Friday Five: 5 Things I’m Doing To Stay Upbeat…

It’s been a tough few weeks in the US and here in the Chicagoland area. I’m generally an upbeat person and have a lot of habits and hobbies that help me to feel good. I run, I see and speak to friends a lot, I do puzzles and word games, I read, I unplug and I go outside in “nature.” I was thinking about things that make me happy in tough times and I was reminded of an old post that pulled my favorite tips from some articles on happiness. Seemed like a good time to pull them out again.

Find a happy place!

5 Happiness Tips that Resonate with Me (full link/my fave):

 10 Habits of Happy People – Shape Magazine.

1. Be grateful – “It all starts with counting our blessings. If you are not grateful for the good things in your life, you will never be satisfied. Take inventory of the good around you. But don’t neglect what’s not great, either: You also need to be grateful for the hardships, the obstacles, the failures. Why? Because these are the points of wisdom in your life. They give you strength, they teach you how to persevere, and they form your resilience. Being thankful for every step makes life’s hardships surmountable. All of this is the foundation of optimism; being psyched about the good and the bad, and knowing that they all point to a bright future.

10 Things that Happy People DON’T Believe – Lifehack

6. I can’t. – “If you believe you are incapable and let that belief keep you from happiness, then ultimately you give truth to a self-imposed fallacy. The only way to improve and succeed at anything is to try and try again. Consider this: who is your idol? Do you think he or she is so accomplished through a life void of failure? No! They simply do not let their doubts keep them from happiness.”

10 Things You Didn’t Realize You Could Do To Be Happy – Lifehack

6. Look less ahead. Look less behind. -“Try to refocus yourself to the current moment more often. Start building memories instead of living in them.  Start creating your future instead of just hoping for a better one.  If you don’t do this, your life will become a fog that can stretch across your entire time on earth.”

18 Timeless Things You Can Do to be Happy – Lifehack

8. Happiness is contagious -“Whoever is happy will make others happy too.”

– Anne Frank

“It’s a fact: smiling at somebody tends to make them feel happier. Laughing has an even stronger effect. So wherever you go, share your happiness with the people you meet, and surround yourself with happy people if you can.”

30 Things You Should NOT Give Up if You Want to Be Happy – Lifehack

21. Don’t give up trying new things – “‘Oh, I could never do that!’ This is the siren of surrender. Happiness is found on the edge of cliff as frequently as it is found in a hammock. Try to find happiness in things you’ve never done, and it will be there.”

What are your fave tips or lists? Please share in the comments!

I’m linking up with DarleneMichelleReneeJenn and Zenaida for Fit Five Friday. Join us!

Have a great weekend!

PS. Don’t forget my great giveaways!