The 5 Steps of Everyday Happiness

I remember a scene in Disney’s "Cinderella" where our lovely heroine wakes up, and despite what was surely going to be a day of grueling housework for her wicked step-family, she spent her morning singing and greeting the sunshine. Unfortunately, for most of us, that perfect princess morning is just that: A fairytale. We often get out of bed with our hair mashed against one side of our head, groggy eyed and with about as sunny a disposition as Bigfoot. Most of us don’t greet the day of work with musical cheeriness.

It’s unfortunate, because looking at things from a joyous perspective doesn’t just boost your mood, it’s great for reducing stress and helping to decrease your chances of stress-related health issues in the future. Not to mention it makes you a lot more pleasant to be around! While work may never be as exciting as that action flick you’re going to see tonight, here are five tips that will definitely make it far more enjoyable and help you become a happier you.

1. When you first wake up in the morning, find something, anything that makes you smile. Is it sunny out? Take a moment to note how pretty sunlight is in the morning. – Soft and gold, filtering through the trees or your curtains. Maybe it’s a bit rainy. – But listen to how pretty the rain splashing against your roof sounds! Or the way the water trickles down your windowpane. There isn’t much anything more lovely than a good rain. If weather doesn’t make you smile, then maybe your coffee, or your breakfast, or the warm, toasty shower suits you better. No matter what, just make sure you find something that makes you smile.

2. Take a moment out of your day to indulge in something you enjoy. - A little bit of time just for yourself. Finishing a chapter of that great book would be wonderful, or maybe a 5 minute break to surf the web and read some jokes or sending emails to your loved ones. Taking time to do something for yourself is a great way to boost your happiness.

3. Make a random list of things you’re grateful for. Take each point and cut them into little strips of paper. Fold the pieces of paper and place them in a big jar upon your desk. You can decorate the jar any way you want, (Wrapping it with beads and wire can be quite pretty, and simple to do!) or leave it plain. Every day, take out one strip of paper and read it. – Just to remind yourself of at least one thing in your life that you have to be grateful for. Continually add new "thank you" notes as you think of them.

4. Ignore the "naggers" and "what ifs". These are the pointless little worries and fears that arise from the back of your mind and do nothing more than ruin your mood. Make sure to confront each one individually and come up with a specific reason that you don’t have to worry about it. Example: "What if I don’t get the promotion?" The first question you have to ask yourself is "Have I done my best to get this promotion?" If the answer is yes, this means that there is nothing more than you can do, and take solace in the fact that is out of your control by letting go. If the answer is no, reevaluate what you still can do.

5. Give yourself a small goal to accomplish that day. These mini goals are great, because they instill a sense of real pride and confidence in oneself. They don’t have to be anything huge, anything really from working an extra several minutes, walking up the stairs instead of riding the elevator, or taking the time to send a loved one an email or even a written letter. These small accomplishments ad up quickly and really do a great job of boosting self-esteem.

Being happy, being successful, all starts with a mindset. Get in the mindset of success, the mindset of gratefulness, and there is nothing you can’t accomplish.

Cole Carson is a successful entrepreneur and network marketer.