Tips for Teens to Lead Happier Lives

by Vanessa Van Petten

1. Smile. This is the number one rule for a reason. People who smile, even when upset or discouraged, inevitably find reasons to be happy.
2. Dress up. Once a week, wear something a little bit nicer than your usual get-up.

3. Pursue your interests. Some people feel they must forever stick with whatever label or classification they have been given. But that’s not true! If you’re a football player and you find you actually enjoy theatre, go for it.
4. Listen to music that lifts your soul. Sing along to it whether you have a great voice or are tone-deaf.
5. Strive to excel in everything. There is no better feeling than working as hard as you possibly can and seeing the fruits of your efforts. Don’t fool yourself into thinking you’re working really hard if you’re actually not. Think always to yourself, “How can I be better?” and then work to make that happen.
6. Be open and honest. If someone hurts you, either forget about it or tell them what they’ve done – and then forget about it. When you love someone, tell them. When someone makes you happy, tell them. 7. Give compliments, even to the people that aren’t your greatest friends.
8. Get up and do something. Stop sitting around and sulking if everyone seems to be busy; keep asking around or entertain yourself in some fashion. Get out of the house; go on a walk, go for a drive, go next door to visit a neighbor. Take action.
9. Don’t dwell on the could-haves, the should-haves, the wishes, and the wants. Dwell on what can be done now, in the present time and place. There’s no joy in what almost was.
10. Make a list of things that make you happy. Make a list of all your many blessings. Make a list of good things in life. Make a list of good people. Make a list of beautiful sights or sounds. Make a list of anything uplifting. 11. Know that there’s always Someone Else who’s worse off than you.
12. Always be the best person you know how to be. Don’t lie, don’t cheat, don’t gossip, don’t do anything that could bring someone else down. That’s selfish and that’s mean and that’s totally not worth the pain that will come around later to you for it.
13. Look for the child inside yourself. Draw with sidewalk chalk, color in coloring books, do something that takes you back to simpler days. It will remind you to look for joy in the little things.
14. You can’t be happy if you don’t really want to be happy.