25 Little Things You Can Do to Be Happy Right Now

Believing that you can be happy right now feels wrong for some people. We tend to have a goal post in life that we need to reach first. A new job, new car, positive health news or a relationship of some kind. Only then can we be happy.

As a result, we often rush through our experiences, desperate to get to the end destination. But, that destination always moves and is always a little out of reach. And we feel that we can never quite keep up. 

We go through today thinking about what we have to do tomorrow. We hurry through life, always in a rush for something. We never commit in case something better comes along. And we tell ourselves that we can only relax and be happy when we reach our next target. 

The effect of this is that we often miss out on the little moments that make up our lives.

Holding onto the belief that something else will improve our moods and behaviours, gives our power away and stops us from embracing the little joys right now. It's saying we don't have enough within us to make ourselves happy. We believe it's always something else that will lead to our happiness and so we just have to wait. But the truth is, the goal posts in life are always moving. If we continue searching for happiness, we live a life unfulfilled. And even worse, we deprive ourselves of the ability to be happy right now.

“Until you give up the idea that happiness is somewhere else, it will never be where you are.” - Robert Holden

Improving your outlook on life right now is a guaranteed way to have more things to feel happy about in the future. It will also take the pressure off you, allowing you to enjoy the little moments.

Here are 25 little things you can try to feel happy right now:

1. Spend time with people who energise you, ignite you and lift you up.

Engage with others that make you feel good to lift your spirits up. Seek out friends that want you to improve and grow.

2. Seek out the lesson in every challenge.

Failing at something only means learning. Adversity allows you to push yourself, develop resilience and see what you're capable of.

3. Try to live in the moment.

Accept what is happening in the here and now and face the rest when it comes.

4. Be grateful for what you have.

Appreciate what you have right now. When you appreciate what you have and the good things around you, you realise your happiness doesn't depend on more.

5. Compete against the version of yourself that you were yesterday.

Don’t be in competition with others. Comparing yourself to others will set you up to fail as you will never be like them. Reflect on your strengths and your own accomplishments.

6. Be yourself and not someone else.

Never be a suppressed version of yourself and always be true to who you are.

7. Focus on the small daily steps you need to take.

Don’t focus on the whole task ahead of you. Take the first step and let the rest unfold naturally.

8. Discover what you love doing and do more of that.

Spend time doing something you're passionate about every single day to positively affect your health and quality of life.

9. Rewire your mindset and view your problems with a growth perspective.

Let go of the things you cannot control and focus on the things you can.

10. Forgive yourself for the decisions you made.

Even if you've doubted the path you chose at times, remind yourself that the decision was what you once wanted.

11. Pay attention to the small daily pleasures in your life.

Focus on the little daily joys such as hearing your favourite song on the radio or your morning cup of coffee. When you pay attention to them, you start to realise they show up in more places.

12. Listen to others, but follow your own gut instincts.

Trust yourself to know what’s the right decision for you. 

13. Give help to others who need a little guidance.

Feel a sense of belonging and reward for reaching out to others and doing something positive to help them.

14. Take a chance on your dreams.

Take the risk or lose the chance. Either it succeeds or you learn something by trying.

15. Give yourself a minute to breathe.

Be in the moment and regain clarity. Sometimes our busy lives can mean that we lose this.

16. Speak to yourself as you would a best friend.

Show yourself kindness and empathy in whatever you do. Remember what advice you'd give a friend if they were in your position.

17. Embrace different opportunities.

We rarely push ourselves due to the fear of failure. But, we’re more capable than we give ourselves credit for.

18. Take ownership for your life.

Take the steps you need to take to get to where you want to go.

19. Talk to others.

It can be hard to ask for help. But, by sharing our problems with others, we allow ourselves to feel listened to and lighter for it.

20. Don’t wait for others to make you happy.

Decide you can make your own happiness, right now. You can't control the behaviours of others, even if they don't act how you wish.

21. Embrace new friendships with people you wouldn’t have previously given a chance.

You never know what new opportunities will come from new friends and experiences. Embrace all paths, even ones you wouldn't have imagined crossing. 

22. Celebrate others' wins and victories.

Their successes do not diminish yours.

23. Focus on progress not perfection.

Even when your progress seems small, remember that every little step adds up to big results overtime.

24. Be consistent in your life. Do something each day towards the life you want to live.

Don’t think about the end goal or where you hope to be in the future. Do something right now, and start today.

25. Practice positive self-talk.

Focus on the desired outcome you want and believe you have the capability to make it happen.