Today, I want to talk all about happiness. I think this topic is so, so important, and I’d love to share some of the ways I maintain and cultivate happiness.
I want to start by saying that I’m not always happy. I definitely have my down moments when I don’t feel super chirpy, positive, or inspired. As humans, it’s completely normal to experience a full range of emotions.
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That being said, I do believe there are ways to influence how you feel and what you focus on. The way you manage your emotions can shape different outcomes in your life, impact the actions you take, and influence the decisions you make.
I think a general note on happiness is that some people might assume that positive or optimistic people are naive—that they’re not fully considering everything happening in the world. Some might wonder, How can you be happy when there are so many terrible things going on? and label you a certain way. But on the other hand, there are also so many beautiful things happening in the world.
Ultimately, I believe it’s about where we choose to put our attention, because where our attention goes, our energy flows. I also believe that the things I’m going to share with you can definitely be learned and strengthened through repetition. Like with almost everything in life, the more you practice something, the more it becomes second nature—like a habit.
So today, I’m going to share my five top tips—kind of like principles or little rules that I’ve followed—that have become habits for me. These really help me stay happy, feel good, and maintain a sense of emotional balance.
1. Identify What Makes YOU Happy
The first thing I want to talk about—something I believe is so, so important—is identifying and defining what truly makes you happy. Not your parents, not your friends, not your peers, not your family, and not anyone else who might have an influence over you.
I think this is a crucial starting point because so many of us—including myself at times—can get caught up in wanting to fit in. And that’s completely normal. It’s human nature to want to be liked and accepted by others. But at the end of the day, you have to check in with yourself and ask, Hey, is this actually making me happy?
This is a choice you have to make. It’s about looking at the bigger picture and asking yourself: Okay, this is my life. How am I going to feel at the end of it? Have I done the things I truly wanted to do? Or was I too worried about what others thought of me?
Because the truth is, constantly trying to fit in and be like everyone else? That’s kind of boring.
You want to have an exceptional life. And I truly believe that if we just follow the ordinary path, it can leave us feeling empty and unfulfilled—like we’ve only scratched the surface of our potential. But I want to go deep. And I want you to go deep, too.
One way I personally combat this is by checking in with myself regularly. Sometimes that means sitting down with my journal, but other times, it’s just a reflective moment—whether I’m in the shower, at the gym, or in the middle of my day. It’s so important to create these moments for yourself and ask:
“Am I moving the needle in my life?”
“Am I going after the things I truly want?”
“Am I making progress?”
“What am I doing this week that’s bringing me closer to my goals?”
Without these check-ins, it’s easy to get lost in the noise of everyday life and just follow what everyone else is doing.
In a previous blog post, I talked about building confidence by staying true to the promises you make to yourself—because accountability and self-trust are key to creating a life that truly fulfills you:
“Every time you complete a goal, no matter how small, you’re adding to your personal history of success. Over time, you’ll look back and realize:
You follow through on your commitments. You can trust yourself to achieve what you set out to do. You’ve already created success in many areas.
This track record becomes a powerful source of confidence. It’s proof of your ability to set goals and achieve them.” – You can find the full article How To Overcome Self-Doubt – Step By Step Guide
I think this is so, so key—it’s golden—because it’s something we can start doing right now. It doesn’t require a complete mindset shift or a complicated system. It’s simply about saying, I am going to do this—and then actually following through.
It could be committing to some form of movement every day for at least 20 minutes. It could be reading, stretching, or any habit you want to introduce into your life. The important part is making that promise to yourself—and keeping it. That’s how you build confidence.
And it’s not about telling people you’re doing it. It’s not about posting it online or seeking validation. It’s about knowing, deep down, that you can trust yourself.
This is so important when it comes to happiness because, at the end of the day, you want to genuinely like the person you are. You want to act in a way that makes you feel proud of yourself. So when you lay your head down at night, you feel a sense of peace, a good energy surrounding you—because you showed up for yourself.
2. Continue to Learn & Grow
The second thing I want to talk about might seem a little counterintuitive when you think about happiness. We often associate happiness with appreciating the small things, being present, and finding joy in everyday moments—which I absolutely believe is important. But I also think there’s another side to happiness that requires a little more effort, yet comes with incredible rewards—and that is the commitment to continually learning, growing, and challenging yourself.
I remember when I was younger, in school, I used to think that once I graduated—whether from high school or university—that was it. I’d be done learning. I’d be set for life. But that’s definitely not the case.
