Setting up your very own Guidelines to Happiness

Taking the first step to happiness: Knowing what you need to be happy.

For me, year 2012 had been a life changer. A roller coaster ride like never before. It was the most impactful year in the 23 years of my life and it was the point of which everything around me changed. It felt like I was facing my quarter life crisis. Suddenly, I felt like I was hurtled into the vast unknown and I found myself struggling, coping, laughing, and crying. The end of a relationship. My graduation. My first job. My first step into society. My social circle changed. I met new people, older people. I gained new perspective and insight. My values were challenged. Life wasn't fair, neither was it easy.

I just wanted to be happy. Different people have different goals in life, different things that make them happy.

Identify what you need, and then give yourself guidelines. Stick to them, and remind yourself what it really means: to be happy.

Everyone's different, so I would suggest making your own list.

Just for reference, here's mine (I bolded those that I found to have a more significant direct impact on my well being and level of happiness):

• Today will be the best day ever
• You are what you eat 
• Increase fluid intake 
• There is something to learn from everyone 
• Do not put off what can be done in less than 3 minutes 
• Go to bed early 
• Procrastination is a sin 
• Smile 
• Forgive 
• Work hard, play hard 
• You are happy now, not later 
• Enjoy the process 
• Fluff up your living space 
• Failing is fun 
• Everything is an experience 
• If you lose something, remember that the payment is (almost) always worth the lesson learnt 
• If someone offends you, let him off - he probably had a bad day 
• Be the bigger person 
• Let them laugh - stick to your principles, do what you love, wear what you want, be yourself 

I would also suggest printing the list out and display it somewhere you would see everyday. For me, I display it in my office right beside my computer.

Don't beat yourself up though, when you occasional fail to adhere to them (I, for one, have been guilty of not going to bed early on most occasions, and I still procrastinate most of the time); you'll just make yourself even more miserable. Guidelines are there to guide you, not restrict you.

Give yourself time. The guidelines you give yourself may seem restrictive at first, but in time, you'll thank yourself for it.