5 essential steps to cultivate lasting happiness in your life

Happiness is a pursuit that resonates with all of us, yet the fast-paced nature of the world often makes it challenging to attain and sustain. Fortunately, we can draw wisdom from various sources, including Buddhism, Stoicism, and knowledge shared by individuals like Naval Ravikant, to take actionable steps towards leading a more peaceful and fulfilling life.

Here are five effective ways to bring more happiness into your life:

1. Understand the essence of happiness:

The meaning of happiness is personal and evolves over time. Start by exploring what happiness signifies to you in this moment. Is it aligning your life with core values like honesty, kindness, or truth, living stress-free, or pursuing self-actualization? 

Drawing on Buddhist principles, happiness often arises when we let go of our desires. By letting go of regrets about the past, worries about the future, and yearnings for more possessions, we can experience a sense of peace and stillness. Then we can observe our surroundings without attaching emotions or judgments.

2. Build habits aligned with your long-term goals:

Identify your long-term aspirations, whether that includes getting in shape, developing strong relationships, or buying a nice house. Once you’ve established your goals, align your daily habits and actions with them.

For instance, if you want to get in shape, commit to a routine of consistently eating well and exercising. It’s much easier to skip a workout and postpone it to “tomorrow,” but if you make the more difficult decision in the moment, you’ll reap the rewards in the future. 

3. Prioritize your physical health:

The majority of times I felt unhappy, it was driven by my physical state—I was hungry, hadn’t exercised in a while, didn’t get enough rest, had too much caffeine, was sick, or needed fresh air and sunlight.

Happiness stems from the mind, but you need to sort out your body for the mind to function properly. Take stock of what you consume—you’ve heard it before, but cut out processed foods and excess sugar, get more movement and sunlight each day, prioritize your sleep, and go for a walk instead of scrolling through social media.  

Also consider your alcohol consumption. Alcohol destabilizes your mood, destroys your sleep, and increases the chance you do something you’ll regret. Consider why you drink it. If it’s to make an evening with friends more enjoyable, maybe you’re with the wrong group of people.

4. Use the Pareto Law to reduce stress and anxiety:

The Pareto Law (more popularly known as the 80/20 Principle) was initially developed by economist Vilfredo Pareto to explain wealth distribution in society. Pareto found that about 80% of society’s wealth is produced and held by 20% of the population. Importantly, this rule applies outside economics and to many other facets of life, namely, your problems .

Identify the 20% of sources in your life causing 80% of your stress. Take steps to minimize or eliminate these sources. If certain people are making your life miserable, stop hanging out with them! If it’s a business relationship, determine the impact of getting rid of your problem customers. On the other side, figure out which 20% of sources contribute to 80% of your happiness and lean into them.

5. Surround yourself with positive influences:

As Naval puts it, “At the end of the day, you are a combination of your habits and the people who you spend the most time with.” Surround yourself with people who inspire you, encourage you to be the best version of yourself, and support and uplift you.

Being around people who constantly pick fights and involve you in their drama is draining. Protect your energy and set boundaries against the negativity, drama, and misery others can bring into your life. This enables you to create space for positivity and happiness.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, happiness is a choice. In each moment, we choose our actions and how we interpret events around us. By understanding the essence of happiness, aligning our habits with long-term goals, prioritizing our physical health, using the Pareto Law to reduce stress, and surrounding ourselves with positive influences, we can cultivate a happier and more fulfilling life. Leave a comment on my page with what makes you happy or what happiness means to you!