It’s human nature to see the negative in situations and miss the positive.  Our goals, career choice, relationships and hobbies are all driven by the simple desire to be happy, yet most people don’t make the choice to be happy in their everyday life. Happy people are more productive in every aspect of life. A common misconception is that productivity fuels happiness when reality is just the opposite. Happiness fuels productivity and success. Here is a list of 10 simple habits the happiest people share on a day to day basis.

1.  They make happiness a priority. When these happy people make decisions, they think about their happiness as part of the decision.
2.  Decide to be happy. Too often, we choose to let stressful circumstances take away our happiness. You have to make a decision that through every circumstance, you will think positively.
3.    They accept responsibility for their own happiness.  Often, we tend to put our hope for happiness on another person. If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, other people will let you down sometimes. That is why you must realize that one person won’t make you happy 100% of the time which brings us back to the last habit, it is your responsibility to make a decision to be happy.
4.  They express gratitude. The happiest people are also the most gracious people. They focus on all the blessings in their life and not the hardships. The happiest people still have many hardships they must overcome; however, they choose to focus on all the good in their life. A good habit to get into is to make a list of all the blessings in your life and put it somewhere you can see it every day to serve as a reminder that you have a lot to be thankful for.
5.  They forgive.  The happiest people don’t hold grudges but instead make a conscious effort to forgive.  When you forgive other people, you aren’t just doing it for them; you’re doing it for yourself.  Holding a grudge will undoubtedly cause unhappiness in your life.
6.  They disregard other peoples’ opinions of them. Chances are there will be someone, somewhere who won’t have a high opinion of you. Ignore it. When you try to start changing who you are to gain the high opinion of someone else, you will lose your authenticity along with your happiness.
7.  They focus on today. They refuse to focus on the past that they can’t change and the future that has yet to happen.  Today brings enough challenges on its’ own, don’t focus on things that can’t be changed or planned.
8.  They give back. Happy people tend to be givers in the community.  Givers realize their blessings and take joy in giving back to others.  There is a different, special kind of happiness that comes to those who help others.
9.  They spend time with people.  Happy people enjoy making time for the people that mean the most to them and connecting with new people.  A common habit of the world’s happiest people is to say hi to someone new every chance they get.
10.  They take action. The happiest people don’t just dwell on planning, they take action swiftly.  Action takers get things done at work and at home which brings a sense of achievement. Feelings of accomplishment will fuel your happiness.