If you’re not happy, it’s time to make some changes. Happiness is not a given. None of us are promised happiness and yet many of us are surprised to realize that if they want to be happy they have to make some difficult changes. Of course not all of them need be hard, but as the saying goes – nothing worth having comes easy.

Happiness is a Choice

You’ve probably met someone who has lead a difficult life, and yet they still find happiness and joy in just about everything they do. While others seem to be handed everything to them and are still not happy about their lot in life.

Happiness is an Attitude

While you can make changes in order to have a happier life than the one you have now, ultimately you’re going to have to change your attitude if you want to truly be happy. And hey, changing something about you is a lot easier than changing something about someone else. So how do you go about making changes to have a happier life?

Not Happy? It’s Time to Make Some Changes

  1. Figure out why you aren’t happy – There are many reasons you may not be happy. It could be you hate your job, hate your boss, or hate your partner. It could be that you’ve let yourself get out of shape, that you don’t feel physically well. There are millions of reasons why you might not be happy, and only you’re going to know what those are. I like to make lists because then I can “see” the things that might be causing me be unhappy. Write down all the things in your life that aren’t satisfying.
  2. Change your attitude – You may have a long list of reasons why you aren’t happy, and you may be able to make many changes to those items. However, many of them you may have little control over. If you hate your boss, but love your job you have to decide which you’d rather have – gainful employment or putting up with your boss. If you can’t change the items on your list then you’re going to need to change the way you think about them. Your boss might be a pain in the neck, but you have the power to let it bother you or not. Choose wisely.
  3. Make a Plan – Let’s assume you do hate your boss, but love your job. You’ve improved your attitude and refuse to let the little things he does get under your skin. Now you can make a plan to change. There are many things you can do. You can make a lateral move in the company that puts you under a different manager. You can put your resume out there to find a completely different job with a different company, you might even decide to change careers. The difference is, you’re in control and even though you’re still working for a boss you don’t care for, your attitude has changed making your stay there (for however short or long it may be) more pleasant and enjoyable.

The key to making changes in your life that lead to more happiness is to stop complaining and actually make some changes. Small changes are a great place to start. With small changes you see instantly that they aren’t so scary. Start taking risks each day  – take a different route to work, buy groceries from a new market, see a movie or go out to eat alone, whatever it is, change things up a little each day and you’ll quickly develop the confidence needed to make the major changes in your life.

And one more thing – stop worrying about what others think. You’ll discover quickly that friends and family can be threatened by even the smallest of changes. Don’t let that stop you from making the necessary changes, for you, to have a happy life. And always try to think positively.  You’ll be surprised by the power that you have by just having a different outlook on situations.