How to Stay Happy

If we analyse every human action, we find that we do everything to keep ourselves happy and well. If you ask someone why they are doing something, the answer is "because I enjoy it." And enjoying it means I want to be happy. So the question is: how can we stay happy?

1. Practise being happy: Can we always stay happy? If not, we must try harder to feel well. Exercise to stay physically fit; after a hard task, take a short walk — this boosts your capacity and lets you begin the next task with more of a smile.

2. Don't compare yourself with others: Constantly comparing yourself with others makes it impossible to feel satisfied with your own work, and your mood sinks. So respect your own work, stay positive, and when needed compare yourself not with others but with yourself — try to outdo yourself tomorrow compared to today.

3. Think positively: The main cause of feeling low is negative thinking. So, to keep yourself well, think positively.

4. Write a credit list: At the end of the day, write down the good things you did and express gratitude to yourself. Reading them will make you feel happy inside.

5. Find happiness within / love yourself: Do more of what you enjoy or find pleasure in. Don't always work for the office or for others — sometimes do what you love, too.

6. Sleep fully: Adequate sleep is needed for physical health; when the body is not well, the mind is not well either. Build the habit of sleeping earlier at night and waking earlier in the morning.

7. Practise forgiveness: You cannot stay happy while angry at someone or hurt by someone. When you can forgive, a positive attitude toward the incident develops, which helps you feel well.

8. Help others: The greatest joy is in helping others. Help a friend, a colleague, or a helpless person on the street — you will feel wonderful and a smile will appear on your face.

9. Discover your strengths: Find your areas of strength and put them to use. Succeeding at your tasks will help you stay happier than before.