25 Instructions for a Happy Life

If you’re like me, you’ve realized that although we continually strive for happiness, it seems to remain elusive. Our brains seem to be wired to have that constant blissful state of happiness just out of reach. This is mostly due to how our brains have evolved to protect us and help us survive. However, this fact doesn’t change our desire to decode our minds to help reach a more constant state of happiness.

So how do we find more happiness in our lives? Well, like everything in life, it takes practice, habit, and reminders to help reach a more consistent bliss. We need to create a mindful practice that improves our baseline level of happiness. I’ll start by saying I’m not an expert at achieving happiness. I face the struggle every day, but here are 25 instructions I try to utilize for maintaining a healthy baseline!

1. Eat right. I will not give diet advice—I’m not an expert—but find a balance of protein, fruits, and vegetables. Also, consider some often forgotten advice: drink plenty of water.
2. Get 7 hours of sleep every night, at least. Your ‘improvement’ mindset off 4 hours of sleep is not sustainable. Go to bed!
3. You should do some traveling. Maybe on your next trip try to expand beyond the tourist spots. It just might alter your perspective.
4. Acquire new talents when you’re young for the sake of gaining talents. Why? Because why not and you’ll likely have significantly less free time when you’re older. At least that’s what people tell me.
5. Find time for exercise. You should probably do this at least three times a week for 60 minutes. But more is even better.
6. Check the date on the milk carton. Rotten milk provides a taste that will ruin the rest of your day.
7. Accept that some of your lazy friends from high school and college will get lucky with their immediate success. But accept that being envious of them will not alter the will of the universe.
8. That person you think about is probably not going to strike up a conversation first.
9. Have debates about politics if you desire, but your arrogant attitude will not change their minds. Calm down and consider the possibility you know less than you think!
10. Dabble in physics even if you hate equations (like me). Understanding the basics of the universe is necessary to comprehend our place here. Plus, understanding the vastness of the universe brings a grounding inner peace.
11. Accept that nobody has a right to be in charge. Plus, everyone is underqualified to lead.
12. Watch Rick & Morty and BoJack Horseman to become edgy while being entertained. And learn about the modern human condition in the process.
13. Next time your friend tells you everything is relative ask them to jump out of a window and see how gravity treats them (it is not a social construct friend).
14. Connecting from the previous point, saying ‘we cannot know absolute truth’ and ‘everything is relative’ is not the same thing. Why is this an instruction for happiness? Well, the understanding of this difference has brought me inner bliss.
15. If you don’t remember the last time you went to the dentist, call them right now.
16. Read books for the sake of knowledge or enjoyment, not to hit your reading goal.
17. Happiness is not a constant state. It’s a chemical reaction that will inevitably have ups and downs. You must accept that.
18. Keep a journal for keeping track of all those jumbled thoughts. As a bonus, it can turn into a fun time capsule so you can laugh at some of your ridiculous ideas. More happiness!
19. Go after your passions. If you’re lucky, you can find a way to monetize them.
20. Failure will happen. The only choice you have from the matter is to learn from it to then improve upon what brought you failure.
21. Everyone goes through rough times. It’s how we respond to those rough times that can improve our baseline happiness.
22. If your partner doesn’t enjoy occasionally reading, you should probably reconsider the relationship. Your conversations will get boring quickly.
23. Invest in a good mattress and pillow.
24. Do your own research on the benefits psychedelics and then determine what role they should play in your life.
25. The past is in the past.

As a bonus, remember to laugh, have fun, and try not to take everything in life too seriously!