Are you happy? How happy would you say you are, on a scale of 1-10?  
Being happy may just be the single most important thing you can do for your health, making it just as necessary as diet and physical activity. If you aren't feeling like yourself lately, not to worry. After reading this post, you will be happy if you really want to be.

Disclaimer: This is the second part of "How to be happy right now", if you are new to this blog, or by somehow you have missed up the previous post, I recommend you to read it here >> How to achieve instant happiness [part-1], Will open in New Tab.

"A happy person is not a person in a certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with a certain set of attitudes.” ~ Hugh Downs

Our society today is entrenched in low levels of consciousness of fear, desire and pride. Despite the increasing affluence of people in our world, it seems people are more and more unhappy today. From unhappiness with work, unhappiness with their life, unhappiness with the world, unhappiness with themselves. If you think that the people around you seem quite unhappy, let me tell you that this is a common issue everywhere in the world – be it countries/cities I’ve been to in Asia, Europe, or America.

In light of this epidemic, I’ve created a guide on how to be happy. The mark of a good life is one that is filled with happiness. If you’re not happy at all, then what’s the point of doing any of this to begin with? Knowing that times are stressful and the unexpected often occurs, here are ways to help you get back to happiness almost instantly.

Be Grateful For What You Have

Do you know that no matter where you are right now in life, there are always people who are worse off than you? And no matter how bad things may seem, things can always go much worse?

For example, someone who complains about having a small house should look at the homeless man on the street, who has no home to speak of, no place to seek refuge even in the cold winter. Someone who complains about having just lost his/her job should talk to the guy who just lost his limb from a car accident. Someone who complains about his/her parents being naggy should speak to a recently orphaned child, who has no parents to speak of.

Help someone in need

Do you have a lot of free time in your hands? Sometimes, true experience can be experienced in abundance by actually helping someone in need. It’s selfless, pure and it can bring an instant halo on your head when you look at yourself in the mirror!
It could be your friend, a lady carrying two huge grocery bags, or a child who needs help building something, or a charity.

You don’t always have to help someone like a boy scout, but when you walk past someone who needs help and you hesitate just a second wondering if you should help, go right ahead and help them! Even a smile from a stranger filled with gratitude can make your day.

Embrace Fear and Act Anyways

What is fear really? Examine it every time it happens in your life. This is important because isn’t this one of the greatest roadblocks we all encounter?

Fear is always about something in the future (afraid of an outcome that hasn’t happened yet… and may never even happen) and could also be routed on still attaching with the past.
Because of that definition, fear does not live in the present moment…. it can’t… it’s not possible!

We fear a future outcome, we fear what people will think of us, we fear getting hurt, we fear losing money, we fear negative things that have not yet happened…. we fear events or outcomes that haven’t happened.

“He who fears something gives it power over him.” ~ Moorish Proverb

“Fear makes the wolf bigger than he is.” ~ German Proverb

So you see, how can you really fear anything if you only live in the present moment?

Fear will never go away, as it’s there to keep us alive too… to give us caution in what present moment steps we take, and that is good. Just don’t let it rule your life or prevent happiness. Don’t act out of fear of the future, act out of what is the right thing to do in the present. Even worse, don’t avoid action because of fear. Embrace it… and realize it doesn’t truly exist or have any power over you right now.

Detach From Everything… Everyone… Right Now

Your happiness is no longer dependent on whether you have something or someone in your life. You no longer care about what other people say or think about you.

“Happiness? That’s nothing more than health and a poor memory.” ~ Albert Schweitzer

“The essence of philosophy is that a man should so live that his happiness shall depend as little as possible on external things.” ~ Epictetus

Now you can fully appreciate the time spent with them in the present moment. Detach from caring what others think about you or want from you. Be yourself because of how you want to live your life, not by the expectations of others. Living to other’s expectations will only leave you lacking fulfillment (feeling empty) in your life, and will only drain you as people will always want more from you.

Live to the beat of your own music, smile, laugh… and let everyone else wonder why you are so happy all the time!

Happiness Practice… Practice… Practice

This is the most important step.
None of this is easy and it will take some practice and daily reminders. The only way is to really put any of this to action and get better at doing it, is with simple daily practice. No one ever just masters it all at once, as life is an ongoing  journey full of continual change (which is the only constant), not some destination.

That is what meditation is really. Just taking time out to slow down, quiet the noise and use some little cues (like noticing your breathing) to bring you back into the present moment. To help re-center yourself before you get too far off track.
So if daily happiness is your goal, you have to practice it.

“Happiness is not a state to arrive at, but a manner of traveling.” ~ Margaret Lee Runbeck

You can make up your own “present moment alarm”, something to remind you to focus on what is happening right now in your mind. It could be just waking up and starting the day off with peace and quiet for 10+ min (too many of us start it off with just “noise” from the radio and TV). Maybe it is driving the car with no radio on (and getting rid of some of that traffic stress too). It could be making time for a 10min walk everyday outside in nature (especially barefoot in the grass). [If you can't understand what I'm saying actually, you need to read this previous post and come back again]

Just find ways you can focus on being aware of the present moment. Pretty soon you will just be living in that continual moment more often, and that is where true happiness lives and fear/ worry/ anger/ jealousy/ greed/ doubt/ depression can not get in.

Happiness can be learned, but finding meaning and a purpose in life is what leads to it, not the other way around. The happiest people appreciate and realize that being happy adds years to their life, and life to their years.
I hope you found this guide useful. Please share it with others if you found it helpful. Let’s spread the art of happiness to as many people as we can.

Disclaimer: This is the second part of "How to be happy right now", if you are new to this blog, or by somehow you have missed up the previous post, you are welcome to read it here >> How to achieve instant happiness [part-1]