Take a mindful approach to your personal happiness

When was the last time you said, "I couldn't be happier..."? Happiness can be elusive. It can be fleeting. Too often, it can be lost in our modern world's swirl of stress, multitasking, and 24/7 news. Today, you are already thinking about tomorrow. Personal happiness comes from being engaged, doing good work, and focusing on the present.

These tips can help you take a mindful approach to your personal happiness:

1. Acknowledge your feelings without judgment

Your yoga teachers tell you this all the time - and they're right! Accept where you are with the pose without judgment. Judgment simply gets in the way of being in the moment.

So don't try to smother your feelings. If the holidays just aren't joyful for you, acknowledge that and let it alone. You don't have to apologize for how you feel or try to hide it.

2. Gift yourself first

Whatever you need to in the course of the year; paying bills, investing, helping out others, it's time to give the gift you need to yourself first.

When you are ready, you can look beyond yourself for opportunities to engage, share your gifts of talent and time, and help others. This will help you engage, do good work, and focus on the present but only after you have given yourself what you need.

3. Take joy in saying 'No thank you'

Say no to anything and everything that gets in the way of your personal happiness. No thank you to parties you don't feel like attending. No thank you to decorating the entire house. No thank you to overspending (time or money). Give yourself the permission and encouragement you need - whatever it takes - to say no thank you.

This one action will give you the space and the happiness in which to approach those things you do want very much to do And you'll enjoy those things much more.

Article courtesy of Harvard Health