The uncertainties of life often leave us hoping happiness comes to us. We tend to be surprised when we have a good day and let happy moments spring out of the blue. However, living like this puts happiness outside of our control.

For the most part, happiness is something that comes spontaneously. We might see something funny or hear some good news from our friends. These moments bring a smile to our faces and give us hope that our good moment is not too far away.

But life can become very repetitive, and these are very much out of the blue moments. As we go on with our day-to-day lives, we can sometimes go weeks without feeling any happier. Unfortunately, this is what happened to me at the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

My life became a cycle of repetitive tasks that made me miss many of my moments of happiness. It was not until my friend called I realised that my life was unsatisfactory.

It was amid COVID-19 I learned ways to ensure I have moments of happiness every day. After all, tomorrow is not promised, so why waste today not living a happy moment.

That is not to say that we will not have bad days. But we can ensure that even on our bad days, we still have something to smile at and appreciate. So, here are the five things I do every day to ensure happiness.

1. Compliment Someone

Compliments can go a long way, and they often brighten up someone’s day. I am sure we have all received compliments for things that don't seem too important to us.

A good example is when someone compliments what you are wearing. It may be an old jumper you have not worn in ages, and you may not even like it that much. But the acknowledgement of this changes the course of your day.

However, compliments do not just work in one direction. By complimenting someone, you are spotting the beauty in someone else. And actively seeking to compliment someone gives you a positive outlook on the people you interact with that day.

Instead of just walking past people or seeing your colleagues in a negative light, you are now forced to see the positive. By doing this, you begin to see the good in others, and it brings about happiness in yourself.

2. Smile After You Complete Something

You will be surprised how hard you are on yourself when you try to do this. In the beginning, I struggled to smile after anything I did. And this tends to be a sign of dissatisfaction with one's work.

When we complete something challenging, we tend to have a sigh of relief and a smile on our faces. Sometimes we may even celebrate by raising our hands. But since we spend so much time thinking about the next thing, we rarely take time to congratulate ourselves for the work we just did.

We do not need to go over the top and find a burst of happiness out of nowhere. But what we can do is be pleased with ourselves before moving on to the next task. So, do this by marking your completion with a smile.

3. Make Time to Do What You Love

For me, that is writing. For you, it may be something else. The key here is to ensure that you set time aside for it religiously unless the uncertainties of life call otherwise.

It is not rare for people to neglect the things they love doing daily to meet other demands. My mother loves baking yet only finds time to do it once every two months. When she does bake, there is a glow on her face, and she is more active. And I am sure it is the same for all of us when it comes to doing things we love.

The idea here is to have something to look forward to in your day. You must plan to do an activity you love doing every day to have something you can strive for. It ensures that even after a bad day, you can still end it on a positive.

4. Tell Someone About Your Day

I am introverted, so I do not have many people to tell about my day. However, even as an introvert, I can see the benefit of having small talk with someone.

Before every meeting at work, people often ask how you are before getting into it. You can use a simple opportunity like this to tell them what you have done and your plans. If you do not have regular meetings, you can call a close friend and let them know.

We are social creatures, and we enjoy being heard by those who take interest in us. It may also act as a way to offload some stress or worries that you have. So, do not miss the opportunity to tell someone about your day. Of course, do not use people as punching bags. Instead, see them as a support to your happiness.

5. Practice Gratitude

Finally, do not end the day without being thankful for something. It is a habit I have recently added, and it works wonders. I may have had the worst day in the world, but this habit reminds me that there is always something to be thankful for.

A lot of the time, we can let the negativity of our day crowd the positive. Maybe your lunch was quite nice, or there was a funny video you watched. There is always something to be thankful for, and that is what brings us to hope to live another day.

So, remember to end your day by saying out loud or writing down what you are thankful for. It will put your mind at rest and give you hope for a brighter tomorrow.

Closing Thought

Happiness is not something we only have to come across once in a while. We can plan for our happiness by choosing to do small things that change our perspective.

These are five things I do to ensure happiness in my day, but what do you do? It would be great to hear in the comment section.

I better end this off by letting you know I am thankful you took the time to read this article.