8 Habits of Happy People

Have you ever wondered why some people remain jolly and optimistic in the face of life's day-to-day difficulties, while many others are left feeling pessimistic and dejected? How do cheerful people manage to remain so upbeat? It's simple in principle: happy people think their way to happiness. You can do the same if you're mindful of how your faulty thinking can lower your mood. Here are eight ways to maximize your chances of happiness, come what may.

1. Stop thinking you can predict the future.

Unhappy people often imagine they can read the future, and all they see is strife. Of course, your life will be never be problem free, but when you make plans for the months and years ahead, maintain a sense of proportion. Don't overestimate the possibility of negative outcomes because in that way lies stagnation and discontent.

2. Refuse to make a catastrophe out of a blunder.

Everyone makes mistakes; most of them are annoying or embarrassing, not disastrous. So when you make a mistake, go easy on yourself. See your slip-up as an opportunity to learn something about yourself and to grow.

3. Don't personalizing events.

Personalization happens when you believe you have more impact on the world than you do. You're likely to take responsibility for events and reactions that are not under your control, which can lead to feelings of guilt and inadequacy or an inflated sense of your own importance. Look at events objectively. Realistically, what power or influence do you have over them? Who else must take a share of the blame for failure or praise for success? Do you really have power over people's emotions? The only feelings you can control are your own.

4. Resist assigning simplistic labels to yourself and others.

You cannot be summed up in a few words. You are not defined entirely by your job, your politics, your possessions, your health issues or your mistakes. Your occasional acts of stupidity, insensitivity and foolishness do not make you a stupid, insensitive fool. Just like everyone else, you're a complex individual with a multifaceted personality.

5. Accept that you're not (and never will be) perfect.

If you're constantly chasing perfection, you'll never be satisfied. Happiness is accepting your fallibility. Contentment is knowing that you did your best. Be honest and realistic about what you can achieve.

6. Acknowledge the positives in your life to date.

You'll be miserable if you focus only on disappointments and sad times in your life. Acknowledge the good as well as the bad, and put them both into proper perspective. Resolve to learn from failure and to celebrate and feel proud of success. Ideally, don't dwell too much on the past at all. It's done, so move on.

7. Be flexible in the face of change.

Whether it's in your personal or work life, change is inevitable; you must learn to adapt or you'll feel overwhelmed and out of control. Everyone feels uneasy about change, but happy people concentrate on the opportunities it presents, rather than the problems. Don't waste time on complaints and negativity; invest your energy in making the best of inevitable change.

8. Take responsibility for your feelings.

Don't habitually blame circumstances and other people for your low mood. Take ownership of your emotions. After all, no one else is in control of your mind. You're in charge of you and, although it's tough at times, you can be positive and content if you choose to be.

Are you guilty of mood-sabotaging thinking? If so, stay vigilant. Make a note of the errors you're committing and resolve to correct them. You can create and safeguard happiness if you develop healthy thought habits.