Ten Steps Towards Happiness (2015)

Kind people already sent donations that will make my childrens' lives easier, when I'm not there any more. Thank you enormously! :-)

Email me at moc.snejtnih|reteip#moc.snejtnih|reteip if you'd like me to present at your event, or in your organization.

Today, I'm going to explain ten simple steps you can take towards being happier, and making those around you happier. It takes no money and no magic. Just a shift in how you see the world, yourself, and others. As the 14th Dalai Lama said, "Happiness… comes from your own actions."

Your body and mind need a good diet. Make your own food, and make it tasty. Take photographs you find beautiful. Play music that excites you. Wear clothes that feel nice. Walk through the city at night, in the rain. Feel the texture of your life, with all your senses.

Learning makes us feel alive. Challenge yourself, and keep proving you can learn. Learn to juggle, to hold your breath underwater for longer, to solve a Rubik's cube. Learn to play music and play for yourself. Learn to paint and draw.

Nothing makes us happier than other people. Take the time to talk to people you cross paths with. Be nice, chat, smile. If you live far from other people, move to be closer. If you drive a lot, change your life so you can walk and cycle. Go out and mingle.

Being part of bigger things makes us feel valued. Find communities and projects to be part of. Start your own. It could be online or in the real world. Even the smallest contributions can make a difference to someone. Be precious to strangers.

A sense of achievement gives us hope and confidence. Write down your life's accomplishments. Even small ones. Now keep this list up to date. Every year, think of what you've achieved. Finish your projects and move on to new ones.

Nothing can make us more miserable than other people. Read "The Psychopath Code," and learn to recognize bad actors. When someone is a source of misery, remove them from your life. Whether it takes a day or a year, make this a project, and finish it.

To be happy you must deal with negative emotions. Learn to recognize these in yourself, and deal with them . Anger, self-pity, jealousy, fear, hate, loneliness… set them aside, and let happiness take their place. If you drink to relax, cut it out.

Stop wasting your time on commuting, boring jobs, meetings, TV. Do only things that you feel are worthwhile, with people you like. If this means a cut in income, so be it. Be the person you really want to be. Don't take it all too seriously, we all die.

Material possessions are more often a burden than a pleasure. Give away or sell anything you own that does not make you happy. Do not let your possessions define you. We live in a world of plenty. That means you can own less, not more.

Above all, explore the world without desire or demand, and be tolerant of whatever happens. Most people are nice, and even the others teach us. When you want nothing, you cannot be disappointed. When you accept everything, you will see beauty in every moment.