How To Be Happy: Step By Step Guide To Being Happy

By Elizabeth Scott, M.S., About.com Guide

Updated October 28, 2011

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by the Medical Review Board

Whether setting goals as New Year’s Resolutions, or as part of a quest for an improved life, many people sabotage themselves from the beginning by expecting too much and setting themselves up to fail. For example, many people expect themselves to immediate change their habits out of sheer willpower; any slip-ups are experienced as ‘failures’, and too often contribute to an abandonment of the goal and feelings of defeat.

If you’re trying to make positive changes in your life, it’s important to set yourself up to succeed:

1. First, set small, attainable goals. Work your way into a new habit with baby steps, and you’ll feel more successful every step of the way, and be less likely to give up.
2. Next, reward your progress; for each small goal you reach, allow yourself to feel pride, and perhaps give yourself a small reward.
3. Don’t forget to enlist social support! Tell the supportive people in your life what you’re attempting to acheive, and tell them of your successes. This will give you added strength, and will make it less appealing to give up (and have to explain yourself to those close to you)!

See this article for more on making positive changes. Or, for a more spiritual approach, see these articles on understanding the law of attraction and using the law of attraction for positive changes.

Previous

• Introduction: How To Be Happy
• Look At Your Life: Does Your Lifestyle Make You Happy?
• Look At Your Attitude: Do Your Thoughts Make You Happy?
• Set The Right Goals for Happiness
• Work Toward Your Goals The Smart Way

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