How do I discover what really makes me happy? 6 tips

What makes you really happy?

But what if you don't know what makes you really happy? Often your interests, passions and lifestyle align - and so do the things that make you happy. But you may also have chosen a certain path in your life because you thought it would make you happy, but which then turned out not to be so. These 6 tips will help you discover what really makes you happy.

1. Identify which activities give you pleasure

When we are excited about something, we often tend to forget about time. We enjoy doing a particular task or activity because we like the process, are behind the idea or are working toward a beautiful end result. Not surprisingly, people who enjoy their work are often happier. By asking yourself the following questions you will find out what makes your brain produce more endorphins - the main hormone for feeling happy.

• What task/activity did you enjoy doing so much that you forgot the time?
• What task/activity could you do for hours?

2. Explore your passions

Often we can talk for hours about the things we are passionate about. This is often a good indicator of happiness. If you can talk endlessly about movie house movies, sustainable clothing or making your own pasta, it could mean that these are the very things that make you happy.

3. Dive into the past

If you don't know what makes you happy right now, you can also think back to your childhood. As a child, you didn't yet have worries, responsibilities and limitations, so chances are you were doing exactly what made you happy.

Were you writing books as a child? Could you spend days playing soccer with your friends? Or did you enjoy performing for your family with a dance you created yourself? There's a good chance your hobbies as a child gave away where your happiness lay.

4. Fantasize (without limitations)

Many people choose a particular career path because it has good financial rewards attached to it. But isn't it strange to do work that doesn't make you happy so you can live longer and do even more of what doesn't make you happy?

It may be that you know what makes you happy, but you are afraid to go for it because of financial reasons. Remember that you can always bring about change by taking small steps toward your dreams.

5. Go back to your inspiration

We all have someone who inspires us tremendously. Whether it's a famous person or a friend, it doesn't matter. So in your search for happiness, you can also look to people who have already found it.

By asking yourself why this person inspires you and what exactly it is that inspires you in this, you can look for ways to apply this in your own life as well. Say you are inspired by an account of a person on Instagram who crochets her own accessories. Can you imagine yourself doing something similar? And would this make you happy?

6. Dwell on what brings you daily happiness

Sometimes happiness is not in the grand things, but rather in small moments like having a nice conversation with a friend, the morning sun on your face or seeing the sky turn pink at the end of the day.

What makes people the happiest?

Ultimately, we all strive for a healthy and happy life. According to psychologists and social science researchers, the following things have a positive impact on our sense of happiness.

• Practicing gratitude
• Walking in nature
• Drinking a cup of coffee
• Setting goals
• Setting goals (and trying to achieve them)
• Keeping a journal
• Doing something good for another person
• Spending time with family and friends
• Smiling
• Having a positive mindset