I recently read Jane Fonda’s book—she’s such a fabulous woman—and one thing she shared really stuck with me. She says that one of the key things that keeps her young is the constant effort she puts into her own self-development and lifelong learning.
You guys know how much I love to read. I think it’s an amazing way to gain knowledge, discover new perspectives, and continuously expand your mind. Learning doesn’t stop after school—it’s something we get to embrace for a lifetime.
But growth isn’t just about reading books or taking in new information—it’s also about stepping outside your comfort zone. Whether it’s learning a new skill, taking on a challenge that feels a little intimidating, or pushing yourself to think in new ways, these experiences shape us. They expand who we are and what we believe is possible.
At the end of the day, happiness isn’t just about feeling good in the moment—it’s also about feeling fulfilled, knowing that you’re evolving, and having a sense of purpose. When we stop learning, we stop growing. And when we stop growing, life starts to feel stagnant. So, challenge yourself. Stay curious. Keep learning. Because that’s where real, lasting happiness thrives.
3. Look At The Bigger Picture
The third thing I want to talk about when it comes to happiness and feeling emotionally balanced is having faith—knowing that there is something bigger and greater at work than what we can perceive with our own human minds. Whether you refer to that as the universe, God, or a universal energy, I think it’s really important to trust that you are being guided toward your best self.
What I mean by that is if you lead with your best self—by always doing good, being a kind human, and choosing to do the right thing—then even if you don’t receive immediate feedback, results, or gratification, know that there is always something bigger at play.
And if you put your best foot forward and genuinely strive to be a good person, I truly believe that it will always come back to you. I wholeheartedly believe in karma—that what you put out, you get back. But I also know that sometimes, despite being positive, spreading love, and wishing others well, negative things still happen, and it can make you wonder, Why was I even trying to be good?
If something bad happens, take it as a learning opportunity—a chance to grow and strengthen yourself both mentally and emotionally. Use it to learn and do better next time.
I don’t always think that only good things should happen to us, because without challenges, I believe we’d stay stagnant. Unfortunately, a big part of life for every single human is suffering. The Buddhist culture speaks a lot about this—that every human being will experience suffering. It’s completely unrealistic to imagine a life without it.
There’s also a book called The Subtle Art of Not Giving an F. It’s a really good read, and it basically talks about how there’s no such thing as a life without problems. The key is learning to pick the right problems to have in your life.
But basically, my point is to always do good and lead with your best foot forward. Whatever comes back to you in life, try to make the most of it. If it’s a positive experience, that’s amazing—let’s celebrate it. And if it’s not such a good thing, don’t get down on yourself. Instead, see how you can learn from the experience, get better, and move on.
On a similar note, I think it’s important to talk about revenge—the desire to get back at someone who’s hurt you. The thought of, This person hurt me, so I’m going to hurt them back even harder is tempting, but it’s crucial to remember something. When it comes to having faith and trust in God or the universe, there’s a saying I absolutely love and have lived by for years: What people do to you is their karma, and how you react is yours.
I truly believe there’s a greater force at work, a universal law that what you put out, you’ll get back. Another saying I love is, Being angry at someone is like drinking your own poison—because it’s only hurting you in the end.
It’s the same thing when we’re driving in traffic and get super pissed off at the person in front of us—whether they cut us off or were just being a bad driver. Being angry isn’t going to affect that driver at all. They’re not going to hear you, they’re not going to see you, but you’re just drinking your own poison, like black ink.
And that, of course, isn’t good for your mental state, but it’s also not good for your physical body. I truly believe our emotional state has such an impact on how our physical body operates—affecting our hormones, stress levels, and so much more.
So, a huge key to happiness is to have faith. Know that there’s something greater at work, that you are loved and protected. Lead with your best foot. Celebrate others’ successes, celebrate the little moments in life, and put that good energy out there because it will come back to you.
4. Honor & Take Care Of Yourself
The fourth thing I want to talk about when it comes to happiness is to honor yourself and take care of yourself. Self-care is so, so important, and I believe that you cannot truly bring your best self to your family, friends, or relationships if you’re not happy or if you’re not taking care of yourself.
There’s a saying by Oprah where she says, I want my cup to overflow. I want it to be so full that it overflows, and then I can just share with people. I can ooze positivity and love to every person I meet, and I can be a ray of light because I feel light inside.
You know, it does take some effort, especially if you’re not used to taking care of yourself—whether that’s through exercising, eating well, having a good skincare routine, or getting quality sleep. It’s not just about physical care, though. It’s also about taking care of your mental and emotional needs.
