The Rules For Happy Life Nobody Tells You

I wish to know this: What are the rules of living this life? And not just any type of life, but a happy one?

Where do I sign that I agree to follow them and get the insurance that I will, indeed, live a meaningful, fulfilling, and enjoyable life?

Today I can only share my truth on what brings true happiness in one’s life and hope it will resonate with you. But it’s okay if it doesn’t. Just stick with me for a few minutes, and I know you will see a different perspective on it all.

In my not-too-many years of life, I’ve been everything…

I’ve been a hustler and climbed career lathers. I’ve been a bank office manager and a warehouse operative. I’ve been a loner and a social bee. I’ve been abandoned, chased, pushed over, and ignored. I’ve been on the floors of life, and I’ve also enjoyed the views from the skies.

And switching through jobs, relationships, and different mental health issues, there is one thing I never stopped being: a dreamer.

I dreamed of becoming happy at any point of the journey so far.

And I dreamed of what every aspect of my life would look like when I’m happy.

I would be married, with two children, living in a house on the seaside, just at the bottom of a green hill. And I will sit next to the window of my home office and write stories of lost opportunities and dreams that came true.

And I would spend the mornings walking along the beach with our dog, and in the evenings, I will tuck the kids in bed and have a glass of wine with my husband.

And everything would be just perfect. I would be happy… and very, very bored!

Here’s a shocker!

I can give you 50 rules for living a happy life, and they would all be true.

I could tell you should stop comparing yourself to others. Happiness doesn’t compare itself to anything. It just exists.

I could tell you to never let go of your dreams. Because happiness never stops dreaming.

I could tell you to find reasons to laugh more, to enjoy the quiet moments of the mornings, and remember the taste of that first sip of coffee before 6 a.m. Because happiness sometimes tastes like that.

I could tell you to love yourself regardless of the way your body looks, and your heart feels. Because happiness doesn’t arrive when we fit in specific shapes. It just … arrives…

I could tell you to spend more time with those who always open up in front of you and allow you to open up in front of them. Because happiness loves good talks.

I could tell you to enjoy the big wins but never ignore the significance of appreciating the little moments either. Because happiness doesn’t actually have a size.

I could tell you to celebrate life at any point and to invite your inner child to play with the world around you. Happiness doesn’t have age either.

I could tell you to chase whatever career you dream of chasing because a good challenge in life is always refreshing. Because happiness doesn’t like to come easily.

I could tell you to live life slowly, even if it’s just for a few days a month, because a hectic lifestyle doesn’t leave you too much room for reflection and mindfulness. And happiness uncovers itself in those minutes.

I could tell you to hug, kiss and love as much as possible because those moments are shorter than you think and more important than you believe them to be.

I could tell you all of the ways to improve your life starting right now, and you will, indeed, live better if you implement just a few of them.

I could tell you to express gratitude at any point of your day and at any stage of your life because being grateful isn’t just a short-lived feeling but an expression of deep appreciation and invitation for the good to multiply…

I could tell you all that, and honestly, none of it would be a lie.

However… Instead of giving you the washed-out, chewed-up, and worn-out rules you could find everywhere else on the web… I want to tell you something else.

Whatever dream you have to fulfill to become happy…

Whatever place you need to live in to become happy…

Whatever person you have to meet to become happy…

Whatever Self you have to grow into to become happy…

Whatever else comes to your mind and heart… have it all, dream of it, nurture it, and work for it… Just don’t wait for it to come so you can “become” happy.

The fundamental contradiction of everything self-help related is that we know happiness is a matter of a choice and a point of view, but we never stop adding to the list of “things to achieve and have”.

And while focusing our eyes on the future where “it’s all sorted,” we ignore the present to the point that it ultimately sabotages that shiny future.

We sleep through the present while dreaming of a future, but the future never arrives because all that we can touch, smell, taste, hug, and love exists Now only.

And I am not saying that looking ahead and having goals is bad. But I am saying that keeping an eye on where we are is actually “eye-opening”.(pun intended)

Too many times, I’ve looked back at old photos and have had the realization that I was happy. I feel nostalgic for times I used to ignore. And if you can relate to that, ask yourself if your life today isn’t something one day you might feel nostalgic about.

The rules for living a happy life are so many, yet, surprisingly, all of them include the word: now. And to slap you with another annoying clichè… Why waste 40 or more years of your life chasing happiness just to realize it has always been around you?

And why keep watching motivational videos searching for the easier way to become happy when the word “easy” has nothing to do with happiness, nor the word “hard”.

The only word that you need to pay attention to when searching for happiness and coming up with rules for a happy life is “notice”.

So the only rule for a happy life is this: Notice happiness.

Notice it right now while reading this, wherever you are. Notice it in the quietness of your house on a late evening, when everyone else is sleeping, and the world is all yours.

Notice it in the smile of your child or the hug of your spouse.

Notice happiness in the tired eyes of your parents when they see you after a while.

Notice it in the notification sound when a message from a friend arrives.

Notice happiness while scribbling in a journal early in the morning.

Notice it when you taste good food at the end of a long day.

Notice happiness when it quietly sits next to you and waits for you to see it. And don’t worry. It will never decide to leave you if you don’t notice it. It will wait patiently for you to turn your head toward it.

Yet, keep in mind that it can only bloom once you see it. Because happiness is like a child: it always needs attention and grows with love and nurture.

Did I answer your questions?

What are your rules for happy life?