It’s pretty simple—happiness not only feels good, but it is good for your health, your relationships, your work, and your life in general. This world needs more happy people. Experiencing true happiness is a matter of changing your thoughts, being grateful, being kind, smiling, and living a life you love.

These 10 little steps can change the way you look at life, love, and relationships. Wake up each day with a smile on your face, clear your mind of any negative thoughts, and make it a point to practice these steps so you can achieve a true sense of happiness.

1. Ignore the opinions of others.

What others think of you should never outshine what you think of yourself.

2. Know your worth.

You know what you have to offer, so why settle for any less than you deserve? Always remember that no one will ever value you more than you value yourself.

3. Do what you love & love what you do.

You know that old saying, “If you do what you love, you will never work a day in your life?” Either find something that you love to do, or make it a point to make what you do be something you love. If you wake up every morning with the mindset that you are going to have a kick-ass day, you simply will have a kick-ass day.

4. Express gratitude.

Many of us could be a lot happier if we practiced gratitude for what we already have rather than focusing all our attention on what we don’t have.

5. Let go of anger.

Holding a grudge or holding onto any type of anger won’t do anything but cause resentment. Dwelling on the past is only going to hold you back from having a better future. Hate is a very heavy bag to carry; let it go.

6. Live in the moment.

I sometimes get lost in my thoughts and think way too far ahead. Doing that only causes me to get frustrated when/if things don’t go my way. Live for today, because tomorrow is never promised.

7. Pay it forward.

Ever hear of the simple act of paying for the person behind you in line at the local coffee shop? Something as little as holding the door open for somebody or letting somebody cut in front of you in traffic can make you feel better about yourself.

8. Be yourself.

Try not to compare yourself with others. Everyone is unique in his or her own way. Embrace your features along with your flaws. Be the best you that you can be.

9. Be honest.

Always be honest with yourself. Figure out exactly what it is that you want and what you expect from yourself along with what you expect out of friendships and/or romantic relationships. If you know what you really want, you’ll achieve it more quickly.

and last but not least…

10. Smile.

Smiling is infectious; you can catch it like a cold. I was feeling pretty down today. While I was out on my lunch break, a stranger flashed me a huge smile. When I smiled back I realized I didn’t have much of a reason to be feeling down. That stranger’s smile turned my whole day around.

 

 

This article originally appeared on thoughtcatalog.com and was written by Jenna Lowthert, published October 17th 2014