In order to live a happy life, it is important that we understand what makes someone happy in the first place. Happiness is not something you can force on someone else. It cannot be bought or sold.
It’s just there – either felt by you or not at all. There are many characteristics of a happy person and I’m going to share them with you today!
1. They build strong relationships
By building and maintaining strong relationships, you will have people who are there to support you through the tough times. Relationships create a sense of belonging – something that cannot be created on your own.
Happy people know how to be present in a conversation. They are fully engaged and pay attention to the other person, rather than just waiting for their turn to speak or checking social media on their phone every few minutes.
People who spend time with others have more fulfilling relationships and feel happier because of them!
2. They know how to manage their stress effectively
When you’re stressed out, it’s easy to feel like there is no way out. But a happy person knows how to manage their stress by finding ways to take care of themselves and stay calm in the face of stressful situations.
3. They are open-minded and nonjudgmental
When we judge others, it stops us from being able to understand their perspective. We tend to be more judgmental of those who are different than us or whose beliefs and values differ from our own – but that’s not the way a happy person behaves!
Happy people see life through an empathetic lens where they care about other peoples’ feelings.
A happy person embraces people for who they are, rather than trying to change them into something or someone else.
When we judge and stereotype others without understanding their background or context, it leads us to form misconceptions about the world around us – which in turn prevents even more happiness from entering our lives.
Happy people know that we are all different and that it’s important to open up your mind to the many perspectives around you.
4. They are comfortable in their own skin
It’s so important to love who you are and be comfortable with yourself. The more confident, happy, and content we can feel in our own skin – the happier we will become as a result!
Happy people know that they don’t need approval from society or their peers. They behave authentically on their terms and live according to their own values.
The pressure to conform is not a happy person’s concern – they are confident in who they are and what makes them happy, so there is no need for change.
Happy people choose how to behave based on their desires rather than society’s expectations of them.
5. Their thoughts are positive, not negative or judgmental
A happy person doesn’t dwell on the negatives in life. They focus on all of the positive points and are not judgmental about themselves or others!
They know that it’s important to be mindful of their thoughts because they have a direct impact on how they feel – for better or worse.
They also understand that no one can control their thoughts, but that we can choose to focus on what makes us happy instead of what doesn’t.
A happy person’s mindset is positive by default because the more you put out into the world, the more it will come back to you.
6. They try to see the good in things instead of focusing on the bad
A happy person has learned to see the good in difficult circumstances rather than getting stuck on how negative or hard it is.
This perspective can be a little challenging at first, but as soon as you try it – you’ll start to notice all of the positive things that are around us! They know they will always have obstacles and challenges ahead of them, but they don’t let that stop them from enjoying the good things in life.
A happy person doesn’t dwell on what’s wrong and instead focuses their energy on finding a solution or working towards something better.
7. They spend time on personal development and self-care
A happy person knows that feeling good starts with being mindful of how they treat themselves. They know it’s important to take care of their physical, mental, and emotional health by spending time on personal development or making self-care a priority.
Happy people don’t ignore the fact that we all have different needs – so while one person may need to work on their spiritual self, another person might need more time for prayer.
While everyone is different in terms of what they believe and how they want to live – a happy person knows that it’s important to do things that make them feel good as long as those things aren’t hurting anyone else.
8. They have a sense of humor
Happy people know that laughing is the best medicine.
They know how to keep a sense of humor because it’s so important for their mental and physical health! They don’t take things too seriously, instead looking at life as an opportunity to have fun.
They also know how important laughter can be in difficult moments or when you’re feeling down.
A happy person is able to laugh at the world and not take anything too seriously, knowing that there’s no way they can control what happens in life – so it’s better to enjoy themselves while they have the chance!
11. They are good listeners and care about people’s feelings
A happy person knows how much a kind word and listening ear can mean to someone else. They don’t feel the need to be an expert on everything or try to fix other people’s problems because they know that there is already enough pain in this world!
Happy people spend time being good listeners instead of speaking too much about themselves – so they can be there when someone else needs them.
12. They take care of themselves and are mindful of their emotions
A happy person is always taking the time to make sure they feel good on both the inside and outside, even if it’s just for a few minutes at a time. They know how important self-care is because, without it, it’s hard to take care of others or enjoy life.
This doesn’t mean a happy person never gets frustrated, sad, or angry – but they know how important it is not to stay in those feelings for too long and instead do something that will make them feel better. They are mindful of their emotions because the more aware we are, the more in control we are.
13. They take time for themselves and avoid comparison
A happy person knows that it’s important to make time for themselves – so they can recharge their batteries, enjoy some downtime or do something just because it makes them feel good. They know what works best for them and don’t compare themselves to other people.
Happy people know that it’s important to do what they enjoy, even if someone else may not think the same way – because life is too short for anyone to live in comparison!
14. They trust their intuition
A happy person trusts their intuition, even if others don’t agree with it. They know that they are the best judge of what’s right for them and so they follow through on their plans or decisions no matter how hard.
15. They surround themselves with positive people
Happy people also choose to spend time around other happy people – who are there to support them, offer a listening ear, and help guide them when they’re feeling lost. They know that it’s easy for negativity or criticism to get in the way of happiness – so they avoid toxic people at all costs!
Happy people also spend time around other happy people who are positive and supportive because this helps keep their own positivity going and doesn’t let negativity or criticism get in the way of happiness.
15. Their life is balanced with work, fun, and self-care
A happy person knows that life is not a competition and so they don’t put pressure on themselves to do it all.
They take care of their mental health just as much as they would their physical health, knowing that this balance will help them feel good no matter what!
It’s also important for them to find time in their day to do something fun! It doesn’t have to be anything big – just a nice walk, some time reading or watching their favorite TV show.
A happy person knows that it’s important for them to set boundaries and take time out of the week (or every day) for themselves so they can recharge their batteries and make sure they’re not overdoing it.
17. They try to be mindful by living in the moment
A happy person knows that it’s important for them to try and live in the moment – because we can’t always predict what will happen tomorrow! They know how precious life is and they don’t want to spend any of their time dwelling on regrets.
It’s also helpful for a happy person to look at past mistakes as things that helped them grow and learn from, instead of beating themselves up over.
Final Thoughts
Happiness is subjective. What makes a person happy could be different for them than it would be for another person, but there are some commonalities that we can all work to build in our lives and share with others around us.
We hope this list of 17 characteristics resonates with you or inspires you to pursue new happiness-building activities