As the New Year is upon us many make the time to reflect on the past and often opt in to making new year resolutions to live a better life. We are all creatures of habit for sure. I have read so many books studying behavior and habits to know this is a truth.

In one of those books, (honestly, I have no idea which one), there was a suggestion to add a small new behavior to something you do every day. For instance, after brushing your teeth stop for one minute and breathe, smile and put a happy thought in. Or, after your first cup of coffee, stop and close your eyes for a few minutes and imagine the day ahead going perfectly well.

This to me was very insightful. I could manage that. That is the year I stopped making resolutions I would not keep like losing 10 pounds or going to the gym. All the things I would want to do but after a few weeks was right back where I started and now the guilt of failure was added to the pile.

So that is when I began adding a new habit to something I already did and for me, it worked. I already had the habit of walking 20 minutes on my treadmill before work, so I decided to add another 10 minutes to the routine. Next, I added stretching for a few minutes before and after. You get the idea. For me it is a lot easier to add something to a habit I already have than to try to start a new one.

When I decided to raise my happiness level, I was living in a time of great sadness. It was a period of my life I knew would not last forever, but it was a good ten years. I had to make happiness a habit if I was to survive. So, I trained my brain to focus what was good in my life and be grateful for all I had than to look and see all that was missing, and believe me, I was missing a lot. It is the hardest thing I ever did and has come to define who I am today.

What I learned is that when you are happy everything in your life gets better. Happiness breeds success. When happiness is combined with gratitude it is the perfect recipe for living your best life. A life filled with passion, joy, love and kindness all begin with the feeling of happiness and gratitude.

Love yourself just as you are! New Year’s is a time of reflection and a great time to make changes in habits. I urge you to work on gaining the habit of happiness. Being happy will benefit you more than almost anything.

If you are in a situation that you just cannot be happy about, acceptance is a must. Accept where you are and do your best to focus on something that you can be grateful for. Anything at all. What you focus on expands so focus on where you want to go in life. Focus on your goal.

Focus is the power that will help you change your feelings. If you are unhappy or just want to be happier you will need to change your thoughts about your situation. Imagine how your situation might improve. Imagine the life you desire. Imagine how it feels to live the life of your dreams.

Accept what is and use your imagination to see where you’d like to go. This is the first step. Make sure your vision makes you feel good while thinking of it, your feelings are the magnet.

When your mind is in a positive, happy state, your brain functions better. When your brain functions better you do better. When you do better you feel better. When you feel better you attract better circumstances into your life. 

Add happiness to your habits this year and watch your goals come to you faster than ever. Happiness matters. Happiness raises your vibration. Happiness is here now if you look for it. I hope you look for and find yours.

All happiness to you.