I think there’s a lot of emphasis on physical strength. We go to the gym, eat well, etc., but mental strength is just as important, and we can’t ignore it. I believe mental strength truly goes hand in hand with physical health.
Taking time to meditate, to relax in the evenings or mornings, and checking in with yourself regularly—asking, How am I feeling?—is essential. It ties back to the first point: What is truly making me happy?
We have one body, and this body is the home of our soul. It’s our temple, where we create and receive energy. We have to take care of it, and in return, it will take care of us. It’s all about small, daily habits—investments in your health—that will eventually help prevent us from going down the path of diseases, cancers, and mental struggles.
It’s important to instill these good habits early so that you can avoid bigger issues later. If you neglect your body, it catches up with you.
5. Always Look For The Good In A Situation
And then, the fifth thing I want to talk to you guys about when it comes to happiness is knowing that happiness is a choice—and that you have to actively look for the good in situations. I think this is a habit that can definitely be strengthened, like a muscle. If you start doing this regularly, your brain will naturally begin to seek out the good or the positive outcome in any situation.
Also, having the belief that everything happens for a reason is really important. This ties back to point number three, which was about having faith and trust in God, the world, or the universe. When we lead from that standpoint, we start to see everything as a blessing, and we’re able to move through uncomfortable situations more quickly—or even transform them into opportunities for growth.
I’ve also talked a lot about mindset in different videos, which I think is so, so important. A great way to start building this habit is to create a simple morning practice where you list five good things that happened the day before. Or, you could do this at night—reflecting on your day and writing down five amazing things that happened.
It doesn’t have to be anything super crazy. It could be as simple as feeling grateful and happy that you have an apartment or a home, that you have your family, that you had food to eat, clothes to wear, eyes to see with, or that you live in a safe place where you can walk outside without feeling afraid.
We have so many things to be grateful for, and if we make a habit of recognizing them—whether it’s at the end of the night, at the beginning of the day, or even just as something you talk about with your family or partner—you’ll start training your brain to search for the good. Over time, this mindset will become automatic, like a muscle that strengthens the more you use it.
Some examples of situations that might not seem great at first could be a bad breakup or getting fired from a job. In the moment, those experiences can feel really painful and awful, but they also create opportunities for new doors to open—whether it’s an even better relationship, a more fulfilling career, or something you never even expected. This mindset shift can apply to even small things.
For example, if you’re at the airport with a heavy bag and see a big flight of stairs, you might think, Ugh, this is going to be such a pain. But you could also shift your perspective and think, Okay, it might be a little tough, but at least I’m getting some exercise. I’m moving my body, toning my leg muscles, getting in some cardio, and even burning a few extra calories.
It’s all about looking at things differently. The same goes for being stuck in traffic—rather than getting frustrated, you could see it as the perfect opportunity to listen to an audiobook or a podcast, or even call your mom or a friend you haven’t spoken to in a while. It gives you a set amount of time to do something productive or enjoyable.
So again, training your brain to search for the good in any situation not only makes you feel better in the moment, but I can guarantee that the ripple effect of that one mindset shift will carry into the rest of your day, week, or even longer.
Tony Robbins says something that I really like—he says it’s impossible to feel two emotions at the same time. You can either feel fearful, stressed, annoyed, or angry, or you can feel positive, optimistic, excited, and have a more uplifting outlook—but you can’t feel both at once. So ultimately, it’s up to you and your own mind to decide which direction you want to go.
And of course, choosing the path of positivity and optimism will always lead you to a better outcome than the negative one. These are my five tips—my five principles, kind of like little rules that I live by—that have truly helped me in my life.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, happiness isn’t something that just happens to us—it’s something we create through the choices we make every single day. It starts with knowing what truly makes you happy and making sure you’re actually going after it. It’s about keeping the promises you make to yourself, following through, and building that trust within. That’s how confidence grows.
It’s also about pushing yourself to learn and grow, even when it’s uncomfortable. Trusting that everything happens for a reason and believing that life is always guiding you in the right direction. Taking care of yourself—mind, body, and soul—so you have the energy to show up as your best self. And most importantly, training your mind to look for the good in every situation, even when things don’t go your way.
Happiness isn’t about waiting for the perfect moment or having a perfect life—it’s about how you choose to see things. When you focus on the good, take care of yourself, and trust the journey, life just starts to feel lighter, easier, and more beautiful.
