10 Things Truly Happy Women Do Differently

Everyone wants to find happiness in life, but it can often feel elusive, especially during tough times. The truth is that there will always be things that knock you down and make you feel low. The trick is getting back up again and staying in the fight. If you want to feel content and fulfilled in life, attitude and action are everything. In fact, truly happy women do these things to find joy in the day-to-day.

1. They prioritize self-care.  Truly happy women recognize the importance of looking after themselves emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. They carve out time for themselves regularly to do things that make them feel calm, relaxed, and whole. This manifests in different ways depending on the person — from long baths and journaling to going for a run or even cooking their favorite recipes. It’s all about nourishing body and soul.
2. Their gratitude practice is locked down. As corny as it sounds, this is major. Women who are content in life are also grateful for everything they have. They appreciate the people in their lives, their jobs, the roof over their heads, and even the fact that they’re fortunate to wake up every morning with the ability to get out of bed and leave the house. They recognize that not everyone is so lucky, so they never take anything for granted.
3. They spend time nurturing their relationships. Women who are truly happy are all about putting in the work to keep their relationships strong. Whether it’s with their immediate family, their close friends, or even their colleagues, they want to ensure their connections are solid and healthy. In turn, this leads to less stress and more fulfillment in their own lives.
4. They set boundaries and are damned if they let anyone cross them. Truly happy women know their limits and are unafraid to set boundaries to protect their energy.  They don’t put up with crap from anyone and will cut toxic people out of their lives without hesitation. They also know how to say “no,” which leaves much more room for the things they’re enthusiastic about saying yes to.
5. They show themselves compassion. These women know that no one is perfect and that mistakes can pave the way for some incredible growth in their lives. They offer themselves grace and cut themselves slack when they screw up, but they vow to do better the next time around. They know how to be gentle with themselves because they deserve it.
6. They pursue their passions and seek their purpose daily. Women who are truly happy are all about going after the things in life that make them feel good. They’re passionate by nature and always make time to indulge in the things that fill their metaphorical cups and make them feel good. They believe they’re here to achieve great things, and they’re always striving to discover what those things are and to accomplish them.
7. They work on staying present. Living in the moment and practicing mindfulness helps these women savor life’s experiences fully. They know that fixating on what happened in the past or worrying about what’s coming in the future is a futile exercise and that in doing either of those things, they’ll only miss out on the here and now. Happy women don’t allow the present moment to pass them by, and when they find themselves drifting, they know how to pull themselves back.
8. They move their bodies regularly. It sounds silly, but it has a huge impact on overall happiness and well-being. Whether they’re hardcore gym rats or simply love going for a walk every evening after work to stretch their legs and get some fresh air, happy women know what a gift their bodies are and want to use them to their full extent. It’s not about burning calories or losing weight, it’s about feeling strong and alive.
9. They embrace optimism even during tough times.  It’s not always easy to see the bright side of bad situations, and that’s okay. However, happy women know that it’s important not to get wrapped up in negativity and bad thoughts or they’ll drown. Instead, they focus on finding the upsides whenever they can, and this makes a world of difference to their mindset.
10. They show kindness to others. The saying that kindness costs nothing is one that happy women take to heart. They recognize the importance of giving back and doing anything they can to make the lives of those around them better and easier. They don’t sacrifice their own wellness to do so or succumb to overgiving, but they do make it a priority to do what they can for others.

You may not be able to incorporate every one of these habits on a daily basis, and there will be times that you’re going to mess up and fall into negative patterns. That’s okay! It all goes back to that self-compassion we talk about above. The point is, the more you try to put these behaviors into practice, the more naturally they’ll come to you and the bigger effect they’ll have. Give them a shot — you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the results.