Top 10 Tips to Happiness

The industry of happiness is becoming big business with experts and gurus from Deepak Chopra to Robert Holden so what makes life sweeter and more satisfying? "Your happiness is with you 100 percent of the time" says Robert Holden but the reason we do not always feel it, is we are too busy giving ourselves a hard time. It starts with a choice so "remind yourself often that happiness is not something to achieve. Happiness is something you accept."

Surprisingly, Holden has found that life circumstances have little to do with being happy and more to do with knowing how to enjoy life and make positive choices regardless of how much you earn, how well you have performed or what house you live in. As such, the more authentic you are or the more you simply be yourself  and live by what really matters to you, the more happiness you experience.

Top 10 Tips to Happiness include:

1. Follow your Joy - whatever brings you that zest or makes you laugh, do it!
2. Happiness is a Choice - change your attitude and allow today to be even more enjoyable than you thought it would be.
3. Clarity - live by what really matters to you and your values. There are so many choices but feel what resonates with you as having them all won't make you any happier.
4. Let Go - release grievances and forgive. You can't change the past and the person who it is really hurting is yourself.
5. Give Love - no matter what is happening, love through it. Make it your daily intention, mantra, prayer, meditation to love despite and because of everything!
6. Express Gratitude - make a list of everything you are grateful for in your life - the fabled shortcut to happiness.
7. Create your own Financial Wellbeing - living within your means relieves you of enormous pressure.  Research shows people with financial wellbeing don't get into debt and spend money on experiences rather than things. Giving to a cause or charity can make you feel better about yourself and connects you with something bigger than yourself and to your community. 
8. Nourish Yourself - Make time for yourself and start listening to your real desires and needs. Spend an hour a week to fill your self-love bank account with something you really love doing or to nourish yourself.
9. Exercise and Sleep - both are critical for a positive mindset, to reduce stress and to make healthy eating choices. Even if it's a half hour walk a day, get into the habit today - where in your day can you fit it in? Walk to work, walk up escalators, go outside for lunch. Exercise improves your sleep so get to bed early and avoid caffeine!
10. Friends - communicating with at least 2-3 people that you consider true friends on a regular, if not daily, basis helps foster trust and support. Friendship is not something you are given but which you develop by putting in time and effort. Surround yourself with people who make you feel good about yourself and with whom you can share. There's nothing better than having a laugh with a friend!