10 Ways to Attract More JOY into your Life

Everyone wants to be happy. It's a fundamental desire of everyone on the planet. Finding happiness, however, can be easier said than done. In today's world, how can we embrace happiness and bring a little more joy into our lives?

Be Present

Go out to a restaurant on any given day and what do you see? Cell phones. Instead of appreciating the moment and savoring time with our loved ones, we scroll past Facebook feeds or check out the latest tweets. Here's the thing: it can wait. Put down the phone. Pull out your earphones. You are alive in this moment right now. Becoming present allows you to bring more joy into your life.

Choose Happiness

My mother used to always tell me that happiness is a choice. I never really understood what she meant until I got older and began to understand that we have a choice in how we react in every situation. When you're sitting in traffic, you have the choice to honk your horn and yell at cars or you can turn up your favorite song and dance on your way to your destination. Believe me when I say that the second option definitely makes your day a little brighter. In every situation, stop and take a moment to breathe. Choose your reactions carefully. Choose to be happy.

Be Wary of Negative People

We all have negative people in our lives and in some situations, it can be best to distance yourself from them. I've realized that by distancing myself from the people in my life who make me feel bad about myself, I have become a more happy person. It can be hard to step away, but sometimes it is the necessary option. If you can't get through to your friend and you feel your happiness draining, it may be time to step away.

Know Yourself

Self-reflection is SO important to your overall well-being. Take the time to sit down and think about what you want in life. Where are you right now? Are you where you want to be? If not, how can you get there? Realizing that you're not on the right path is the first step to changing to a new one and embracing a happier life.

Appreciate the Journey

Take a moment to think about how much you've grown in the past year. Maybe you've gotten a new job, started a new relationship, gotten out of a bad relationship, learned something new, started a family...the options are endless! Appreciate how much you've learned about life and yourself in the past year. Put your life and perspective and know that even if things are bad right now, in a year's time you'll look back and think, "Wow, I got through it."

Surround Yourself with Joy

Whether it be the people you hang out with, the television shows you watch or the books that you read, try to surround yourself with happiness. Put up reminders in your room or a note by your computer at work. Set up a reminder on your phone or a cute wallpaper. Take the time out to cuddle with a dog or cat (it brings your heart rate down!) Happiness is all around us. Sometimes all we need is a little reminder.

Do What You Love

This is one of the most simple things to do, but many of us aren't doing it. We stay in jobs we hate or force ourselves to do certain things because we think we 'have to.' Life is too short to do things we hate. If you want to travel the world, travel! If you hate your job, start planning alternative paths and get out of there! When you do what you love, happiness inevitably follows.

Play More

Hide and seek. Frisbee. Swimming. Jump rope. Board games. Running. Jumping. Laughing. All of the things you loved to do as a child. Start incorporating more playtime into your life. Your body and your soul needs it.

Love Yourself

Looking in the mirror and liking what you see can be a long process. Sometimes the little voice in your head tells you that you're not good enough, and a lot of times we listen to it. Start finding ways to appreciate who you are. Maybe that includes spending some time alone and getting to know yourself better. Maybe it's creating a piece of art or taking a new class. Loving yourself is a fundamental step toward happiness. If you need more ideas, check out Gala Darling's 100 Ways You Can Start Loving Yourself Right Now.

Don't Give Up

Unfortunately, attracting more joy into your life isn't always easy. Sometimes we can't get away from negative things or people. Other times our lives are surrounded by such chaos that it can be hard to see the silver lining. The most important thing to remember is to never give up. Happiness is worth fighting for. You deserve to be happy and you deserve to have an amazing life. Keep walking your path. I promise it will be worth it.


What are some ways that you bring joy into your life? Tell me in the comments below!