The 3-point guide to finding happiness

Mind your thinking
Your thoughts are astonishingly powerful, so it is important to keep them clearly focussed on what you want – not what you don’t want.

“Talk about what you do want, not what you don’t.”

Pay attention to framing your ideas clearly in the positive and speaking about what you want to create a better life experience. You can easily talk yourself ‘up’ or ‘down’ depending on what you choose to focus on and think about.

Try this exercise: Imagine today that everything you think about – each individual thought – will create and form itself into your life experience. So be mindful of what you are saying and thinking. When negative thoughts come along, notice them, acknowledge them and then let them pass – swapping them for a better thought, this time framed in the positive.

Feel happiness from the inside out

The route to happiness begins from within. How you feel and handle your emotions dictates the level of happiness that you experience.

“Become aware that your emotions are your own responsibility – make them strong and in the positive.”

No one has the power to make you feel a certain way – you decide how you feel inside. You are running your own emotions – no one else.

Try this exercise: Notice how you feel through the day. Try to create good feelings and make sure that you feel strong and optimistic hour by hour. Notice when things come along that would normally annoy you, and aim at staying neutral. This takes practice. Try activating a stronger, more positive response, such as laughing. By not allowing your emotional level to dip when a problem comes along, it is possible to keep yourself feeling better for longer.

Know what you want
Many people don’t know what they want in life.

“Being clear about what you want is the first step to finding happiness. The happiest people know what they want and walk towards that outcome.”

In order to find happiness and live a life of joy, you need to know what your goals are and where you want to go.

Try this exercise: Ask yourself the following questions and think your answers carefully then jot them down. What do you really want to make happen in your life right now? Which areas of your life do you want to change? What things can you do without now in your life? What’s been stopping you from making the changes you want to make?”