The Path to Lifelong Happiness Comes Down to 7 Simple Choices

BY MARCEL SCHWANTES, INC. CONTRIBUTING EDITOR AND FOUNDER, LEADERSHIP FROM THE CORE@MARCELSCHWANTES

When life deals us a rough hand, whether it's a business gone south, a partnership hitting the rocks, or a personal tragedy, the folks who bounce back the strongest and find their path to happiness are those who reinvent themselves.

Now, let's be real here: Personal transformation takes courage, healing, and self-awareness. But once you've gone through the process, your whole outlook on life does a 180. You're taking on new habits, new values, new friends, and new dreams that you're actually chasing. This is the path to lasting happiness.

Making happiness stick

But how do you make it stick? Well, it's like having a trusty GPS for your life, and that GPS is fueled by choice and intention. In other words, when life throws a curveball, make choices that matter and live each day with intention. That's how you turn things around. Here are seven ways to get you started.

1. Pursue the way forward with confidence 

A confident person assured of her path doesn't worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow's already taken care of. Her confidence allows her to pursue her dreams and purpose, even when the skeptics say she's crazy. Living in this state of confidence, knowing you're on the right path, also brings peace, with full assurance of the end goal, and blocks distractions that try to derail you from your life's calling.

2. Trust the process

Society has labeled the art of letting go as a sign of weakness when, in fact, it can be a good leadership strength. But let's be clear: Letting go isn't the same as giving up or giving in; it's trusting the process, surrendering to the outcome -- to something greater than you --and believing that things will work out accordingly. The best approach to letting go and trusting the process is to be in the company of people you trust in the process itself-- trusted advisers, colleagues, friends, and family who will support you in your journey.

3. Seek out healthy relationships

A well-known 75-year Harvard study that followed 724 men from college to old age found that good relationships keep us happier and healthier. The first step in seeking out healthy relationships is to learn to be selective about whom to allow into your inner circle. Close and intimate connections that you can go deep with are crucial to sustaining your happiness, so choose your friends and associates wisely.

4. Ask for what you want

In so many businesses today, fear keeps people from being open to asking for what they want and seeking help from their bosses, peers, and colleagues. According to research published in Harvard Business Review, 75 to 90 percent of all help people at work give to one another starts with making an ask. However, many individuals refrain from asking for what they need, as their managers and executives do not encourage or reinforce this behavior. Consequently, nothing ends up happening most of the time. So, make the first move and ask for something you want. Chances are, you will probably get it.

5. Practice kindness

At work, we often overlook the importance of "soft" qualities like kindness. However, studies show that cultivating a culture of kindness in the workplace can lead to happier employees and a more successful business. Research at New York University indicates that observing acts of kindness among colleagues can increase our own sense of well-being, which researchers call elevation. This feeling of elevation can lead to a chain reaction of kindness and positivity, spreading throughout the workplace. So, fostering kindness in the workplace can have a ripple effect, benefiting both individuals and the company as a whole.

6. Exercise patience

Do you work with or for someone unable to budge or view things differently? Do they steamroll ahead with a decision without soliciting feedback? A lack of patience can wreak havoc in the workplace and bring a team down. Patience is a virtue I wish more people practiced. It helps you to slow down, process, gather information, and rethink when things are snowballing out of control. In a conflict situation with differing points of view, patience helps you see the innocence in other people during those really frustrating moments when you'd rather get your way.

7. Stay the course

Your story may contain traumatic experiences, disappointments, and failures. However, it is important to persist and continue on your path. Avoid looking back or giving up now that you have achieved some level of happiness and success. There may be challenges and difficult decisions ahead, but do not abandon all the hard work you have put in so far. Keep fighting, focus on your goals, and surround yourself with supportive people who have always believed in you.

Photo credit: Getty Images.