Five Ways to Be Happier in 2016.

Every year, I, just like millions of other people, ramble on about New Year's Resolution. With high spirits, we pledge that we will work out daily,  eat better, lose weight, save money and completely turn our lives around in the upcoming year.

But, also, like millions of other people, I have failed on these resolutions, and eventually they simply fade to a memory. However, I've decided that this year will be different.
This year, there will be no resolutions, no promises that I know will be broken. This is the year where I pledge to be happier, and hopefully you follow me for that ride.
In order to be happier in 2016, I will be doing five things and incorporating them into every facet of my life.

1. Encourage self-confidence. 

An often-forgotten key to success and happiness is confidence. Confidence is "a feeling of self-assurance arising from one's appreciation of one's own abilities or qualities." Over the years, I've learned that being confident is really one of the most important life skills that one can have but confidence doesn't come easy. Being confident in yourself, your work and your way of life is earned through each trial, tribulation, and the time spent day in and day out perfecting your ideals. Confidence is work, first and foremost and the benefits come after when you're finally able to approach life from a self-assured standpoint.

  2. Pay It Forward.

If you haven't seen "Pay It Forward" starring Haley Joel Osment and Kevin Costner, you need to! As far as I know, the whole idea of "paying it forward" came from this film. The concept of paying it forward in the movie is quite simple. You pick three people and help them with something that they cannot do on their own and they in turn help three other people. I will implementing that into my life, but in a more realistic way. The main goal is to help others (not a discrete amount but just anyone that I have the power to help), not because I expect something back, but to help others in hopes that they'll feel the love and help someone else. That way, we spread the love, positive energy and helpfulness, all over the place. It's a really wonderful concept and I'm hoping other people implement it into their lives as well.

     3. Don't let temporary emotions affect your goals.

This is a  simple concept, once again. In order to get the point across, I'll give an example.

Let's say, you're trying to lose 10 pounds. You go to campus and there's a massive event and there's literally pizza everywhere. Oooey, gooey, cheesy, delicious pizza. Suddenly, you start craving this carb-laden, fatty meal. Your goals of being 10 pounds less still looms in your mind but your temporary craving seeks to overpower your will. What do you do? Do you take the loss, eat the pizza and loathe yourself for your lack of self-control later or do you get a salad, keeping in line with your goal?....the salad, duh!

The key is don't let temporary feelings like anger, sadness, cravings etc affect the goals you set for yourself. At the end of the day, these feelings will leave and the less effect they have on your life and decisions, the better. Don't beat yourself up for backsliding every now and then though. It's simply natural and sometimes, you simply cannot help yourself. Just try to become more conscious of the quality of your feelings and whether or not they deserve attention.

     4. take care of yourself.

Pick a day, once or a week, or a once a month, or whenever, when you can just relax and do something that you enjoy. Paint your nails, go out for a movie, get a spa day, do something that you enjoy and makes you happy.  Stress is real and burnout is real. You need to take time for yourself every now and then. It's really that simple. When you're in the swing of things and life is kicking your butt, it is easier said than done but you just gotta try.

     5.  Surround yourself with positive energy.

It's time to let go of the friends that aren't really friends, your bestie that's always secretly shading you and anyone else that makes you feel like less than who you are. If you still have to interact with these people on the regular, learn how to deal with them in a manner that won't  let them in your personal space and energy.

I believe that people with negative energy and intentions suck the happiness out of me and therefore, I choose not to deal with people like that or be around them. I choose to be around people that make me feel good about myself and this shouldn't be confused with "yes men". Yes men are friends that encourage anything you do despite how nonsensical it may be. Do not get "yes men".

Surround yourself with people that appreciate you but also are not afraid to criticize you and relay their opinions. Those are your ride or dies.
All in all, I'm hoping implementing these into my life will make our 2016's  much happier.
A new year symbolizes a new beginning and let us this chance to push ourselves, reach higher, be more and better than we have ever been.
What will you be implementing into your life in 2016? Let me know in the comments below!

Thank you for reading!

Happy Holidays!

Love  & Light,

Rachel Ndubuisi.