When you are happy in life, people stop by to ask you why you are always so happy amid all the chaos, but the simple truth is that there are simple rules that guarantee you happiness at no extra cost to you.
Happiness is free but some people still base their happiness on external things, what they have and what they don’t have. However, a good knowledge and understanding of the rules of happiness will make you happy throughout your life.
The essential rules to be happy in life are based on how much you don’t allow the pressures of life to get to you. They are a reflection of your decision to believe in yourself and trust the process. Living a happy life is beyond how life treats you. It is about how you choose to live your life.
1. Be contented with what you have
The first rule to be happy in life is to be content with what you have. You will live a happier life if you stop comparing what you have with what others have.
Contentment prevents you from worrying unnecessarily, prevents stress from worrying too much, and makes you calm enough to look for ways to improve your current state to a more desirable state without allowing anything to rob you of your happiness.
2. Avoid comparing yourself to other people
This is another rule to be happy in life. Avoid comparing yourself to other people in a negative way. That can steal your joy and happiness when you realize that they are better off than you presently.
Comparing yourself to other people not only reduces your self-esteem, it can also make you get jealous of other people and cloud your head with unnecessary negative thoughts instead of looking for ways to get better at yourself.
There is a healthy way to compare yourself, and that is by comparing yourself to what you aspire to become by asking yourself questions like “Is this where I want to be in my life?”
3. Stop worrying, plan, work and believe
To be happy in life, this is one rule that will not only stabilize your mind but also put you on the path to greater productivity and growth. If worrying could add a cent to one’s bank account, many people would have been the wealthiest in the world. Unfortunately, it does not add a dime.
Worrying destabilizes your mental capacity and productivity. Thus, to be happy in life, worry less, and act more and promptly. Plan, and work towards your plans trusting that your input is going to yield the desired results.
4. Love everyone, don’t harbor hate
Love is one rule to stay happy in life most people do not seem to pay attention to. People only care about themselves and do not look out for other people.
Filling your heart with love will make you happier, but harboring hate puts a heavy burden on your heart. Instead of plotting a payback for someone who offended you, why not turn that same energy into making plans for your happiness and productivity?
Harboring hate in your heart steals your happiness in countless other ways. It can make you angry and unhappy for no obvious reason when you see the person/people in question. To be happy in life, love everyone, forgive quickly, and never hold grudges against anyone longer than necessary.
5. Live within your means, avoid pretending
To be happy in life, learn to live within your means because if you don’t, you will end up lacking after extravagantly depleting your hard-earned resources which you could have wisely invested to become richer. Oftentimes, this is due to the pressure to please other people or live their kind of life.
All fingers are not equal but with determination and discipline, you can gradually grow your nails to be longer than they currently are. This is a rule that makes you happy in life because it can help you build an empire starting from the little you have.
6. Give more, expect less
Giving more than you expect is another rule to be happy in life. It saves you from the heartbreak of expecting so much and getting only a little. That can rob you of your happiness and joy.
The mindset of giving more than you receive can make you happy even when you don’t enjoy so many gifts from other people. It does not mean they have refused to help you, and it’s unnecessary to feel angry, depressed, or isolated simply because you did not get help from someone.
Everyone is trying to put their shit together, irrespective of what you think of them. You only know about yourself. When you zero out your mind from getting help from anyone, you will even be happier when a little help comes.
7. Live with gratitude
Gratitude is one essential rule to be happy in life. It is the virtue of being grateful for what you have no matter how small it might look. Gratitude considers important things like life itself, relationships, family, and other things that most people overlook.
Being alive is a blessing. Your family is a blessing. Having something to do no matter how small is a blessing. When you show gratitude for the very small things, it paves the way to even bigger things for you.
8. Do good as much as it lies in you
Doing good to other people brings you happiness in many ways. One, it gives you a sense of satisfaction that you have made someone else happy or made their day.
Secondly, doing good to other people brings good things to you in rather mysterious ways. When you do good, it just finds a way to come back to you.
It might not be from that same person you showed kindness to but good has a way of coming back to you. The result will put more happiness in your life. Doing more good to other people is a rule to live a happy life because it also gives you more peace of mind.
In contrast, the more the number of people you think you have wronged, the more scared and unhappy you’d be, thinking they might plot against you someday.
9. Be fully present wherever you are
As a rule, wherever you are, and whatever you are doing, be emotionally present and enjoy it to the fullest. Being physically present but thinking about or wishing to be somewhere else at that same time will not only make you miss out on the benefits of where you currently are but will also deprive you of the happiness you could get from it.
There is joy everywhere you are as long as there is joy inside you. So, irrespective of what or where it is, you can find joy and happiness in your heart by savoring the moment and being fully present wherever you are.
10. Be yourself
The last but not least essential rule to be happy in life is being yourself. That is the greatest thing you can be for yourself.
Trying to change who you are to fit into other people’s criteria will only make you unhappy throughout life. And if there is anything you need to do, it is to improve yourself and become the best version of yourself, not change who you are because you want to please other people.
You don’t need to change yourself to feel accepted, that brings you unhappiness in life. But when you are on your way to becoming your best self, you will find people who appreciate you for who you are.
Final words
Living a happy life is not about having the most possessions in the world. These 10 simple rules will make you happier, and better, and have more peace of mind in this world full of chaos, competition, and strife.
