Contrary to what many people believe, happiness is not a destination. You cannot win a game and have the prize be happiness. Being a genuinely happy person is a journey and a way of life that through practice, will stay for the long run. People will say “appreciate the little things” or “spread positive vibes,” all of which we should do! It is easiest to feel intense joy when you have events to look forward to, and it can be hard to feel as upbeat once they end. However, that does not have to be the case!

Here is how to easily appreciate the happy times…

1. Fully engage yourself in what is coming

When you are passionate about something, whether it be a class, a sports game, a musical, etc., it is so easy to spend time working towards the main event. Your brain will spill happy chemicals when you are engulfed in whatever you are working towards. Not only will practicing for something make you feel happier and busier, it will actually pay off and may you better in the long run.

No matter what it is, occupying yourself is something that is easy to do and it will make you feel better because you will be staying busy and not just sitting there doing nothing.

2. Involve your friends

Sharing happy times and creating the best memories with your closest friends will automatically allow you to appreciate and remember whatever you are doing. At times yes, Snapchat and Instagram can be the worst, but they are also the best way to capture the fun times that you have with your friends.

This may seem like a simple thing to do, but a lot of people do not realize how impactful it is when you have your best friends there to live in the moment and smile with you. Ask any one of my friends about how many times I look through my Snapchat memories, they will say way too often. For me, it is so fun to look back and remember those fun times.

3. Stay in the present

One of the most beneficial ways to simply feel the best is to live in the moment. Yes, it may seem like no big deal, but it is a solid way to really appreciate what you are doing in a given moment. Not looking back at a past mistake and letting it affect the present is such a hard concept to grasp, but it really does change your whole mindset once you do it. Also, not thinking about how disappointed you will be once something is over is key. The classic “don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened” saying is so 100% true like it hurts how true that is.

4. Tell others you appreciate them

It may seem low key but telling someone how much you appreciate them can actually make someone’s day. Just being like “hey thanks for being you” is such a nice thing to say! I know it sounds so weird and cheesy but I would smile if someone told that to me. It can also be something short like “how are you?” Literally, anything you say to let your friends and/or family know you love them will make them feel good, and you feel good as well because you have people who are worth telling that to!

5. Know how lucky you are

Again, so cheesy. But if you can take a step back and realize that you have a support system, you will feel so comforted and calm. Your family and good friends want you to be happy and succeed. No one is trying to go against you if they are your true friend. The huge part of strong and healthy friendships is to encourage each other to follow their dreams and achieve great things. Reflecting on the most important people who only want the best for you is insanely important.

6. When something makes you happy, write it down

Similar to looking through Snapchat memories, writing down happy memories will allow you to vividly remember when something funny/joyful happened. I have even made memory jars in the past that have been super fun to look back at when the year comes to a close. If you are detailed enough, the memory will pop right back into your head when you read it.

7. Realize how you feel

When you can feel yourself smiling so intensely and so genuinely, you need to take note of that. When you are having the absolute best time without even trying and it’s just so real, that is the best feeling. Realizing and remembering the times when you are so naturally happy is important because then you can make sure to put yourself in similar situations more in the future.

8. Allow yourself to feel happy

When you are in a happy moment, keep on feeding that emotion. Feeling real happiness is by far the best feeling in the world! That being said, keep that emotion going so as long as you can.