9 Daily Habits That Will Make You Happier

Edited from Inc.Com.
 
Happiness is the only true measure of personal success. Making other people happy is the highest expression of success, but it's almost impossible to make others happy if you're not happy yourself. With that in mind, here are nine small changes that you can make to your daily routine that, if you're like most people, will immediately increase the amount of happiness in your life:
 
1. Start each day with expectation.
Life usually lives up to (or down to) your expectations. Therefore, when you get up - think of a specific positive aim for the day.
   
2. Take time to plan and prioritise.
The most common source of stress is the perception that you've got too much work to do. Rather than obsess about it, pick one thing that, if you get it done today, will move you closer to your highest goal and purpose in life. Then do that first.
 
3. Give a gift to everyone you meet.
Your gift can be your smile, a word of thanks or encouragement, a gesture of politeness, even a friendly nod.
 
4. Deflect partisan conversations.
Arguments about politics and religion never have a "right" answer but they definitely get people all riled up over things they can't control. When such topics surface, bow out.
 
5. Assume people have good intentions.
Since you can't read minds, you don't really know the "why" behind the "what" that people do. Imputing evil motives to other people's weird behaviors adds extra misery to life, while assuming good intentions leaves you open to reconciliation.
 
6. Eat high quality food slowly.
At least once a day try to eat something really delicious, like a small chunk of fine cheese or chocolate. Focus on it; taste it; savor it.
 
7. Let go of your results.
The big enemy of happiness is worry, which comes from focusing on events that are outside your control. Once you've taken action, there's usually nothing more you can do. Focus on the job at hand rather than some weird fantasy of what might happen.
 
8. Turn off "background" TV.
Many households leave their TVs on as "background noise" while they're doing other things. It's not required.
 
9. End each day with gratitude.
Just before you go to bed, write down at least one wonderful thing that happened. It might be something as small as a making a child laugh or something as huge a deal at work. Whatever it is, be grateful for that day because it will never come again.