Happiness Guide: 10 Tools For Supreme Joy

So you say you want to be happy huh? 

You want to laugh in the face of frustration?

Stay cheerful, in the presence of confrontation?

Do you think you have what it takes!?


...OF COURSE YOU DO!


What if I told you, you could have it all? 

What if I told you that YOU could be the lively one in a room full of lames?

I know what you're thinking...

"But Jordan, happiness isn't for everyone!"

Well I'm going to let you in on a little secret....happiness is available to everyone...who CHOOSES it.

Now you're probably thinking...
"Who does this guy think he is? How does someone choose to be happy?? I'm choosing to switch back to my Netflix tab, What a crock!"

Well if that's going to be your attitude then you maybe you should just go ahead and close the window...

...but don't worry, we'll be here when you're ready to try again.

By reading this far you've already demonstrated that you're someone who deserves happiness and you're willing to do what it takes to attain it. 

With this guide and a little bit of practice you'll be able to activate happiness wherever you are.

These ideas have come in many different forms, many times throughout the course of history. This guide contains some of the most consistent tools to manifest happiness as taught by some of the greatest minds the world has ever produced.  The tools are also emphasized by a personal enthusiasm developed from hard learned lessons, life long experience, and a desire to never stop improving.


The way I share that personal enthusiasm is by sharing tools that will help you as the reader to more confidently navigate through life. 


*Edit*
As I was writing this article, the save feature failed to register and I lost 2 hours worth of work. As frustrating as it seemed at the time, it was comically ironic and I was presented with the perfect opportunity to employ some of these steps! 

And you know what, I went right down the list and by the time I'd put the first 5 tools to use, I was back to a blissful state of mind! Try it for yourself and you'll be cheesin' ear to ear in no time!

1. Conscious Breathing:

Everyone together now, deep breath in....1...2...3...4...5 and deep breath out (3x)

For most people, breathing comes automatically and without thought, even though its one the most important aspect of our lives! Breathing consciously has numerous health benefits at the physical,and mental level. Conscious breathing reduces the symptoms of anxiety and gives us increased control of our emotions. Practice conscious breathing for better health and more a peaceful and productive mind.

"To master our breath is to be in control of our bodies and minds. Each time we find ourselves dispersed and find it difficult to gain control of ourselves by different means, the method of watching the breath should always be used.” 
― Thích Nhất Hạnh, The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation


2. Body Language: 
Non verbal communication is expressed through posture, eye contact, hand/arm gestures, speech, and tone of voice. That is why its so important to stay aware of the non verbal messages we unconsciously send out to the world and interpret internally. Although this is taken for granted by most, it is no secret that body language has a huge impact on your happiness and well being.  

Psychologist Amy Cuddy tells us that a quick posture adjustment can greatly boost confidence in her TED talk presentation 'Your body language shapes who you are'. 

Yoga groups all over the world know the power of body language and like to have fun with it. What begins as forced laughter quickly becomes contagious and energizing. 

 Remember body language can also be used to Conquer Fear!

3.Gratitude: 

Gratitude is an expression of appreciation for what one already has. An attitude of thankfulness does much more for our state of well being than the common consumer-driven 'never enough' mentality. Gratitude is important to practice everyday but becomes crucial whenever we find ourselves in a place of misery. Health, friends, and family come to mind right away but if you need more things to be thankful for, here are a few more.  Take account often, of the things that bring value and joy into your life. 


"Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow." Melody Beattie

4.Have A Snack:

This one doesn't need much explanation. If you find yourself falling into a spiral of frustration and irritably, it might just be time for a snack. Try some of these vitamin rich superfoods to quickly boost your mood:

-Fish (salmon, mussels)        -Eggs
-Walnuts                              - Greek yogurt
-Green Tea                           -Honey
-Dark Chocolate                   -Cherry Tomatoes

5.Physical Activity:

The benefits of regular physical activity permeate your whole life. Physical exercise can improve your health, boost your mood, and improve your sex life. Now this is not a suggestion to drop everything and drive to the gym to start a membership, however the new year is almost upon us and that may be exactly what you need to start 2016 on a good note. For the rest of us, even a brisk 30 minute walk/run after a stressful day can do wonders for your mood and state of mind. In any case, do what you can with what you have right now. You'll thank yourself later.

6.Learn Something New:

Our minds thrive when we find new things for them to do. Learning something new everyday sharpens our senses and provides confidence and skills that make us better equipped to make important decisions. Learning something new regularly also expands reality and opens us up to new and exciting opportunities. 

Pick up a book, or hit YouTube to learn something new today!

7.Service to Others:

Focusing your attention on helping someone else with their problems can make your situation seem much less severe by comparison. Always remember no matter how bad you're situation is, some poor soul's got it way worse. Helping someone else allows you to step away from the negative thoughts surrounding your situation. It can also give fresh perspective on how to address your problems.

Service to others not only improves the mood of everyone involved, but the extent to which we serve others, we open ourselves to receive.

8.Create Something:

Creating art, music, writing, or building something is highly rewarding. It can help release negative feelings in creative ways and help express creative aspects of your personality people may not know about. The feelings of pride and satisfaction that come from creating something from nothing will undoubtedly result in improved self esteem.  

"Life isn't about finding yourself, Life is about creating yourself"
-George Bernard Shaw


9.Accomplish Something: 
Setting, pursuing, and achieving goals are among the most fulfilling set of actions in life.
Goal setting and pursuit allows you to see recorded progress as you move closer and closer to the prize.

Grab a pen and some paper and come up with some goals. After you have your goals down, come up with the path to achieve one goal today, one this week, one this month, and one this year. Visualize and feel yourself accomplishing each one. 

Another aspect of this tool is recalling some of your greatest previous accomplishments.   
Remember how transformative the feeling of accomplishment can be. 

10.Reflection: 

 Reflection is a crucial component in exploring the trajectory of your life, from where you've been and where you are headed. Reflection can help you learn from your mistakes, it can help you give advice to others, and can give you a clearer perspective (hindsights' 20/20). Reflection is best utilized for the purpose of seeing how far you've come! 


There you have it! 10 Tools to foster supreme joy in your life! Hopefully you found some value in this guide and will put a few of these tools to work anytime you're facing frustration!