Yes, it is still a thing. Today I was driving downtown Toronto and I found myself smiling. I know maybe I’ve completely lost the last of what was intact of my mind, but I really don’t think that’s the case ( still in question 🙂 It was around 9:15 am, so yes there was traffic, but what I realized I was doing was paying attention to the sky, hanging like a backdrop to the buildings, how the sun was shining and reflecting against the windows. It was beautiful, and I thought to myself, this makes me happy. I am happy right now, at this moment, I am happy.

It’s really great when we are able to access these small moments of joy, contentment and, when acknowledged, we can find ourselves basking in some happiness. I know, it doesn’t take me much, but the point I’m trying to make is that it still is possible to feel this happiness if we give it some attention.

Here are some intentional practices that have helped me access happiness some of the time:

Practice of gratitude. Have you tried this? If you haven’t, try it now if you want. Take a minute to think about something or someone you are grateful for, perhaps your life. I mean that you are alive. That’s always a great place to start, I suppose. Gratitude is one of the most powerful ways to shift your mindset toward happiness. What I appreciate about the practice of gratitude, is that it helps you shift focus from scarcity to abundance.

Letting go of perfect. It doesn’t exist. If you are aiming for perfectionism, you are most likely unable to experience many moments of joy and happiness. Is this true for you? It’s helpful to accept that mistakes and imperfections are a natural part of life and being human. We are messy, life is messy, and that’s OK.

Doing something nice for someone. Ever bought a coffee for the person in line behind you? Or told someone they have something in their teeth? Doing nice things for others helps us feel good about ourselves and can sometimes elevate our mood. Helping others triggers the release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, which can lead to increased feelings of happiness.

Have you laughed today? There’s a beautiful memory I have with my sister. We were sitting together at our family home when I started to laugh. Soon my laughter was uncontrollable and my sister, not knowing what I was laughing about, followed suit. We laughed for a few minutes uncontrollably, without a worry in the world. It feels wonderful to laugh. Not only does it improve our mood, but it is linked to reducing stress, feeling relaxed and boosts our immune system. So laugh, laugh and laugh some more.

Practice presence in nature, if possible. To be honest, it’s easier and it’s kind of like getting a head start. Without a device and noise. It could feel scary and awkward but if you have the opportunity try it. Practicing presence trains our minds to appreciate the present moment, not regrets of the past or worries of the future. Doing this in nature jumpstarts the process as being in nature soothes our brain and helps us restore balance in our body and mind.

There are many intentional practices we can start to implement in our lives if we are serious about feeling truly happy. Try one of these practices, the one that feels the most natural to you, the one that calls to you and start there. Try this practice for three days. If you want to keep going, try it for three weeks. If you find yourself feeling happier, keep going for as long as you want to feel happy 😊

What’s helped me the most is accepting that we cannot and will not feel happy all the time. It is a series of small choices and practices we make every day that can foster this happy mindset. Accepting that life will be challenging, hard and painful at times while making space for moments of joy, gratitude and connection we can build a realistic, hence sustainable, sense of happiness that comes from within ourselves. Not from the outside and/or by someone else. You deserve to feel happy and fulfilled and YOU have the power to make it happen.

Authored by Kavita Patel RSW, MSW & Co-founder of ReLearning Human