Amy Reed
Happiness and success in life is hard to define.
Most people think of materialistic things when they think about being successful. Like having a happy relationship, a loving family, a stable job, and a nice place to live.
But not all successful people think this way. They don’t have milestones like this to achieve to be happy. They have daily habits they work on to boost their confidence and overall mood!
Here are their secrets – with 16 daily habits happy, successful people have:
1) They wake up early
Some CEOs swear by the 5am rule. They believe they have to wake up at 5am every single day to get the most out of every single day!
Others swear that waking up at 6am every day, regardless of what time you went to sleep, is good for your mindset.
They believe it sets you up right for the day, ensures you have enough time to yourself in the mornings, and creates more space for creativity.
Either way, there’s a theme here: successful people make a habit out of waking up early!
2) They make the most of their free time
Some people live for the weekend. I get it, most of us don’t have to work!
But happy, successful people don’t wait for the weekend to enjoy themselves. They make the most of every moment they have.
They see friends on a weeknight and bake a cake if they want to. They start a new side hustle or join a new gym – even if it’s a Wednesday!
3) They look after their appearance
It’s true that most people struggle to shower, brush their teeth, style their hair, or wear nice clothes when they’re feeling down.
Some even struggle to stay healthy, eat well, drink enough, and sleep right when they aren’t happy.
But an important question to ask is: Do you feel happier when you look after yourself? Or are you happy BECAUSE you look after yourself?
It’s hard to know which way around it is, but either way, successful people don’t chance it. They make a habit out of wearing nice clothes and brushing their hair regardless!
4) They choose their outfit the night before
Speaking of appearances, what you wear is important! Wearing an outfit that you like and feel comfortable makes you feel confident and self-assured.
It also makes you feel more prepared for the day ahead. Which is why so many successful people lay out their clothes the night before!
They also do it because it reduces the number of decisions they have to make in the morning – saving their brain power for the day ahead.
And, of course, because it gives them more time to spare!
5) They’re savvy with their cash
Money makes the world go around, right? Maybe, maybe not. Whatever you believe, money is important in life. It helps you see the world and experience new things.
Of course, it also helps you afford the necessities, too (like food and a place to live).
Happy, successful people aren’t always millionaires or people with huge savings accounts. They’re just people who know how to make the most of their cash.
If they have to spend all their paycheck, they make it go further with sales, bulk buying, and coupons. If they have some cash to spare, they make good decisions with it – ones they’ll feel good about in years to come.
6) They spend money on themselves
Happy people don’t save every penny they get! They spend money, too – especially on themselves.
Staying home all day, every day is a great way to save money. But it probably isn’t going to make you very happy. If you constantly decline social occasions and spend zero money on yourself, you aren’t really living.
Successful people know they have to invest in themselves sometimes if they want to be happy, healthy, and well-off in life.
So when the time is right, they spend their money! They invest in their mind, body, and future when they can afford to do it.
7) They spend time alone
Spending time alone is one of the best things you can do for your health and happiness. Too much time alone isn’t good, but a little bit is just right!
People who keep busy and never spend time alone are usually running from themselves (and the thoughts inside their heads). I confess I used to do it, too!
But people who intentionally spend a day alone, try something new by themselves, or go to the gym solo have true independence.
They know who they are and they’re happy with who they are. Being alone with their own thoughts doesn’t scare them. If anything, it inspires them!
8) They take breaks when they need them
Running yourself into the ground isn’t a good thing. I used to work with someone who was always working – she never stopped for lunch or a drink of water. Even using the toilet was a rush!
When you’re busy all the time, you don’t leave much time to think. You also aren’t really looking after yourself, which is so important to do.
The longer you live this way, the worse your physical and mental health can become. Which is why it isn’t a habit of a successful person!
Truly happy people take breaks when they need them. They slow down, put their feet up, and enjoy doing nothing every so often.
9) They trust others with ease
Who are we kidding? Trusting people isn’t easy! Almost every person has been burned by someone in the past.
Yet happy people who’ve found success in life constantly work on trusting others. They listen to their inner concerns when they crop up, but they don’t let them take over!
They trust people when they need to or when they know it’s the right thing to do. They wouldn’t lose a good relationship or miss out because of their trust issues.
10) They let go of past troubles
The past can teach us a lot, there’s no denying that. Looking back can be a helpful way to reflect and grow.
But there’s only so much time you can spend in the past! Eventually, you have to let go and move on.
Happy, successful people don’t let yesterday get in the way of today. They don’t constantly think about an argument they had two years ago or something that went wrong a couple of weeks back.
They process what they need to process and move on.
11) They live life in the present
Speaking of the past, truly happy and successful people don’t live in it! They aren’t constantly full of nostalgia, ruminating on “back in the day”.
You hardly ever hear them say things like, “Life was easier when…” or “I wish we could go back to…”.
Instead, they focus on the present. They romanticize life as it is right now, not how it was years or even months ago.
12) They challenge negative thoughts
Just because someone is happy and successful, that doesn’t mean they don’t have negative thoughts!
Staying positive comes naturally when you’ve practiced it enough, but those bad thoughts still creep in sometimes!
When that happens, successful people don’t hide from those thoughts. They don’t let them take over their brain, either!
They constantly challenge themselves in their own head. They say, “Why, brain, do you think you aren’t good enough for that? Because I think you are!”.
13) They open up to others
Being vulnerable is a thing many people fear – but not successful people! People who’ve found true happiness in life wear their hearts on their sleeves.
They don’t overshare and they only talk to people they trust, but they do open up.
Most importantly, they open up to their loved ones. They tell their partner if they’ve had a bad day. They tell their friends if they’re going through a rough time.
They sometimes open up to strangers, too, if they think sharing their story will help!
14) They prioritize their independence
When you get into a relationship, start work, or join a new college, it’s tempting to just go with the flow and follow the crowd.
Doing things together or with others becomes the norm. Making your own decisions and following your passions can fall by the wayside…
This is natural, especially when you make new friends or get into a new relationship. Your life merges with someone else’s and there’s less time for you.
But even so, successful people still prioritize their own independence! They still make sure they’re in control and holding onto the reigns, not anyone else.
They still do things they want to do sometimes and make sure their decisions are still their own.
15) They trust themselves
Trust issues aren’t just reserved for people we know. You can have them with yourself, too!
Not believing in yourself or thinking you aren’t good enough might mean you lack trust in yourself.
I hear people say all the time, “I couldn’t do that!” or “Who me? I’d never trust myself!”.
These are clear signs that someone lacks faith in their abilities. When really, they’re probably capable of way more than they think!
Parenting styles can come back to haunt you when you start lacking trust in yourself as an adult. It takes work, practice, and sometimes therapy to change this mindset.
Successful, happy people are constantly working on their mindset. Whenever they catch themselves losing faith in themselves, they work to get themselves out of it!
16) They talk kindly to themselves
The final thing successful people do is speak kindly to themselves.
They might not be entirely happy with their life. They might want to change jobs, earn more money, get fitter, or achieve some other goal. But overall, they’re happy with who they are.
They know that being kind to themselves, cutting themselves some slack sometimes, and loving who they are is the best way to find happiness – so that’s what they do!
If they ever set goals, they set them kindly. They don’t say, “I’m so useless at running so I need to run more”. They say, “I like running and want to do it more!”.
Final thoughts
Ultimately, only you get to decide if you feel happy and successful in life. After all, you’re the one living your life!
But even so, adopting these habits can change your life for the better – as many successful people have shown us.
