The 8 Laws of Happiness
Powerful principles I learned after losing everything, and rebuilding joy
A few years ago, I thought I had it all figured out. Great businesses, multiple houses, a nice car, and a girlfriend.
Then, COVID came, and in what felt like the blink of an eye, I lost everything.
The result? I also lost my happiness.
Desperate to solve my problems, I turned to mentors, read hundreds of books, and watched countless hours of content from aspirational and wise individuals.
Slowly, I applied what I was learning to my life.
I fell many times, but today, I feel like I am at a place where I am happy again.
Everything I learned is compiled into these 8 simple yet powerful laws.
Keep reading if you want to build a foundation for happiness!
1. The Law of Giving
The evidence is undeniable. Even science confirms the law of giving in numerous studies.
Giving will make you happy.
But don’t blindly believe studies… Try for yourself!
If you’ve ever given a gift, you know this to be true. Just think about how you felt on Christmas when a loved one opened your well-thought-out gift.
It’s more than just gifts, though.
You can also give time, knowledge, and numerous other things.
When you help your friend move furniture after they moved into their new house., not only are they relieved, but you feel happiness.
When you help teach an employee something that helps them earn more money, you feel happy.
This is simple! Give to others, however you can, and you will find happiness.
2. The Law of Gratitude
It is easy to get lost in a negative headspace when things go wrong or when things are not how you would like them to be.
Constantly focusing on what could be leads to unhappiness, anxiety, and sadness.
Gratitude occurs when you focus on what you do have. Gratitude is how you find happiness.
If you are struggling to find reasons to be grateful for, think about how you have:
Your 5 senses
The ability to breathe
People who love you
A warm place to sleep
Access to the internet (unlimited knowledge)
There’s always a reason to be grateful, and so, there is always a reason to be happy.
3. The Law of Progress
Humans have trouble staying in the same place for a long time. Constantly moving forward and improving keeps us happy.
This law plays together with gratitude.
By reflecting on how far you’ve come and seeing the progress, you will be happy. You will also be encouraged to keep going and compounding this happiness.
You can exploit this law by finding hobbies, passions, games, and other ways to feel progress.
Seeing your progress in learning an instrument or language, building a business, or increasing your chess score will help you find happiness.
Keep up the good progress, my friends.
4. The Law of Connection
We are also social creatures. We crave connection with other people.
And before you say it, even if you are introverted, yes, you still need to socialize!
This can be with friends, family, or even randoms.
Socializing not only helps refine your thoughts, but it also helps us feel like we are connected to something bigger. It gives us meaning.
The best-case scenario is that you find like-minded people to connect with. This is a blessing that will bring you happiness for years to come.
5. The Law of Presence
A lost mind will lead to nothing but unpleasantness and unease. You will be constantly stuck regretting the past or fearing the future.
Most people spend 50% of their time mentally elsewhere.
The law of presence says that by being present, here, now, you will be happier. It also says the longer you live in the present, the more often you will be happy.
When you are present, you realize you have everything you need. You are not hoping for a specific outcome because you are too busy living.
This takes practice, and a little meditation never hurt either.
6. The Law of Simplicity
As people say… Mo money, mo problems. This rings true when you fill your life with unnecessary material belongings.
Finding ways to simplify my life has been a journey over the last few years.
After spending years worrying about bills, properties getting maintained, posts on social media, and numerous other annoying tasks, I realized I wanted to live a simpler life.
That doesn’t mean pursuing nothing, and it doesn’t mean building nothing. For me, it just meant avoiding unnecessary purchases, clutter, and hoarding.
You can start small, too.
Go through your closet and give away clothes you haven’t used for more than 1 year, or go through your unnecessary subscriptions and cancel them.
Find ways to simplify, and happiness will follow.
7. The Law of Self-Care
In the same way you need to care for those in your life, you need to care for yourself.
Treat yourself like the person you love the most.
Do you want your loved ones to be healthy?
Do you want your loved ones to get a good sleep?
Do you want your loved ones to do the things they love?
Self-care doesn’t have to be complicated either.
Workout
Eat healthy
Prioritize sleep
Keep up with your hygiene
Don’t surround yourself with those who drain your energy
Simply doing those things will make you much happier.
8. The Law of Purpose
No matter what you do, if you have a strong “why”, you will accomplish more and do so happily.
Viktor Frankl, the author of Man’s Search for Meaning, who survived Nazi concentration camps, explained the value of purpose. Those with purpose could endure more suffering.
Your purpose doesn’t have to be a grand mission, and your “why” can be easier.
Perhaps you work hard because you want to provide for your family, or you focus on health because you want to be able to play with your grandchildren.
This “why” will drive you for years to come. It’ll give you reason to continue.
Having a strong purpose will directly affect how happy you are.
Don’t take this law for granted.
Conclusion
These 8 laws can feel like a lot to take in. That’s okay, you don’t have to master them today.
Start simply (law 6).
Figure out which laws you are already following. Then, see which ones could be most easily implemented. Make small adjustments each week and see what happens.
Spoiler: You will continue to feel your happiness elevate as you go through life.
Thanks for reading.