How to Pinpoint What Makes You Happy for Future Reference

^(Walking around cities make me happy, in Ghent.)

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Sometimes it seems that life is against you. Everything is going wrong and you feel trapped, stressed, saddened, and generally heartbroken by all of the bad luck and negatives. However, to combat these feelings in the future, you need to have a go-to pinpoint of what makes you happy.

Reflect on Your Life to This Point

There are always pros to go with cons, so for every bad thing that has occurred, there is a counterbalance of good things too. Reflect on your life to this point, remember the good times, and take solace in the fact that life is a series of ups and downs. Live for the ups and learn from the downs.

Compile a Mental List of Your Hobbies, Past and Present

Do you love to paint murals? Do you love spending time with your kids? Hosting summertime pool parties for the neighbors in your backyard? Or, simply vegging out in front of the television? Do you like to take photographs like I do? Whatever you love to do, or have loved to do in the past, remember it now and use it when you feel sad in the future. Consider this list a go-to of hobbies to help lift your spirits, zen your mind, and make you feel better. One of the things I do is get outside, walk and take photos of my picturesque city, Vienna. There’s always a beautiful corner to take a photo of, click here to see some of the best photo spots in Vienna.

Compile Another List of Things You’d Love to Do

Sure, you have your lists of passions and hobbies, but you also have a mental list of things you would love to do one day—a bucket list, if you will. But instead of calling it “things to do before I die,” consider calling it, “things to make myself happy and satisfied in life.” See the world, do things that scare you, tell people you love them, etc. Don’t be afraid to take those plunges NOW. You could even throw in an impulse or two. For example, do you want to take a day trip to the ocean to jump the waves for a few hours? Hop in the car, slather on some reef friendly sunscreen when you get there, and go for it.

Rifle Through Your Best Memories

Everyone has a memory bank of their best memories, be it from their childhoods, or the dinner they enjoyed hours ago. When you feel stressed, lost, or generally upset, go through those memories and pick out the moments that you love to relive the most. Think of these, over and over again, until you feel happier and more complete. Create a go-to bank of memories for those challenging times in your life.

The aforementioned coping methods are meant to help you deal with the negatives of everyday life. No matter what put you in a bad mood, or what upset your day, you can look to these methods and use them as tools to make the proverbial lemonade out of life’s lemons.