How to Enjoy Life More

By Damilola Adeleke 

There’s no shortage of people trying to tell you how to enjoy life. Your parents might say you need to get married, advertisers say you need to buy their product, and social media tells you to be more like celebrities.

Here’s the thing. You’re not going to find happiness by listening to others. The trick is tuning out the noise and tuning into your values and what matters to you.

That’s easier said than done. But the sooner you live life on your own terms, the sooner you’ll find the space you need to be happy. That means letting go of preconceived notions about how your life “should” be, dropping negative self-talk, and making the most of your current situation.

In the beginning, you might feel selfish for turning inward. But spending some time on yourself to understand what matters to you doesn’t mean neglecting everyone you love. It’s quite the opposite. With better self-awareness and gratitude for what you have each day, you will become happier.

You’ll also feel more grounded to engage with others around you. As a happier person, you’ll have more to offer to the people you care about. You’ll be able to share joy with them because you yourself are joyous.

You’ll also be more at peace with yourself, confident that your professional life and personal life are how they are meant to be today. And that you can make them better.

Life is too short to be miserable. So here’s our advice on how to enjoy life, even through the ups and downs.

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1. Understanding happiness

Happiness is most easily understood as an emotional state characterized by feelings of joy, contentment, and fulfillment. It’s also tied to a sense of life satisfaction and subjective well-being. It’s founded on trust that things are going to be alright.

By this definition, you acquire happiness when you finally get your dream life, feel like you’ve accomplished (or will accomplish) what you want, and have a good quality of life.

But, while this is certainly true, we can expand a little bit. Happiness isn’t just a “thing” you can have — it’s a habit you must cultivate.

Like all habits, the biggest challenge is getting started. But, if you break down happiness into simple everyday tasks, you can set attainable goals for yourself. Then you’ll slowly start to improve your mood and learn how to enjoy yourself.

Small (and cost-free) tips on how to enjoy life

Money can’t buy happiness, but it offers some stability and gives you access to extra support (like therapy) if you need it.

And if you’re wondering how to enjoy life without money, don’t worry: it’s very possible. Here are some completely free and simple ways you can practice happiness. All you need is time and a bit of effort — you can even start today.

1. Develop a gratitude attitude

Human beings have a bias toward negativity. If you can overcome that, you can reduce your risk of mental health conditions like chronic stress, anxiety, and depression. You can even lower your susceptibility to physical health conditions like chronic pain and disease.

That’s the power of gratitude. If you can find something to be grateful for every day, life won’t feel as heavy. You’ll start noticing all the good happens on a regular basis — even if they’re just small things.

2. Practice Gratitude

It’s impossible to feel both grateful and unhappy at the same time. It’s that simple. Try it and you’ll see what I mean.

No wonder many scientific studies have found that being grateful can improve self-esteem, reduce negative emotions like envy, and reduce the risk of major depression. Grateful people also tend to take better care of their health, exercise more, sleep better, and have lower levels of stress hormones.

3. Work on Mindfulness

Mindfulness is the act of being fully present and aware of where you are, who you’re with, and what you’re doing – without being distracted by thoughts, judgments, or emotions.

Or, as the spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle puts it, ‘Wherever you are, be there totally.’

How to Enjoy Life More: Eckhart Tolle Quote

When we learn how to enjoy the moment, we can become calm, focused, and happy.

To practice mindfulness, start by removing things that distract you from your environment, like social media, TV, and music. Then, quieten your thoughts by not paying attention to them and instead, focus your attention on your breathing.

You could also practice mindfulness by learning to enjoy the simple things in life, such as:

Going for a walk in nature and observing the sights and sounds

Doing some exercise and feeling your body

Taking pleasure in the small things, like a cup of tea or a hot shower

4. Put Yourself First

It’s hard to enjoy life every day if you never put your own needs first.

If you want to feel content and peaceful, you need time to relax, have fun, be productive, explore new things, and develop healthy relationships.

So, the next time someone asks you to do something you don’t want to do, consider saying no. This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be kind or help others. It just means that you need to take care of your own needs first.

Protect your time and energy. You deserve it.

5. Be Kind to Yourself

We all make mistakes and miss the mark sometimes. Be kind to yourself in these moments. Whatever has happened has happened. There’s nothing you can do about the past except to learn from it. This could be incredibly tough in the beginning, but it gets easier with practice.

Look deeply, and you will discover that you deserve to be happy regardless of who you are, what you’ve done, or where you’re going. You deserve to be happy just because you’re alive.

Give yourself permission to be happy and at peace in this moment.

6. Rest and Recuperate

It’s pretty challenging to learn how to enjoy life to the fullest if you’re tired, burnt out, or stressed.

We all need time to rest and recuperate.

Damilola Adeleke

Adeleke Damilola (ACTION) is a versatile content writer with expertise in news writing and a seasoned media professional and broadcast specialist. Currently serving as News Editor for DNews Info, Damilola is also the CEO of the ACTION brand, committed to shaping lives and establishing a legacy of excellence for present and future generations.