“Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect. It means you’ve decided to look beyond the imperfections.” ~Unknown
Even though I couldn’t possibly care less about oil-based raincoats, I listened to him talk for about fifteen minutes one rainy morning last week.
This little guy, with his colorful button-down shirt and funny-looking hat makes my day most mornings. He works at the 7-11 where I get my coffee. And he always seems happy.
At first I thought he was just putting on a good face, making the best of a tough situation. After all, he couldn’t possibly enjoy working at a convenience store, right?
Then I realized I was missing the biggest part of his appeal: he does enjoy his job, and that’s why he seems so happy—because he is.
Man, that’s awesome. I aim to be like him.
My life doesn’t always look exactly like I want it to. I spend many days writing alone in my living room when I’d rather work from a beachside office space I share with friends. I drive a beat-up old Toyota when I’d far prefer something that doesn’t have roll-up windows or a cassette player.
But the world doesn’t change all that much if I have more money, a different space, a better job, or a nicer car. The wrapping paper is different, but the gift inside stays the same.
The way I feel about myself, how much I open myself to new people and experiences, how often I choose to smile simply because it feels good—none of these things depend on my life situation. Colorful shirt guy knows that. I suspect he knows these things, too:
1. Enjoying the present moment is a habit that takes practice.
If you always look toward tomorrow for happiness, odds are you will do the same when you attain what you’ve been dreaming of. As strange it sounds, the ability to appreciate what’s in front of you has nothing to do with what you actually have. It’s more about how you measure the good things in your life at any given time.
Practice wanting what you have and it will feel even sweeter when you eventually have what you want. Look around—what’s in front of you that you can enjoy?
2. Finding reasons to be happy now can benefit your future.
Dr. Dacher Keltner of the University of California claims she can predict a person’s future by judging the strength of their smile. Researchers examined yearbook photos of 111 female students taken between 1958 and 1960.
Subsequent tests revealed that the women who expressed more positive emotion in those photos became more mentally focused, had more successful marriages, and enjoyed a greater sense of well-being.
From the article:
“While positive emotion tends to broaden thought, negative emotion tends to narrow it and hold back development….The findings of Dr Keltner and his colleagues, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, are among the first to show that differences in the extent to which people express emotion may be stable throughout their lives and dictate personal and social success.”
3. Tuning into joy can improve your health, something that affords you many possibilities in life.
Something that most people take for granted until it’s compromised.
Christopher Peterson, Ph.D of the University of Michigan, who has studied optimism’s link to health for over twenty years, shows optimistic people have a stronger immune system than their negative counterparts. This may be due to their tendency to take better care of themselves.
Choose to be happy now and you’ll have more days of good health to enjoy.
4. Consistent, long-term happiness depends on your ability to notice and appreciate the details; you can hone that skill right now.
Once you get everything you want, you will still be subject to life’s highs and lows. If you haven’t learned to enjoy the little things, your well-being will parallel your life’s circumstances. Every time something goes wrong, you’ll feel deeply unhappy (as opposed to disappointed, but determined to make the best of things).
Think about the things that fill you with the most joy—spending time with your pets, listening to the rain, and running on the beach, for example. Focus on those things right now, and let them brighten your day. That way, no matter what changes, you’ll have a variety of simple pleasures to help you through.
5. Every day is a new opportunity to be better than yesterday; that pursuit can increase your self-esteem and, accordingly, your happiness.
I used to be obsessed with being perfect. If I wasn’t the best at something, I couldn’t sleep at night. Becoming great never felt as good as I imagined it would because there was always room to be better. I was constantly dissatisfied and disappointed in myself.
I now look at the things I do as opportunities to get better from one day to the next. It’s more satisfying to set and meet an attainable goal, like focusing better and writing an extra article tomorrow, than it is to obsess about perfection, stressing because I’m not a world-famous author.
By focusing on small improvements and mini-goals, you’ll naturally move yourself toward your larger dreams. And you’ll respect the way you’re doing things.
6. You can be who you want to be right now, no matter what your situation looks like.
You may think life needs to change dramatically for you to be the person you want to be. That you can’t be giving unless you make more money. Or you can’t be adventurous until you sell your house. The truth is, you can be those things at any point in time.
So you don’t have money to share. Be generous with your compassion, and listen when your friends have problems. So your house hasn’t sold, pinning you in one place. Create adventure in your day by trying new things and introducing yourself to new people.
You never know when your nows will run out, so ask yourself, “How can I be that person I want to be in this moment?”
7. Finding joy in the present moment, no matter how inadequate it may seem, makes a difference in other people’s lives.
Though we all have different lists of dreams and goals, for most of us this is at the forefront: the possibility of living a meaningful life that affects other people for the better.
