Success and happiness aren’t easy to achieve. It takes a lot of time, hard work, and luck to get there.
That’s why, along the way, you’ve got to take advantage of moments—those brief periods of time when all can be right in your world.
Here are nine moments worth experiencing every day if you’re looking for a happier and more successful life.
1. A Moment of Laughter
There’s physiological and scientific evidence that shows that smiling and laughing put you in a better mood.
Take time every day to laugh, and you’ll find it’s both contagious and uplifting. Surround yourself with funny people, find opportunities to laugh at yourself, and laugh your way to the top.
2. A Moment of Celebration
We don’t take the time to celebrate small successes enough—or even big successes.
At my company, Likeable Local, we instituted a “Moment of Rock” every day at 5 PM to celebrate our successes from the day. Everybody rocks out like their favorite sports team just won a championship.
How can you take at least one opportunity per day to celebrate the good in your life?
3. A Moment of Reflection
We all lead such busy lives. It’s important to be able to take at least one moment each day where we do nothing but think.
Put your phone away, get somewhere by yourself, and simply reflect (it doesn’t have to be long!) on the day that was and the day that will be, about decisions to come, and about what you’ve learned from the past.
4. A Moment of Stillness
There’s reflection and then there’s true stillness—the ability to shut off everything, including your mind, and get into a meditative state.
The busier your life is, the more valuable it is to practice moments of stillness. Yoga and meditation are the most popular ways to get into this state, if only for a few minutes (science says you can reap the benefits in 15 minutes).
5. A Moment of Pride
A lot of people associate the word “pride” with something negative.
But you have so much to be proud of. You can afford to take a least one moment each day where you sit back and appreciate all that you’ve done and the good person that you are. Take pride in the little things you’ve accomplished along the way.
6. A Moment of Humility
Pride in your accomplishments is great, but so is a moment of humility, in which you appreciate your tiny role in the profoundly large universe around you. When we take a second to appreciate the amazing world around us, it’s hard not to be happy for all that we have.
7. A Moment of Connection
Ultimately, human beings are social beings.
So, take at least one moment a day to connect with the people around you—your significant other, friends, and family. Hold someone’s hand, give someone a hug, or cuddle. Your happiness isn’t just about you, it’s about others.
8. A Moment of Joy
Laughter is great, but joy is even more powerful. Take a moment to experience the joy of your kids or family, the joy of your spiritual connections, or the joy you can find in play, or music, or dance.
9. A Moment of Gratitude
Finally, take time each day to express gratitude—for the people in your life, the experiences you’ve had and will have, and the world around you. You can’t physically feel angry or upset and grateful at the same time, so just taking a moment of gratitude will make you happier.
Again, these are just moments—meaning they shouldn’t take up too much time, and chances are you already do them on a regular basis. But by being aware of how powerful these can be, you put yourself on the path to true bliss.
This article was originally published on LinkedIn. It has been republished here with permission.