Find the simple keys to happiness

As we wind down the year and spare some time to take stock of 2014, it is likely that we will have some hits and some misses for the year that was. And looking forward to 2015, we all undoubtedly want the same things in the new year. To be happier, to do more, be more successful.

I recently read an article that talked about happiness and how our levels of happiness are part predetermined (by your personality traits which are hereditary) and part determined by the choices that we make.

The fact that there is a UN International Day of Happiness points to the fact that to be happy is a state that is sought-after worldwide. What are the simple things we can do to cultivate more happiness? Maybe some of these will make it to your new year resolutions, fortunately most are not too complex to implement.

Attitude of gratitude

There is a reason why a Thanksgiving holiday exists, even though we do not actively engage in it on this side of the world. The act of gratitude and expressing thankfulness in our relationships, personal and professional, has been shown by research to boost happiness levels.

Meditation is one of the practices that also touts the practice of gratitude. Try this simple exercise. Every night, or at least once a week, write down five things that you’re grateful for. Or mention them in your prayers. By focusing on what you have, what you have achieved and the relationships you have made in a world full of a scarcity mentality, you start to create an inner shift.

Make friends

These refer not to networks, contacts or acquaintances but real friends. Make and nurture good friends. Research shows that you’re likely to live a longer, happier life if you do this. People who have stronger social relationships are shown to survive hard times better than those who don’t. But you don’t have to have many friends, just solid ones.

Goals and giving

Dust off that list you created five years ago and review which goals you’re still passionate about, and which ones are still relevant. Actively pursuing goals driven by passion has been shown to increase how happy you are and how happy you stay. And while you’re at it, look for ways in which to give to others, whether it is of your time or energy. Enabling someone else to reach their goal can often be as satisfying as reaching your own goal.