BFTP: Achieving consistent happiness

Ask yourself whether you are happy, and you cease to be so.
John Stuart Mill

I don't tend to be anxious, stressed, depressed, bored, or angry the great majority of the time. So by default, I must be a happy person. Quite honestly, I don't spend much time analyzing my happiness level - I tend to focus more on how productive I've been. 

For those who are looking for ways to become happier, I'd endorse the recommendations of Joel Gascoigne who wrote "6 things I do to be conistently happy." He recommends:

1. Wake up early.
2. Exercise daily.
3. Have a habit of disengagement.
4. Regularly help others.
5. Learn new skills.
6. Have multiple ways to "win" each day.

Read the whole post. It's worth your time.

Like Joel, I believe my happiness is a direct result of doing most of the things he lists on a daily basis. I'd also add the following habits:

1. Have an interesting book to read and find some time each day to read it.
2. Have something to anticipate - a trip, an event, etc.
3. Spend discretionary money on experiences rather than material goods.
4. Take a lot of photographs, especially of your kids and grandkids, and look at them.
5. Indulge in a guilty pleasure without feeling guilty.
6. Maintain a regular schedule.
7. Always have a project or two that challenge you.
8. Be less critical of both yourself and other people (I think the two are related in some way.)
9. When given a new task at work, look at it as job security and a chance to learn rather than a burden.
10. Enjoy your own company when alone. Turn off the apps, TV, and radio - and think, fanaticize, plan, and dream.

Nothing very profound here. But it seems to work for me.

What do you do each day that makes you a happy person?

Original post 8/20/12