
Taking risks gives us feel happier. Facing a fear allows you to feel successful afterward. A simple risk you could take today is to put yourself out there, maybe even start dating?
#14. Get Some Exercise
Along with a healthy diet, exercise is important too. It may seem worthless at the time (and even an uphill battle to start) but once you get moving and your heart rate up you’ll start to feel the difference it’s making.
When exercising your brain releases endorphins. Think of these as your “happy hormones” which can do wonders for your emotions. Endorphins can reduce depression, reduce anxiety, improve self-esteem, and even reduce pain.
And think, all you have to do is get moving and you will receive all of these awesome benefits! Even better to get up and spend more time outdoors too.
👉🏽 RELATED POST: How to Start Exercising After A Long Time
#15. Nothing Changes Unless You Do
It’s easy to sit there and blame your unhappiness on bad luck or unfortunate circumstances. You might be looking around and seeing happy people pass by and think, “they wouldn’t be happy if they were in my place.”
You may be right! Or you may be completely wrong. Everyone is dealing with rather unfortunate situations just like you, except they are keeping their head up and maintaining a positive attitude.
So if you feel you have been dealt a bad hand, and believe it’s not your fault life is terrible, maybe you just need to make a change. A change of mindset, a change of action, and a change of attitude.
#16. Your Daily Rose
At the end of every day, when you are just laying your head on your pillow, recount your day. Think of the best thing that happened- your rose. This can be just one thing but if you really want to change your mindset, think of three! This shows you there was a ton of good in your day.
Even if you’ve had THE WORST DAY EVER, do it. This is how you are going to become happy with where you are in life, by finding the rose through a day of thorns.
Now, you will be falling asleep with positive thoughts, setting your next day up to be good as well.
Ultimately, in order to discover how to be happy with where you are in life, you should consider all of these different aspects. If one doesn’t help, move on to another without discouragement!
👉🏽 RELATED POST: 500 Things to Be Grateful For
#17. Get Professional Support
If you find yourself in a very dark time, reach out to support. Ask a friend if they have a trusted therapist they recommend in the area. If you don’t feel comfortable disclosing your situation to a friend you can find a professional at GoodTherapy.
This is a site that will match you with a therapist based on your needs and location. You can even select if you want your sessions to be in person or done through telehealth. Find someone that meshes with you. Just like dating, it may take a couple of sessions to know how you feel and if it’s not right, move on to the next one.
Even if you have yet to find how to be happy with where you are in life, I assure you, it’s out there. You just might need some help finding it, and that’s perfectly normal!
Positive Affirmations
Ready to start feeling happy with where you are in life? Get your FREE 20 Printable Positive Affirmations to help you start thinking and living more positively today. Take it one affirmation, one thought at a time.
Use these strategies to help you find your happiness, those moments of joy. No matter how hectic, stressful, or tiring life is right now, you can choose happiness.
You have the power to find happiness in your life.
Are you feeling unhappy, angry, or even sad about your life? Click here for is how to be happy with where you are in life by @piece_of_lulu. #Happiness #PositiveVibesOnly #PositiveDo you feel happy with where you are in life?
More About Guest Contributor
Lauren Klein Professional Nutritionist currently working on my M.S. in Clinical Dietetics. I love food photography, reading, and a good latte. Connect with me at Piece of Lulu to keep up with all things food and nutrition!
Last Updated on July 19, 2024