There’s so much unhappiness — and so many unhappy people — around us. You might say, “But we live in such a dirty, cruel world; of course people are unhappy.” Or, “I try to be happy, but someone always comes along and ruins it.” I’m sorry, but you’re right. Yet ever since the world began there has been evil and crime, and to some people the world has always been going from bad to worse. Look at old novels or old newspaper stories and you’ll see it clearly. There was always war, always pain, always poverty — and yet as children we were happy. The world doesn’t get worse as we grow up. As we grow up, we set aside our innocence, our childlike dreams and the part of us that enjoys life. Adulthood is nothing but a damaged childhood.
As a child you were happy, because your goal wasn’t to get through the day with careful calculations — it was to enjoy life: to laugh more, play more and savour life more.
So what should you do?
1. Smile Despite Your Problems
This is the most important one. Nothing in life is as important as your happiness and your smile. You’ll always come up against problems. You may have money worries, break up with your partner, be cheated on, or face problems you never imagined. In that case you have two options: wail over your problems, cry and sink even lower — or say, “Hang on, there must be a solution to this. If I get through this, I’ll be even stronger.” You decide which to choose, and you’re completely free to do so. But funnily enough, fortune always seems to smile on those who choose to fight — fighters succeed. Coincidence? Of course not. The more lottery tickets you buy, the better your chances. The more you try, the luckier you become. The road to success isn’t a road without problems and failures. It’s a road full of them. The only people with no problems in life are in the cemetery. The more you fail, the closer you get to success. Edison failed thousands of times before he found a working light bulb. He didn’t give up. If he’d said, “I’ll never find this light bulb, to hell with it,” he’d never have become its inventor. Problems and failures are part of the nature of life. We have to accept that. You’ll be as successful as you are able to smile at your problems. Because nothing in life — absolutely nothing — is as important as your happiness and your smile. Frowning and sulking give you nothing. But when you smile and choose to be happy, life becomes easier. When you’re happy and smiling, your brain shifts into a solution-focused state. You find solutions more easily and become more creative. Think about it: did you find your best solutions when you were at your unhappiest — or when you were happy, calm and at peace?
2. Give More Happiness
In life, you get what you give. Whatever energy you send out comes back to you. Give happiness to more people. Contribute to more people’s lives. Make more people smile. Add meaning to more people’s lives. As you help them, they’ll help you. Remember that friend who always approaches everyone with negative energy and never stops going on about their problems? Think about it: while they’re sulking at you and telling you how cruel and awful life is, can you give them peace and happiness? The same goes for you. Give happiness to yourself first. Shine light on yourself first. Then, as you share it with others, the light inside you won’t diminish — it will multiply.
3. Make Sure You Enjoy Life
Yes, you’re very busy.
Yes, your mind is so busy thinking about so many things that you can’t even taste the tea you’re drinking or the food you’re eating.
Yes, you always have serious things to deal with.
But life is too serious a gift to be ruined by living it too seriously. You only come into this world once. If today were the last day of your life, would you rather spend it frowning — or laughing more, enjoying life more, playing more and sharing more happiness with the people you love? Can you guarantee you’ll get out of bed alive tomorrow? If today were your last day, would you say “I wish I’d frowned more” — or “I wish I’d laughed more”?
So is there any reason not to live this life — which comes with a limited number of breaths — to the fullest? Whatever you do, do it with the aim of enjoying it more. Yesterday is behind you. Tomorrow is uncertain. All you have is this one moment: now.
It’s up to you whether you ruin this gift called life or enjoy it to the very last drop. I’ll say it again: nothing in life — absolutely nothing — is as important as your smile and your happiness.
No serious matter is as serious as your being able to enjoy life. Yes, that includes the biggest problem you’re facing right now, or the most “serious” task on your plate.
So lean back now. Take a deep breath and smile. You’re not too late. Whatever your age, the child inside you is waiting for you to enjoy this life. Smile. And at the first opportunity, pass that smile on to someone else. Send them this message of happiness too. Wake up the child inside them. Help them smile at their problems, enjoy life and spread happiness to others. In other words, remind all of us of something we already know.
If today were the last day of your life, what would you do right now?