tips for happiness

If you’re wondering how to be happier in life, well I’ve got you covered. But before we get to those tips for happiness, here’s a little reminder that it is possible to have the life you want. It’s not selfish to want more fun and fulfilment but the clincher is that you alone are responsible for your own happiness.

And the good news is that you can change your life at any moment you choose.

It might seem scary, but it doesn’t have to be. Because often it’s simple things that make all the difference. And the impact of those small changes compound over time to create exponential results.

So if you’re not waking up every day loving your life, stop wondering how to be happier and start actioning these tips for happiness. They will change your life, for the better!

25 Tips for happiness

  1. Know what matters to you – get clear on your values and use them as a barometer for all your decision making moving forward
  2. Create a plan – have a plan for your life that incorporates all the things you want. Keep in mind that the plan isn’t set in stone, instead, it’s a guide that will point you in the right direction
  3. Take care of the basics – Self-care is essential to do all the other things in your life so be sure to take care of your health and well-being as your number one priority
  4. Curate your newsfeed – Become deliberate about what media and information you consume. Think more positivity, less negativity
  5. Commit to lifelong learning – Do something every day that expands your knowledge. It doesn’t have to be a big time-consuming thing. It might be reading a page from a book or practising a hobby – you do you
  6. Set goals – Having something concrete to work towards makes all the difference, so create meaningful goals for yourself. Top tip – to get the best results focus on one thing at a time. Because by simplifying your focus you’ll amplify your results
  7. Be willing to walk away – if something isn’t working in your life, then walk away. Because being surrounded by people and things that aren’t aligned with who you want to be will just keep you stuck and frustrated
  8. Set boundaries – Know what you stand for and use boundaries to create a safe container for you to live life your way. And remember boundaries are something you maintain for yourself, not something you impose on other people
  9. Think about others – when you’re feeling stuck, scared or stressed, shift the focus away from yourself and think about others. This shift will allow you to ‘get over yourself’ and focus on the big picture
  10. Stop trying to have it all figured out – Having a plan is important. But it should be a guide, not a definite script. So trust yourself and the universe to figure things out as you go. It’ll take the pressure off you and make the process more fun
  11. Let go of regret – Accept that you’ve made mistakes. Forgive yourself, make amends and move on
  12. Invest in yourself – Your mind and your body are the most important asset you have, so invest in them
  13. Stop comparison – You can only be you! So focus on yourself and stop getting drawn into what other people are doing
  14. Pursue creativity – Get in the habit of doing something creative every day. It will improve your problem-solving ability and reduce stress
  15. Check your bank balance regularly – Being in control of your finances feels good. And where attention goes, energy (& money!) flows
  16. Practice forgiveness – Be willing to forgive others, for your sake as well as theirs. You will feel better and it’ll allow you to move forward in your own life
  17. Celebrate your successes – Take a moment and actually acknowledge your wins as they happen – big and small!
  18. Speak up – Stop keeping your thoughts to yourself and speak up. There are no points for being a wallflower and your opinion is important and worth sharing
  19. Stop gossiping – Enough said
  20. Embrace failure – Welcome failure into your life. Start with baby steps and over time you’ll build your resilience and risk-taking appetite
  21. Let go of perfectionism – Perfection is subjective and therefore unattainable anyway. So do yourself a favour and stop wasting time and energy on an elusive goal and just get it done
  22. Do one thing you love – Spend a few moments every day doing something you love
  23. Cultivate relationships – Be deliberate about who you spend time with. Cultivate the relationships that matter to you and align with the person you want to be
  24. Check-in with yourself regularly – Get off the hamster wheel and have time set aside to regularly check-in with yourself. It might be through journaling, working with a coach or a reflective walk
  25. Keep a brag book – Record any praise you get and every achievement you accomplish. It’s great to look back on in those moments of self-doubt

Want more support for living a happier life?

Sometimes we all need a little help to be happier and to create the life we want.

So if you want more support and actionable strategies for how to be happier in life and work, you might want to consider working with a coach. You can schedule a free call to see if coaching might be right for you.


I work as a coach helping professional women get clarity on their dreams and give them the confidence and tools to unashamedly make them a reality. Click here to find out more.