I wasn’t a happy person from childhood to middle adulthood. I guessed it was because I paid too much attention to my weaknesses than to my strengths. Maybe the worst part is I didn’t think I had any strong points. And I worried that people might see my weaknesses. So, I spent a lot of time trying to hide my weaknesses.
Because of that, depression became part of my life, and I was admitted to the hospital multiple times. Things changed after my last discharge from the hospital in 2014, and I’m glad to say that I haven’t had any depression episodes since then.
In this post, I would like to share with you some of the things that I’ve done that might have contributed to my not having another depression episode, and most importantly to share with you the simple way to be happy.
Accept Who You Are
Instead of hiding behind what I view as my weaknesses, I learn to accept myself. An example is I used to hate myself for not being a sociable person. But now, I understand that there is nothing wrong with not being a sociable person. I just prefer to spend most of the time alone.
Exercise
For decades studies have been showing that aerobic exercise improves mood, so I started to take regular exercise. Sometimes, when I’m not in a good mood, I try to walk on the treadmill, and that helps improve my mood.
Hobbies
When I was discharged from the hospital in 2014, the very first thing I did was find a hobby because I believe spending time on an activity that I enjoy can improve my mental health and well-being. Research also shows that people with hobbies are less likely to suffer from stress, low mood, and depression.
And Last…. Keep Yourself Happy at All Time
Princess Diana once said, “Only do what your heart tells you.”
I believe in that, and I found that’s a very simple way to keep yourself happy – always do only what your heart tells you. Your heart is a compass inside of you, it’s a true guide that will lead you to happiness if you can just tune into it.