Everyone wants to be happy.

People spend their lives constantly trying to find joy, whether it’s in their work, a hobby, or a specific lifestyle. Working towards that goal of finding their joy never ends and is full of trial and error.

Some people find happiness in drugs, alcohol, or other harmful activities but those are only temporary. That isn’t joy, it’s a way to fill a void.

I’m a happy person. I love my life. But I am not an expert at happiness and I go through my fair share of hard times. It is a matter of getting through it, and falling back in love with life.

Accepting that life will not be perfect is the first step. You can have joy and still struggle at times. Don’t feel like you have to fake joy all the time to have joy. If you’re struggling, accept that you’re struggling and do what you need to feel better. Take care of yourself, because you come first.

Cut the negativity out of your life. If you don’t like a specific aspect of your life, change it. Because you are in control of your life and only you should have the power to decide how you feel. Sometimes, there comes a time where you may have to make a selfish decision, one that may upset someone else. As long as you are following your morals, in some situations you have to accept that you need to put yourself first. And that’s okay to be selfish sometimes, because in the end what matters is that you do what is best for you and your mental health. In the end, it matters that you are happy.

Some believe in the phrase, “look good, feel good,” and some don’t. I personally believe that. Whenever I feel confident in how I look and how I act, I tend to feel a lot more confident in general and am more likely to have a positive attitude throughout the day. I am able to do that because I am not afraid to be myself. Whether you believe in that phrase or not, finding yourself and being that best version of you is a key to having joy. I know who I am, I am who I am, and I love who I am. That is why, in times when I am struggling, I am able to get back up and fall back in love with life. Point is: be who you are and learn love yourself the way you are.

Finally, find what you are passionate about; then do it.  Don’t just make goals, pursue them. Learn to enjoy the little things in life and live in every moment. Whether it’s watching the sunset, going on a car ride with your windows down and your music loud, petting a dog, or whatever makes you smile; live a little, and love every moment of it.

Life is what you make it, and don’t take it too seriously. If you have to do something you don’t want to do, find a way to make it a little more enjoyable. If you’re stuck in a situation, look on the bright side and know that everything happens for a reason; sometimes lessons need to be learned in order to get where you are meant to be.

Wake up every morning, smile, and take on the day.