We’re all looking for ways to increase our happiness, and often it’s easiest to look at short-term, ‘right now’ type fixes. These require the least effort and usually work in the moment. Sometimes, these types of solutions can be perfect for what you need right now (think: taking time out to read a book, spend time with friends and family, take a bath, watching your favorite TV program or movie). Sometimes, they can be great right now but make you feel guilty later (think: eating something deliciously calorie-laden, skipping a work out, or hitting the pub with friends). All of these happiness fixes can be brilliant in the moment, but don’t necessarily feed your long-term happiness.
There needs to be a balance of short-term and long-term considerations to create lasting happiness. If you are constantly looking for quick-fix indulgences, they usually wind up making you unhappier in the long run.
Here’s three ways to increase your happiness levels over the longer term.
- Create a goal plan
Figuring out what you actually want isn’t easy. In fact, it’s arguably the most difficult step on a goal-driven journey. But it’s also the most important, because if you don’t know what you want, how can you get there? If you don’t know what you want, you’ve not even started on the road to the type of success that will satisfy you, and often you’ll be driven by others’ idea of success, or by what others think you should do. My recent post discusses overcoming goal-setting obstacles. The key is, think about what your ideal life would look like to YOU (not to someone else), and work backwards from there. A 10-minute session where you jot down goals can be more powerful than anything you’ve ever done in your life. And don’t worry about whether or not it’s the be-all to end-all – just start somewhere. - Create a great routine
Consistency is the key to success. Ask anyone who’s successful, and read any book. You’ll find this key message throughout. Hard work equals reward, but it’s the type of work that brings the type of success that you want which is the key. Just bashing out the same thing over and over again isn’t going to get you far, unless you’ve created a goal plan and then figured out the steps that will take you there. Once you’ve done that, it’s all about consistency and routine. One little thing once a day can be all it takes, and it’s also what it takes to manage the demons in our own heads. By doing something over and over again, you get good at it. Then, you barely even have to think about it. Little things done again and again can create huge rewards in your life. - Reward yourself
There’s no point going at it and at it until you fall over. The reward is in the journey itself, and if it’s the right journey, the process will create the satisfaction for you, making it easier to deal with the setbacks that are an inevitable part of any pursuit. When you hit milestones towards your goals, reward yourself appropriately. Life isn’t about working until you get to the end of it, then finally taking a moment to feel happiness before you keel over. It’s about creating your happiness for yourself along the way. By rewarding yourself, you can identify and appreciate what you’re doing – without having to wait until you get that final result. Not only that, but rewarding yourself is key to the journey because it’s self-motivating. You don’t have to be the best of the best of the best the whole way – you just have to reach the targets you’ve set for yourself along the way, in order to propel yourself forward onto the next.
How do you create long-term happiness?
