1.Take Care of Your Body

The healthier you are the happier you will be. It is no fun feeling tired, anxious, depressed, stiff or in pain. The more you exercise, the more powerful you will feel. You will be confident in every situation. Feed yourself nourishing, natural foods and you will have more resilience against energy slumps, illness and aging. It will improve your mood and lower anxiety. Taking care of your body doesnt have to be complicated. Drinking lots of water is essential for maintaining hydration and ensuring oxygen reaches all your muscles and organs. Cut out as many chemicals as possible, including the obvious ones such as caffeine, nicotine and sugar. Do some gentle stretching daily and at least 15 minutes of something that increases your heart rate.

2.Spend Time with People that You Love

Studies show that the happiest people enjoy recreational time with loved ones. Spending time with those you love can release endorphins and create oxytocin, chemicals that are important for happiness and well-being. Spending time with those we love also gives us a sense of belonging and identity, both of which are essential ingredients for human happiness. Indulge in hugging! Research shows that a daily hug can increase life expectancy.

3.Make it Your Mission to Spread Kindness

Having kindness for yourself and others will make you feel happier. If you are feeling sad, angry or resentful, do something for others. Spreading happiness will boost your mood. The way to break free of negative emotions is to feed the energy of love, kindness and compassion. Do something kind every day. Send a loving card, text or email. Offer to do a favor. Compliment every person you meet. Be kind to yourself each day also. It is better to be kind than to be right. Look at your own life and see where you may be able to drop being right in order to be kind.

4.Do Something Creative

Being creative does not necessarily mean painting a picture or writing a story. We can be creative in numerous ways from baking a cake to organizing a party. Being creative can add meaning to our lives by giving us a sense of purpose, or a voice for our innermost feelings. Creativity is closely aligned to play. Play is an important part of having a happy life. Children play all the time and are generally happy. Take a lesson from them and incorporate something playful and something creative into your life. Take time out to dance, make music, or collect something. Spend time in your imagination playfully creating your life the way youd like it to be. Get lost in inspiration.

5.Laugh More

Like hugging, laughter is a key ingredient for those who live long, happy lives. We often take life too seriously. It helps to lighten up. Laughing is a great way of releasing endorphins and feeling happier. Laughter workshops now exist to give people a dose of laughing therapy. Find things that make you laugh. Find comedians you like, source funny clips on the internet, watch cartoons, read books that give you the giggles. Maybe you have people in your life that make you laugh? Spend time with them. Be silly. Wherever you can, try to take things less seriously. If you look, there may even be a funny side.

6.Spend Time in Nature

Those who spend regular time in nature are often happier than those that dont. Being immersed in nature is rejuvenating and will give you greater resilience for dealing with life. Spending time in nature ensures a good intake of fresh air; something that is lacking in our urban jungles. It also gets your body moving and your muscles stretching. Finally, it helps with reminding you that the world is a magnificent place with harmony and synchronicity happening with no help from you. Its easy to lose perspective on life and feel like problems are enormous. Spending time in nature will help you to transcend the everyday and feel connected to something much larger than yourself.

7. Count Your Blessings

Gratitude is essential for a happy life. The more we focus on the good things in our lives and give thanks, the more good things we receive. The universe is benevolent but it likes to be appreciated. If you gave someone a gift and they didnt say thank you, youd probably think they didnt like it and not gift them again. The universe works in the same way. The more you appreciate and give thanks, the more blessings you will receive. Start small with counting your blessings. Things like having running water are reasons to be grateful. Once you start to look for all the things you have to be thankful for, you wont be able to stop. You will find lists of things you appreciate and feel genuinely blessed.