1. Practice an “Attitude of Gratitude”: Happy people don’t have the best of everything rather, they make the best of everything.
2. Re-Frame problems as challenges: Happy people look for the best in everyone and every situation. Stumbling blocks or stepping stones, it’s largely a matter of attitude.
3. Smile: Emotion often follow actions, put a smile on your face, walk briskly with your head high and before you know it your moods will match your behavior. Be careful because the opposite is true, too.
4. Reach out, get involved, break the ice: A strong social network is a key to both happiness and longevity. Do choose your friends well. Attitudes are contagious and it’s hard to soar like an eagle if you are hanging out with turkeys.
5. Exercise, exercise, exercise: Exercise is a tremendous mood booster and a source of energy. You will feel better and look better, too.
6. Get a good night’s sleep: Many fears are born of fatigue, many bad decisions are made in haste.
7. Have written goals: For each of the six major roles of your life: Career, Family, Community, Health/Physical, Spiritual/Creative, Personal/Professional Growth. Create action plans, targets and timelines for each, then review regularly.
8. Journal frequently: Journalling, even if just a few lines, gives us an opportunity to pause and reflect, get perspective on our day, review our plans and aspirations for the morrow. It is tremendously calming and centering.
9. Eat healthy: Choose veggies and fruit, avoid processed food, exercise portion control (try eating off a dessert plate), eat slowly, mindfully, savor every bite, try taking a sip of water or putting down your fork between each bite.
10. Forgive and move forward: We are not punished for our anger but by our anger. Energy put into judgment or resentment is wasted time that could be used to move onward.
11. Be a realistic optimist: Intelligently persist. Optimism is closely associated with success both because optimists try more often and longer. Likewise persistence and resilience.
12. Anchor your sense of self deep within: Wonderful peace will flow. Looking to others for approval is “other-esteem.” Happy people have SELF-esteem.
13. Speak well of others: Not only will you feel better, others will like you more and be attracted to your presence.
14. Practice wholesome self-discipline: Every disciplined effort yields multiple results; the ability to delay current gratification for future reward is power. He who masters others is powerful, he who masters himself is the most powerful of all.
15. Focus on the positive: The law of attraction is powerful. Thoughts held in mind attract in kind, what you focus on expands, look where you want to go.
16. Prioritize your time: First things first. Do not let others or random events rule your life. Things that matter most should never be at the mercy of things that matter least. Every yes is a no, be aware of what you say no to implicitly.