“There is no easy and quick plan to happiness, there is no single spot where you can start. Where you are right now is the best place to start.” – Mark Twain

So often we get consumed with the daily activities that make up our life. We get home at night and feel exhausted from all the demands and stresses we experienced during the day. This can leave us feeling like our lives are passing us by while we’re not enjoying the journey.

Happiness is our birthright and we were born with happiness inside us. Remember there is only a stream of well-being flowing in life and it’s often turning away from the stream that makes us unhappy and feel unfulfilled. But we can easily reconnect to the stream and start feeling happy NOW.

Feeling happy has a huge impact on our health and our bodies. It makes you healthier when ‘happy chemicals’ are released into your body, your muscles relax and all your body’s processes return to their natural state. It makes you younger by increasing your body’s production of the anti-ageing hormone. So not only can feeling happy help you to heal, it also makes your entire appearance younger.

My top 5 tips to feel happy right now:

1)      Have an attitude of gratitude.

When you think of all the things that you are grateful for you will immediately feel happier. Your house, your warm bed, the delicious food you just ate, your loving children/partner, your pets,  your car, friends, family, your career, your garden, fresh air, sunshine… the list is endless if we just take a moment to remind ourselves of the abundance that we already have in our lives. Why not get a journal and write down 3 things that you are grateful for everyday.

2)      Spend time in nature.

When you do, your body moves into a calm energy state, and this allows for soul healing and regeneration. Spend time in your garden or a nearby park. Escape the city on weekends and go hiking or for a walk on the beach or a picnic in the mountains. When you reconnect with nature you will feel the stream of well-being and have an instant lift in your mood.

3)      Feel positive emotions, tell positive stories.

Our thoughts, words and deeds have consequences. If you keep focusing on what you dislike or don’t want in your life you will feel unhappy and depressed. It’s far better to direct your energy, focus, thoughts and words to what you DO want. When you do this your emotions will be positively charged, and the stories that you tell will inspire you and those around you!

4)      Use your imagination and be creative.

Imagine that you are breathing in happiness. Reconnect your thoughts to all the happy moments that you’ve experienced. Play it like a movie. See the images of these happy moments – people, places and events – as you’re breathing in. Then think of some of the bad ones as you are breathing out – let it go and watch as it disappears into thin air. Do this exercise often during the day and your body will feel lighter as you re-energise with happy thoughts.

5)      Follow your intuition.

Ask yourself permanently: “What can I do to be happier now?” When you go within and ask yourself this question, you will come up with the best happiness solution for YOU in that moment. By acknowledging that you have the answer and following your intuition, you will automatically raise the happiness bar.  Then go on and do what your heart’s telling you!