10 Steps Towards Happiness

It might sound cliched what it takes to be happy, but is happiness not what we strive for? But also before we pursue happiness, we may need to understand what is happiness? Then, what does it mean for you and me? So is it same for everyone? Does it depend on whether we have money of not? Rich or poor? In this post, I will share 10 steps towards happiness.

“Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.”

~ Mother Teresa

Money and Happiness

I come from India, and I have seen people living in extreme poverty. People who don’t have two meals to eat. Living on the streets with almost no social security and or governmental support. Then there are also people who are super rich who spend hundreds of thousands and even millions of dollars on parties or weddings. So are the poor people living in extreme poverty on less than USD 1.9 per day? And also are the super rich extremely happy?

For people who are struggling to make ends meet, they can get happiness by having two square meals, a shelter and clothing. We can also call these money problems. And money can solve these problems. It can be that basic like that. Then we have our life problems like love, purpose and fulfillment. Once we can meet our basic needs met, we can get happiness by trying to work on our relationships, finding purpose and fulfillment in life. Finding fulfillment in life encompasses both our money problems and life problems. And happiness is a core deliverable from both these problems or situations.

10 Steps Towards Happiness

I think there are about 10 steps towards happiness. To begin with our ability to meet our basic needs. Then transitions into continuous learning, leading a simple and minimalistic life. Subsequently living the virtues like being grateful for what we have and practicing humility. Then don’t we know the world is hungry for love? The more we spread it, the better we can make it. So lets try to dig deeper into the drivers for happiness and and learn more about 10 secrets to be happy. Also, we say work is synonymous with worshiping god. Then how we can give back to our communities and the world at large. Finally, finding our purpose in life and striving to realize our full potential.

Meet Basic Needs

We cannot be happy if we don’t have food to eat or a shelter to sleep. So foremost, to be happy, we need to meet our basic needs biological needs, primarily being of food, clothing and shelter. It is possible to be happy even if we are poor, when we can meet 6 conditions. Life is simple, but most of the times we choose it to make it complicated. Read more about how to lead a simple life and declutter our lives. Most of the times happiness is about enjoying small things in life. And for that, we don’t need a lot of money. So how much money do we usually need to live a fulfilled life? In the US, it is about or at most $75,000 per year.

It might be worth introspecting what we really need from our lives? What really makes us happy? It might surprise you to find that what you have is probably more than you really need to be lead a happy life. Then why hanker for more and more? As long as we meet our basic needs, spend time on what we really enjoying doing and can provide a better future for our next generations, do we really need more? Isn’t it time to think?

Learn Continuously

How does learning help in happiness? Learning is like nourishment for our minds. So when our minds are nourished, we feel good and happy. After we meet our basic needs for food, clothing and shelter, which are primarily our physiological needs, we then need to meet our intellectual needs. And that is when continuous learning comes in.

We continually need to feed our minds for gaining enlightenment, knowledge, and wisdom. And many times, it is also unlearning and relearning. It is never possible to know it all. The eagerness to learn also reflects humility and shows respect for others’ thoughts and opinions.

Learning continuously also helps us gain new silks and unlearn that are obsolete. This not only brings joy but also is much needed in today’s dynamic world to stay survive and stay relevant.

Did you ever feel the deep satisfaction or joy when you decide to learn something new? Either an enrolling for a fresh course or even going back to school full time or part time?

Lead a Minimalist Life

I might not over emphasize the secrets of living a minimalist life. Read more about how to lead a minimalist life in this article.

Then how does minimalism get us happiness? Minimalism helps us get to an abundance mindset and consumerism can often lead to a scarcity mindset. What does that mean? When we indiscriminately consume products and services that we really don’t need, we get into the cycle of wanting more and more. That may deplete our resources to buy more and more. Then we are in the cycle of scarcity mindset, thinking, why don’t have all the resources to buy more? And get into a mortgage or debt cycle and further get deeper into the rat race. Which may lead to frustration, tension and more stress. We may become broke and stop enjoying the most valuable gift of living our life. Also, read more about how we can help have a more sustainable world if we practice minimalism. This philosophy can be the most valuable gift we may get.

