People are constantly looking for ways to be happy, they buy a stack of stuff but the ‘happiness’ that they feel when buying it soon disappears and then they are left with stuff that they will never use – so here’s some ideas. Do something for someone else – go and do some volunteer work, not only does this make you feel better because you know you are contributing to the wellbeing of others, but you also get to see how the other half live and you may just realize that things aren’t as bad as they seem. It also gets you out of your comfort zone, gets you meeting more people and that is important – it’s about connecting with others, we have turned into a society that is very disconnected, so many of us don’t know our neighbours at all.

We as humans need to feel that we are needed and when you help others, you are realize that you are needed and that you being here and helping is an important thing and that in itself makes you feel better. Research has actually shown that generosity leads to higher levels of personal happiness and lower levels of depression.

Here are five things to do that can help you find peace and happiness:-

1. Gratitude – be grateful every day for all that you have, keep a diary and write these things down and look at them often to remind yourself what you can be grateful for, regardless of how negative things may seem you can always find something to be grateful for.
2. Think Positive – if you keep thinking negatively then you’re just going to make yourself miserable, there is such a thing as being a positive negative – accept that something isn’t working and then decide what you can do to change things and then positively work towards them. Don’t keep replaying the negative things in our minds. So, when you’re caught in a negative frame of mind, stop and think of what the best scenario could be.
3. Be aware of what you say – what you say greatly impacts on your life – I firmly believe in what we ‘put out’ to the universe is what we get back this is thought as well as what we actually say. If all you talk about with your friends and family is all the ‘negative’ things in your life, well it’s going to be pretty hard to be in a positive frame of mind isn’t it? You and you alone have the power of your own thoughts.
4. Be inspired – Read a book about someone’s life and the positive steps that they have taken to achieve things, watch an inspiring movie, when you feel like you are all alone and that no-one is around, you need to realize that you’re not alone that there are thousands of people in the world feeling just like you are, sometimes all you need is to put your life into a little perspective and realize that others have overcome the same hurdles and this can give you the hope that you need.
5. Get Active – Actively help or be nice to people, even if you don’t feel like it – decide on one positive thing to do each day, whether buying a coffee for someone, helping someone who needs a hand with their shopping, this is where volunteering comes into play – get out there and do something to make yourself feel positive and happy and needed.

A happier and healthier life is based on positive and meaningful engagement with those around you, instead of asking yourself ‘how can I be happy’ ask yourself this ‘how can I make someone else happy’.