Who doesn’t want to be happier?

We all want more happiness, but we spend much of our day in worry and stress.

Ruminating about the past and the future, allowing ourselves to judge others, and resisting what is happening in the present moment are all ways in which we allow suffering into our lives.

The path of yoga is a path of awareness, and awareness of when we are suffering is the first step to freedom from that suffering. 

So begin with awareness. Beyond that, I want to share these three practices that will help you become happier right away. Small, everyday practices have a big affect on how you experience your life, because while tropical vacations are great, life is lived right now.

If we postpone our happiness for later, when we get there it may be hard to enjoy the present because we have not practiced it, or we are thinking about another future.

Practice enjoyment of your life right now.

Live life as if you have everything you want or need right now – because you do.{Tweet it!}

Tap into your inner happiness with these three practices:

1. Say “thank you” every morning. Our lives are so short and fleeting. Whether your believe in a god or simply the energy of the universe – it doesn’t matter, we can appreciate being alive and having another day to realize our calling in the Universe. To remember, you can leave a note by your bedside or in your bathroom mirror. Say “thank you” every morning and your day will start out in alignment with positive energy.

2. Stop suffering while you drive/ride.  Most of us do a lot of traveling in a car, bus, or train daily. It’s an inevitable part of life and something to be accepted. However we suffer when we resist the events that happen on the road, thinking that it should be some other way. The mind decides (judges) that another driver should be going faster/slower/more carefully rather than accepting what is actually happening.  We cannot control how other people behave on the road, but we can control our own experience:

Next time you are in your vehicle, when you sit down, take three deep breaths to release residual stress. When you begin driving (or riding), pause for a few minutes before you put on the radio to give yourself time to feel what you are feeling. Then, when you get to a stoplight, breathe and try this gatha: “I have arrived (breathe in), I am home(breathe out). In the here(breathe in), and the now(breathe out).” Feel your inner body. Then smile, you are alive!

3. Give of yourself. Giving to others feels great – not only enhancing their day, but yours too, and spreading good feeling that will reverberate. You may want to give a gift, like a cup of coffee or a small token, or, better yet, give your most valuable asset, your attention.{Tweet it!} Really look at the next person you talk to and give them all of your attention. Give a hug. Give a smile. You have the power to make someone else’s day better, and when you do that, your own happiness will increase exponentially.

I hope that these practices will create the magic in your days that they’ve created in mine.

Life will, of course, still happen – there will be bad days, discomfort, etc., but we can still create these pockets of happiness to buoy our day even if we are stuck in the muck.

What about you?

What specific practices do you do each day to get happier? Please leave your answer in the comments below.

Thank you so much for reading! I wish you happy, healthy days ahead.

Be well,

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