Sometimes you may need to make a big effort, but most of the time all you have to do is something subtle and simple to completely change how your day turns out.

Here are some easy ways to add happiness to your day:

1. Watch a movie. Curl up with a big bucket of popcorn and your favorite movie. Leave all your worries behind you as you engage in an activity that you’re sure to love.

2. Watch your kids or loved ones. Instead of focusing on yourself, take some time to place your attention on the people you love. Simply observe them and think about how much you appreciate the fact that they’re in your life.

3. Call your best friend. A phone call with a close friend is a great way to pass some time in a way that is comfortable and familiar to you. You can think about old times or enjoy planning something fun for the future.

4. Go out for ice cream. While it’s not a good idea to indulge all the time, it’s definitely okay once in a while. Grab your favorite treat whether it’s ice cream, a smoothie, or even Starbucks.

5. Enjoy nature. Take in nature by watching the world around you. You can do this by going on a nature hike or even just observing the beauty of the stars at night.

6. Take a hot bath. This is a great way to bring happiness to your day, especially if you’ve found the day stressful. Light some scented candles to include the benefits of aromatherapy to the relaxing warmth of the bath.

7. Play a sport. Gather your friends and have a friendly competition. Sports are a fun way to get some exercise and relieve stress.

8. Take a nap. An afternoon nap may be just what you’re looking for. Even 15 minutes of shut-eye can help you feel more energized and happy.

9. Snuggle with your partner. Take the time to appreciate your partner and snuggle up for some couple-time. It’s a great way to reconnect, especially if you’ve been really busy.

10. Be lazy. Sometimes you might not feel as happy as you’d like because you expect too much from yourself. Take some time to simply be lazy, with no responsibilities, and give yourself time to recoup.

11. Listen to your favorite song. Your favorite song is bound to brighten up your day. Bring out your iPod or music player and start cranking up the tunes.

12. Make casual conversation. Strike up some lively conversations with strangers. If you’re friendly and happy towards them, they’ll likely be the same to you.

13. Be thankful. Reflect on all the things that you’re grateful for in your life and write them down. You might be surprised at how long your list is! Sometimes changing your focus to what’s going right in your life is all you need to turn that frown upside down.

14. Enjoy time with your pets. Pets are part of the family too. Snuggle up with your pet for some quality time together.

Always remember that the list is endless when it comes to ways to brighten your day. Be creative and try new activities that you might like. Most importantly, seek a way to enjoy each moment, and your life will be filled with new happiness.

photo credit: pasotraspaso

Concentrate On The Positive

It’s vital to start with positive thoughts. When you think positively about yourself and your dreams, you’ll begin to believe that you can achieve anything. These initial positive emotions can lead to a dedicated drive and enthusiasm that’ll help build lasting momentum.

Remember that nearly everyone feels overwhelmed when you’re about to embark on a long journey. That’s exactly why it’s so easy to fall into negative patterns of thinking, but you must fight these thoughts. It can be hard to imagine that so much can be achieved simply by having positive thoughts, but it’s true!

The truth is, when you think about something as scary as “I could die tomorrow,” it’s hard not to be drawn into a panic. But instead of worrying about how much time you and your loved ones have left, concentrate on making the present moment as productive as it can be towards your true calling.

Careful Planning

Once you’ve decided to take action, and you’ve battled your negative thoughts, it’s time to make some feasible plans to get you where you want to be.

Keep these tips in mind as you go through your planning phase:

1. Set realistic goals. If your goal is going to take years, give yourself years. You can’t expect everything to happen overnight.
2. Be specific. Include all the details in your plans. If you stumble along the way, you’ll be comforted in knowing that you have your detailed plans to help you stay the course.
3. Reward yourself. When you’ve made progress towards your goal, give yourself a reward. Even if your ultimate goal is far off, it’s fun and motivating to enjoy rewards as you complete steps toward your goal.

Action In Small Steps

One of the biggest tips when it comes to following your dream is to break down your actions into small, manageable steps.

For example, your goal could be to become an airline pilot or you might want to start your own business. Both of these goals are hefty and have the potential to take years of work and training.

When you first think about these goals, it’s easy to be scared of how daunting they seem. Instead of resorting to fear, try breaking down these goals into dozens or even hundreds of small steps. Chances are that each small step is not nearly as overwhelming as the big picture.

At the same time, always keep the big picture in mind. When you visualize yourself reaching your end goal, it can be an image that gives you the drive to keep going during tough times.

Inspiring Others

Once you’ve achieved your goal, consider inspiring others to reach their goals, too. Perhaps you have some friends or family members who say things like, “I’ve always wanted to do that,” but they remain working at their dead end job.

Help them take action!

You’ll know from experience that, while it may be a risk, the reward is more than worth it.

Yes, following your dreams is even a reward in itself! It brings you joy in the present and hope for the future. So carpe diem – seize the day!

Living in the moment sounds easy, but it will take some effort until you get into the habit. After all, with so much going on around us, it’s easy to get distracted by fears, worries, frustrations, and stress. But once you get used to it, though, you’ll wonder how you could have lived any other way!

What can you do to make living in the moment your way of life?

Try these steps in order to gain present-moment thinking:

1. Meditate. The very point of meditation is to live in the present moment and accept things just as they are. It’s a practice that you’ll get better at the more you do it. To help quiet your mind, the best thing you can do is focus on your breathing and keep striving to release your thoughts with each breath you take.

2. Accept the past. You’ll feel better about yourself once you learn to accept past situations. There’s nothing you can do to change the past. Bringing the past into your present only clouds your present thinking and makes it harder for you to concentrate on the present moment.

* Thoughts of the past will still arise, but when you learn to accept it for what it is, you’ll be able to return to the present moment without regret or grief.

3. Accept the future. On the other side of the coin, you also need to accept the future. You ultimately have no idea about what’s going to happen, and worrying about it won’t make an ounce of difference.

* How much time do you waste in a day by sitting around thinking about what you’re going to do? When you stop thinking, you have more time to actually do it!

4. Be mindful. When you’re mindful, you pay close attention to what you’re doing in the present. You may think it’s just a mundane chore, but it’s important to do it with an open mind. Open up your senses to what you’re doing. You might be overwhelmed with positive feelings that you didn’t know existed.

5. Get in touch with nature. Take some time to get in touch with nature. You can go for a walk or just sit under a tree. There aren’t many things that can open you up to the present moment like opening up to the vastness of nature.

Remember To Relax

As long as you maintain a relaxed attitude, you can achieve conscious living if you keep trying.

It may help to think of yourself and your brain as separate entities. Your brain can be thinking thoughts all over the place while your “self” watches. When you maintain the wisdom to realize that your thoughts are out of control, the self can pull you back into the present.

Of course these goals are best achieved through meditative practice, but you can also try any activity that you find relaxing if meditation isn’t for you. While you’re relaxing, pay attention to your breathing and try to take deep breaths. Remind yourself that, in this moment, the past and the future don’t matter in the least.

After you’ve successfully added present moment thinking to a relaxing part of your day, it’s time to spread the awareness to other times of the day. The more time you can spend in the present, the better. Live in the here and now, and enjoy a more fulfilling life!