Finding Happiness in Simplicity: 101 Ideas to Make You Smile

Chances are, you have a pretty good sense of what makes you happy. But can you actually define the word? Do you know how to be happy?

The definition seems to be a little different for everyone because the experience varies from person to person. It’s important to know what happiness means to you in order to find the things that make you happy.

What is the Definition of Happiness?

Indeed, happiness seems to be a slippery concept to define.

Scientists and researchers still haven’t agreed on a final definition, framework or scope for the term despite a multitude of studies on the subject over the course of many years.

The definition of happiness has been revised nearly 6,000 times in Wikipedia.

The most general definition of happiness, per The Oxford English Dictionary, is “the state of being happy”, defined by feelings of positive or pleasant emotions.  Less fleeting than pleasure (which can come and go in an instant), it’s not a permanent personality trait, either.  (If you are thinking , “Huh?” right now, I’m there with ya.)

Yes, it seems everyone is a little befuddled. We all experience this thing we call “happiness”, we know it when we feel it, we just aren’t sure of that precise definition.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

Mahatma Gandhi

Is everyone happy in the same ways?

It’s important to note that happiness is not a fixed personality trait. 

Yes, some people do seem to be happier than others, but everyone possesses the capacity to feel happy. It’s a state of being, of feeling.

Anyone can be happy.  Everyone can be happy.  No one can be happy all the time (unfortunate, but true).

Chances are those people who seem naturally happy have learned to respond to circumstances in a positive way, seeking the good where they find it, choosing a happy reaction.

In essence, they have learned to be happy.

They think happy thoughts, which leads them to feel happy.

Is happiness a choice?

I walk my dog, Ozzie, before breakfast each morning.  Since we live in Southern California, the sun is usually shining brightly, the flowers are blooming pink and red and yellow, and the birds are singing sweetly in the trees. 

The experience of being out in nature with my buddy, stretching and exercising our bodies, creates pleasant emotions and puts me in a state of being happy.

I could rush through our walks, grumbling about the time it takes, the constant stop-and-go with a dog who sniffs everything, being annoyed that I’m cleaning up poop again.  But I don’t (usually). 

I choose to appreciate the time we spend together on our outings. 

I invite happiness in.

Choose happiness when you can. 

Train yourself to seek out the positive in your experiences.  Look for the joy. 

Be aware that happiness is very often determined by what you think and how you act, not the circumstances around you. You are in the driver’s seat.

Doesn’t it make sense that when you have a choice, you choose to be happy?

“Happiness is not something ready-made. It comes from your own actions.”

Dalai Lama

Can You Control What Makes You Happy?

Pay attention to your happiness “triggers”.   

Take a few minutes to think about what makes you happy. 

Not theoretical nonsense like “I’d be happy if I was rich” or “Losing twenty pounds would make me happy.”  Honestly, those things might make you happy, but it’s not a guarantee. 

Let’s go with those things that you know put you in a positive mental state.

I’m talking about everyday things. 

You’re going to be amazed just how much happiness you already have in your life. 

And once you are conscious of it, you’re going to experience so much more of it!

If you really want to get a handle on your happiness triggers, take some time to write down some things that make you happy. 

Try listing 25 items.  Then add 10 more.  Challenge yourself to get up to 50. Can you come up with 100 things that make you happy?

I’ve compiled a list of 101 things that bring me happiness.  It didn’t take long – actually, the more I wrote, the more I thought of to write down.

Happiness grows.  Isn’t that a good thing?

“It’s a helluva start, being able to recognize what makes you happy.”