Happiness is a moment-to-moment choice, one that many have a hard time making. Other people will notice if you make that choice. And you will motivate them to do the same. As the research above indicates, this motivation has a substantial impact on their health and future happiness.
I know this isn’t your usual reasons-to-be-happy post. It didn’t start or end with “count your blessings” and I didn’t delve into your relationships or good fortune. There’s a very good reason for that.
I don’t think happiness is so much about what you have. What you have changes; your “blessings” evolve. Happiness is about how you interpret what’s in front of you. How proud you are of the way you live your life. How willing you are to enjoy simple pleasures, even if things aren’t perfect.
Though I haven’t always done this well, today I choose to focus on the good—both in the world and myself—to feel happy right now. How will you tune into happiness today?
Photo here

About Lori Deschene
Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, c-PTSD, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others to do the same. You can find her books, including Tiny Buddha’s Gratitude Journal and Tiny Buddha’s Worry Journal, here and learn more about her eCourse, Recreate Your Life Story, if you’re ready to transform your life and become the person you want to be.
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GREAT post!!
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I'm glad you've all enjoyed this post! Feel free to connect with me on Twitter @lori_deschene and @GoodMoodBlogger.
And thank you Dani =)
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Thanks for the great post! You explained everything so well, no matter the circumstances (which really always change), there is always something you can choose to be happy about! I have a lot of health problems and even when I'm at home having a bad day, I can choose to be happy and change my point of view to focus on the small things. 🙂
Fantastic post as usual. 🙂 I think finding our passions and staying present are key.
What a beautiful article. I want and will make that choice today – thank you!
In the words of Kung Fu Panda…The past is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is called the present because it is a gift!
[…] 7 Reasons to Be Happy Even if Things Aren’t Perfect Now […]
I totally agree! Sometimes in life we have to feel bad–it's just reality. But most of the time, we can deal with feelings and then change our perspective.
Great point! When you know what your passions and purpose are, it's easier to smile through life's hurdles.
What a beautiful affirmation =)
Very cool. Gotta love Kung Fu Panda.
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Thank you Lori for your generosity of spirit. I am honored that you and I have something in common – an old Toyota with roll up windows and a cassette player!
I'm glad you enjoyed this post! And it's always nice to meet a fellow old Toyota driver =)
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Very inspiring, I always come here for some feel good reading! Thanks
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Very inspiring, I always come here for some feel good reading! Thanks
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Just what I needed this morning Lori… I try to remind myself of these things each day…but some days we need to hear it from outside of ourself! So thank you!
[…] of us know on some level there’s no reason not to be happy now, even though things aren’t perfect; and yet we consistently find excuses why right now […]
Thank you. I feel like spontaneity and leisure is also a key to happiness. If you get stuck in your ways and responsibilities for too long, your life becomes stagnant. Not to say one needs to neglect one's responsibilities to be happy, but if you focus too much on what you want, you won't enjoy it once you do have it.
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I can see exactly where you're coming from.I consider myself a perfectionist-if I don't do something perfectly it will bother me until I either fix my mistakes or start over again.Many people think I have my life figured out, im 14 with good grades and a good family, but i think perfectionists like me have the hardest times getting through the day.
Also I like to write too, and I think this is the best post Ive read all week! Keep writing!
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It's absolutely true! I found such unhappiness in pinning my wishes and ideals on something. I'd look everywhere for happiness, and in this culture today they make you believe it's in what you buy or in the future, and you're taught not to trust your own instinct.
Now everybody's at a loss because the money well has run dry and now they have to look internally. Everything you could ever want or be is already within you, nestled like a Golden Fountain, and you can go within anytime. The soul is such a beautiful thing.
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Nice article 🙂
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simply brilliant ! Thanks Lori ! It is great article to show how to keep happymeter always healthy.. It is all in our attitude and beliefs !
Earlier I had been googling why people commit suicide. Its hard at my job, seeing people that are near death but are living in pain. Theres been a part of me that thinks suicide is a good answer for many people. Then I thought I would google reasons to be happy, reasons to live. I’m so glad I came across this… it feels so tangible and not puffed up on religious nonsense but true science. Science/facts are solid even when emotions are not and its a great focus when life seems blurry.
Hi Jessica~ I know exactly what you mean. I think it’s easier to deal with emotions when you understand what’s going on in your body that’s contributing to them. Spirituality helps, but sometimes we need something concrete to hold onto.
Perfectly right! Every day is a brand new day what was wrong yesterday should be made right today. Family is enough reason to be happy.
[…] You’ll get there–that doesn’t change that now is a perfect time to be happy. […]