Need a pick-me-up? Here’s how to be happy in 5 simple steps! True, lasting happiness has some important elements that are simple yet powerful. I have an acronym for you today that is easy to remember and helps you find the Healthy That Works and Happy That Lasts.

I love how Happy feels! I love to grin, smile, and laugh out loud! If we take each letter of the word Happy we find that it teaches us how to achieve it.

How to be H.A.P.P.Y.

H – Healthy Food! What we put into our bodies is as important as what kind of gas we put into our cars. If we put water in the gas tank the car won’t run. If we want to be happy and healthy we need to feed these beautiful bodies food full of nutrition. Add a salad or smoothie to your daily menu. Eat an apple instead of a cookie. Drink pure clean water instead of soda. (Here are a few of my favorite healthy recipes: Roasted Veggies With Kale and Wilted Spinach Salad With Strawberries and Goat Cheese)

A – Action! Movement feels so go. Go for a walk, do some yoga, jump on a rebounder, stretch, run, dance, play with your dog. There is no wrong way to move (as long as you aren’t hurting yourself by pushing too hard). Just do what makes you happy. Movement helps you clear your head and your lymph. Win, win.

P – Play! What a wonderful way to keep happy! I love to watch children play. They are so uninhibited. They are so enthralled in the moment and just happy to be doing what they are doing. Take time every day to play and unwind. Laugh, smile, giggle. Be young at heart. Just enjoy being you and don’t worry about what anybody thinks.

P – Positive Thoughts! There is always something good to see. We find what we are looking for. If you have read many of my posts you know that I teach “What we focus on is how we feel”. Focus on the positive in every situation and you will feel hopeful, positive and happy.

Y – You Matter. Your needs matter. Self-care, Self Love, and Self Compassion are not selfish! In fact, it is impossible to count how valuable it actually is to take care of yourself. Self-care helps us have more to give, helps us live longer, live happier and be more present for those we love and care about. Take time for you. You are so worth it!

Having a quick and easy “checklist” if you will of these 5 steps really helps to make sure you are on track. When you feel stressed out or overwhelmed or just aren’t feeling as happy as you want to, take a moment to go over these steps.

How to be H.A.P.P.Y.

H – Healthy Food

A – Action

P – Play

P – Positive Thoughts

Y – You Matter

Is one of them missing in your life? What simple changes can you make to get back on track? As you take time to assess and adjust where needed you will start to see that happiness you are longing for on a daily basis. Happiness won’t be hard it will be automatic, your default setting. Here’s to your happiness!

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P.S. If you enjoyed this article you’ll also love How to be Happy: What we Focus on is How we Feel.