Maybe you are asking yourself the question, ” Why am I not happy? ” Do you do this often? Asking yourself this question implies that you are supposed to be happy, which is true. Every body’s supposed to be happy, right? However it also implies that happiness just happens, the way a cold might. It comes on fast and can go away just as fast.

I believe happiness doesn’t just happen. It’s a choice. Once you realize that it’s a choice that is yours to make you can take the steps to make yourself happy all the time.

So the question is, “How do you remind yourself to choose to be happy every day?”

Let me give you 5 tips:

1. Chart your feelings. Notice when you are feeling the most ‘down’. Is it in the morning when you wake up, or in the middle of the day? Or is it at night or before you go to sleep?

Now start to notice what brings you ‘up’ during the day. This contrast makes you more aware of what happiness or well being feels like to you, even for a fleeting moment.  Grab on to that good feeling, even if it is just 5 seconds.

This reminds me of when I was little and my mom would drive us down the hill fast! She would yell out a big “wheee!!” as we went down, intensifying the rush. That is one of my  5 second happy feelings and I still use that feeling today.

This is part of a technique used in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming).

So today I wish you many 5 second moments and I will have another tip for you soon.

©Christina Florence – May 2012