Normally at this time of year, everyone is focusing on what is not right or what they need to change. Make 2018 less negative and find your happiness.

Recognising when you are happy and remembering what that feels like makes it easier to recreate.

In this day and age, it is very easy to analyse our unhappiness, faults and flaws in order to find the causes and make improvements. Have you ever thought about analysing your happiness?

As humans, we have the ability to observe our emotions, meaning we can recognise our feelings of glee and contentment. This allows us the power to harness and savour these moments and to take time to be grateful for them.

Allowing yourself to find happiness and to recognise it, can help you to change the happiness within your life. When you find these feelings, trace your footsteps back, so you can determine the events or frame of mind that lead you to the happiness. Wearing a smile will often result in laughing off those little things that used to annoy you.

Finding your triggers gives you the resources to allow you to recreate happiness, especially needed when one is feeling low. It doesn’t matter what the triggers are e.g. a song, picture, voice, loved ones or pets, once you find them, then you know a great starting point to recreate your happiness. Also trying some online therapy can help.

How about trying as a New Year’s resolution to find your triggers instead of focusing on those areas you feel you are negative and need to change.

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence.” – Aristotle.

Bearing in mind that these were the words of Aristotle over 2,000 years ago it is great that they still ring true today.

Here are some simple ways to help you live a happier life in 2018 and onwards:

1.     Smile more

2.     Do what you love

3.     Help others

4.     Be thankful

5.     Share with others

6.     Exercise

7.     Find ways to manage stress

8.     Eat healthy

9.     Spend quality time with loved ones

10.  Give gifts

11.  Forgive and forget

12.  Enjoy nature, take a walk

13.  Be yourself

14.  Dump negative thinking

No pressure, no unrealistic goals, just give the above ago and make 2018 a happier year for you.