Being happy in life is the top priority for most people, right? Once you have most of your needs met, such as food and shelter, you want to enjoy life to at least some extent.
But while some need to work hard on their happiness and they’re almost never happy and content, for others, it comes naturally.
So, today, I’m going to show you what signs prove you’re a naturally happy person and what psychology has to say about it.
1) You find joy in simple things
Psychology suggests that appreciating small, everyday pleasures is linked to increased happiness. It’s basically all about recognizing and enjoying the little moments in life.
For me, that’s the morning coffee and playing with my son while everyone else is still asleep. But I also appreciate walking barefoot on the beach, petting my cats, and a million other small things and moments.
Before, I always thought that happiness was about big things – material things. But as I’m getting older, I’m more grateful for the small moments and feel less and less connection and happiness with materialism.
2) For you, gratitude comes naturally
For naturally happy people, gratitude also comes naturally. They don’t have to work on it or have some big awakening about it.
It’s simply the way they always were. And frankly, that’s giving them an upper hand on all the rest of us.
It’s no wonder that consumerism is at an all-time high. Most of us simply don’t know how to be happy any other way.
We think that the next thing we buy is going to fill that void, and in that sense, we are like cigarette smokers. We’re always looking for the next hit.
Being grateful and appreciative is proven to enhance happiness. Acknowledging and being thankful for what you have encourages a positive mindset, as suggested by psychological studies.
3) You live in the present moment
Mindfulness, or living in the present moment, is also associated with increased happiness.
Psychology emphasizes the many benefits of being fully present in your experiences.
Being present helps you focus on the current moment, reducing anxiety about the future or regrets about the past.
It also helps you interact with others and makes it easier to develop deeper connections and understanding.
But above all, you can savor and appreciate the joy in simple moments because you’re fully engaged in the now.
But for me, being present helps break the cycle of overthinking and rumination, and that’s why I’m more peaceful and content.
Being a parent, that’s incredibly important because almost every day presents a new set of challenges.
That’s also one of the reasons why my family and I often escape life into nature. Things are just simpler in the countryside, aren’t they?
4) You enjoy nature
Spending time outdoors and connecting with nature has been shown to reduce stress and increase feelings of happiness, according to psychological studies.
But nature has other places up its sleeve. It helps us cope with pain, improves mood, and even helps us open our eyes about being connected with other people.
For example, when there are trees and green spaces around buildings, people report having stronger feelings of unity with neighbors.
They’re more concerned about helping and supporting each other and feeling connected and belonging than tenants in buildings that don’t have trees around them.
But there are also other measurable things, such as lower street crime, less violence and aggression between domestic partners, and less stress about living in poverty.
5) You maintain a healthy work-life balance
In today’s world, working yourself to the bone is normal. We’re all in a constant rat race and chasing after that cheese.
But people who are naturally happy are skilled at setting and maintaining a healthy work-life balance.
They know that if one aspect of their life suffers, all the others will, too. That’s why they’re content with perhaps having less money. Still, they have more time for their friends, family, and activities they enjoy.
Psychology also highlights the importance of balancing work and personal life for overall well-being, as prioritizing time for relaxation and leisure contributes to happiness.
6) You’re energized by positive people
Surrounding yourself with positivity has psychological benefits. Social connections and positive interactions boost your mood and overall good health.
People who are inherently happy are surrounded by family and friends and love spending time with them.
They often work or volunteer in their community and get and give emotional support. But above all, they have a sense of belonging.
That’s because humans are inherently social beings, and the feeling of belonging is crucial for happiness:
When we feel accepted and valued for who we are, we appreciate life even more.
7) You see the silver lining
Sometimes, life just cooks up a storm. That’s why having an optimistic outlook, even in tough situations, is associated with better mental health.
In psychology, it’s called the power of positive thinking.
A positive view of the future is a trait linked to happiness. Psychology recognizes that optimistic people often experience better overall life satisfaction.
And I’m sure you can recognize that in your own personal life. When you see the silver lining in some of the bad things that are happening around you, you overcome them better.
And what definitely helps with that is laughter.
8) Laughter is your regular companion
Laughter is a universal mood lifter. Psychologists highlight the importance of humor in reducing stress and promoting emotional health.
If you can’t laugh at yourself and some things that happen to you, then you’re in a worse position than those who can.
Because you see, naturally happy people laugh all the time. They love being positive and surround themselves with positive people and positive influences.
They’re not all gloom and doom but see the lighter side of life. And that’s one of their secrets to happiness.
When you look at it, it’s simple, isn’t it? You just need to lighten up a bit and not take everything so seriously. After all, we’re just a small dot on a tiny planet in a vast universe.
9) You love helping others and making them happy
When you put things into that perspective, not much in life makes sense, does it?
But one thing still does, and that’s helping others and making them happy.
Engaging in altruistic behaviors, according to psychology, not only benefits others but also contributes to your own sense of happiness and fulfillment.
Many people don’t realize that when you help others, you also help yourself. By making others happy and helping them overcome some of their problems, you get a sense of joy.
Scientifically, acts of kindness trigger the release of neurotransmitters like dopamine and oxytocin.
These chemicals are associated with pleasure, reward, and social bonding, creating a positive feeling within us.
10) You’re active and interested in many things
Another thing that’s incredibly connected to happiness is being active and interested in many things.
People who don’t let their curiosity wane over the years are more curious about the world and, consequently, more content.
Engaging in activities you love releases endorphins, contributing to your overall sense of prosperity. That’s why psychology encourages pursuing hobbies for mental health.
I see my parents, who are well in their 70s now, and how they still go to social events and parties for seniors. They simply love living life.
But they’ve always been like that.
They would drag me every evening to someone else’s place, where they would hang out with adults, and I’d hang out with other kids.
Although even now, that’s not my cup of tea, I see that it works for them, and I’m pretty sure they’re naturally happy people.
I wish I was that person, too, but I guess I’m simply built differently. For me, this next thing is what makes me happy.
11) You achieve your goals
Setting and achieving small goals gives me a sense of accomplishment. Psychology suggests that this sense of achievement is vital to positive feelings.
And I get that. There’s just something about checking off a thing from your to-do list, getting a raise, finishing a course, getting more eyes on your article, etc., that’s extremely satisfying.
That’s why many naturally happy people love setting and achieving their goals. They get a natural high and dopamine boost when they accomplish something they set out to do.
It’s no wonder so many things are gamified right now, and companies have started exploiting this very fact, for better or worse.
Final thoughts
We can all learn a thing or two from people who were born to be happy in life. We just need to work a little bit more on it.
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