Express Gratitude

Did you know gratitude helps us find inner peace? And inner peace is the essence of happiness. Do you agree? Did you ever feel this inner peace and calm when you say to yourself? Thank you, god for everything you have given me. And when you practice it with everyone around you, reiterating how much they are valuable to you and how much you owe them for everything they do for you? Life is short, and we can live one day at a time. And make it the most beautiful. If only we just practice saying thank you and exuberating gratitude for everything we have got.

Gratitude is a magic word. I have learned this pretty late and maybe still learning. It can be the one pill that can eradicate most of the miseries in the world. I think most of us always know this. But then why don’t we practice is all the time or more than we’d like to? It is because we actually forget to focus on what we have versus keep on focusing on what we don’t. Would you agree? We need to try continually to be better, and keep on excelling. But that doesn’t mean we cherish what we have.

Show Humility

Oxford Languages define humility as a modest or low view of one’s own importance; humbleness. Then how does humility help us be happy? Humility relieves us from giving over importance to ourselves. And many times not taking ourselves too seriously. The less importance we give to ourselves more it relieves us of the pressures associated with feeling important. And what happens when we relieve ourselves of undue pressures that we put on? Don’t we feel less stressful? Happier? Does this make sense?

Life is about coexisting in harmony with others. The more humble we are, the more the likelihood we can recognize the goodness and greatness of others. And just accept that we are human beings and find peace with ourselves. Then we don’t need to be like others, just be yourselves. Love yourselves. Thank you, god for making me what I am and letting me accept my shortcomings so that I can strive to become a better person.

Spread Love

Love is the greatest gift that god has given us. It is probably the most powerful gift we have that we most of the time seldom realize it. It is free. And takes nothing to give to others. But many times we may not be forthcoming about sharing it with others? That may be because we focus too much on ourselves. On what we want, on what we are lacking?

We all have an abundance of love, but only when we give it to others we realize how powerful it can be. Did you ever realize this, what happens when you spread love unconditionally?

All human beings and also animals understand love and usually reciprocate back with it when they receive it. How does it feel when you are kind to others? Talk nicely and help others expecting nothing in return? Ask how are you doing? Being genuinely interested in others and their wellbeing. And try to be of any help if needed. Let’s put it simply: can you imagine how you can bring a smile to someone’s face every day the first thing in the morning, be it any of your family member, colleague or friend? And then see what difference it makes to you. Does it make us feel warm?

That’s why we refer love to godliness.

Do What You Enjoy

We spend one third of our lives at work, that is over 90,000 hours over a lifetime. Read more about 10 ways to enjoy at work in this post.

It’s imperative that we love and enjoy what we say for a living. Work is both a gift and also worship. So not only we enjoy doing it but also worship our work. Because we can be thankful to be blessed with the work that we have got. And with the worship for our work comes the dedication that is needed. We can neither be successful nor would we enjoy our work unless we are 200% dedicated and committed. And it is this dedication and commitment that is the foundation for happiness at work.

Give Back

Giving back to our community and the world is probably the greatest source of happiness. Just imagine when you give something selflessly to someone in need. How does it feel? Read more about 3 top ways to give back to community in this article.

Find Purpose

Purpose provides us with the direction of life. Purpose is one of the 10 drivers for finding fulfillment in life. Read more about 7 reasons people don’t find purpose in life.

Strive for Self Actualization

Striving for self actualization instills in us the inner peace and satisfaction we are always looking for. That we are truly trying to find the calling of our lives and do what life gifted us with. Self actualization is probably the highest order driver for finding fulfillment in life. Read more about the 10 drivers for finding fulfillment in life in this article.

Conclusion

To sum up, happiness is an abstract term, and it is for us to find us what truly drives our happiness. In this post I tried to cover 10 steps towards happiness, and these may or may not be your 10 steps. It may be worth an introspection. What makes you happy? Share your thoughts in the comments section.