Lucille Ball

101 Things That Make Me Happy – And Maybe YOU, Too!

1. That first sip of piping hot coffee in the morning
2. Crisp, clean sheets on a freshly made bed
3. Finding the perfect book to read right before getting on an airplane
4. The smell of freshly cut grass
5. Christmas trees full of colorful lights and ornaments
6. A big bowl of freshly popped popcorn with extra butter
7. A perfectly balanced dirty martini with blue cheese-stuffed olives
8. Watching hummingbirds zooming around our heads
9. The sweet smell of cookies baking in the oven
10. Taco Tuesdays
11. Baby goats in pajamas
12. Little tiny baby toes
13. Unrestrained baby giggles
14. Baby everything
15. A sudden summer thunderstorm with lots of lightening
16. Pedicures
17. Savasana at the end of a good yoga practice
18. Sitting on the beach watching the waves flow in and out
19. The smell of salt air
20. Coming inside from the cold to a big mug of hot chocolate
21. The first warm day when I can put flip flops on
22. Stargazing and realizing just how big the universe is
23. That fraction of a second just before I fall asleep
24. Picnics in the park
25. Shopping at the farmers’ market on Sunday mornings
26. Seeing old friends
27. Coloring, and just letting my mind wander
28. Trying out a new restaurant or new cuisine
29. Traveling to somewhere I’ve never been
30. Road trips with no set destination, just for the fun of the journey
31. A truly spectacular sunset
32. Wandering the aisles at Target
33. Girls Night Out
34. Older couples that hold hands while they walk
35. People-watching in airports
36. Finding the perfect gift for someone special
37. Butterflies
38. Napping on the couch on a rainy afternoon
39. Receiving an unexpected hotel room upgrade
40. Conversations with children
41. An unexpected phone call from an old friend
42. Evening concerts in the park
43. Gardening, from sowing seeds to harvest
44. Meeting someone new and realizing I really like them
45. Playing on the monkey bars like I was a kid again
46. A long soak in a hot tub
47. Thinking of my adult children as friends
48. Family inside jokes
49. Getting a new stamp in my passport
50. Green smoothies for breakfast
51. Dining outdoors
52. Boat rides – any kind, any size, anywhere
53. Going to bed early, then staying awake for hours reading
54. That awesome feeling when you wake up from a really great sleep
55. Working through the frustration of doing something hard, and then accomplishing it
56. A really good full-body stretch
57. Memories of my grandmother
58. A BLT sandwich on sourdough bread and double bacon
59. Home-baked banana bread, still warm from the oven
60. Music, especially jazz, always on in the background as I work
61. Driving down the Pacific Coast Highway with the top down
62. New white sneakers without any stains or scuff marks
63. Victorian houses with wrap-around front porches I could sit on for days
64. Porch swings, a good friend, and cold lemonade
65. Trying out a new recipe and discovering that my husband and I both like it
66. Biting into a perfectly ripe, juicy fresh peach
67. Eating leftover Thanksgiving sweet potato casserole – for breakfast
68. Collections of sea glass and seashells
69. Shark Week
70. Watching truly terrible horror movies with my son
71. Letting go of past hurts and accepting the lessons learned
72. When friends tease me about using too many “SAT” words
73. Having the same BFF for almost twenty years
74. Knowing that I am a little bit “east coast” and a whole lot “west coast”
75. Realizing that my husband’s family is really and truly my family, too
76. Singing along (off-key) to old songs from my teenage years
77. Going to the theater for a live show
78. Trips to New York City, wandering all over Manhattan
79. Hot apple pie with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream
80. When that permanent stain on my favorite shirt comes out in the wash
81. Great seats at a baseball game
82. Hearing the words “I love you” and saying them back
83. Spotting a patch of wildflowers by the side of the road
84. Dressing up for a formal event
85. Sleeping with the windows open and the crickets chirping outside
86. Knowing I have done a really good job at something
87. Checking the very last item off the day’s to-do list
88. Emerging from the dressing room at the same time as my daughter – wearing the same outfit
89. Feeling every day that I’m living the life I was meant to
90. Dressing my dog in costume for Halloween
91. The first snowfall of the season
92. Making a wish and blowing out all of the candles on the cake
93. Sending and receiving funny texts from my husband
94. When someone says “this made me think of you”
95. Fourth of July fireworks
96. Bonfires on the beach
97. Holding hands
98. Hugs
99. Sunshine and blue skies for days
100. Wine tastings and tours
101. Knowing the best is yet to come

Final Thoughts on How to Be Happy: 101 Ideas

We may not have a clear definition of happiness, but that doesn’t mean we can’t control our feelings.

When we choose to see our circumstances from a positive perspective, our pleasure and contentment grow.

Read More About Happiness:

• 10 Action Steps to Keep You on the Sunny Side of Life
• 5 Ways Simple Living Can Make You Happier
• 7 Proven Ways to Have a Happier Life
• What Dogs Can Teach Us About Happiness
• Powerful Life Lessons Everyone Needs to Learn

When we become more aware of our personal happiness triggers, we will notice when they occur and feel pleasure. We can seek these things out and bring even more joy into our lives. We can set ourselves up for happiness.

Choose happy.