Some people are born happy, face life with uncrushed optimism and whatever comes their way, stay strong and positive. These are the ones with amazing brain chemistry that keeps their thoughts and energy high, and other people jealous.

But for many others, happiness can be a struggle, a constant battle with the brain and the way they were raised: to expect the worst, to look out for danger or not to feel too good about themselves.

However, happiness can become a daily practice: a way of thinking and a life philosophy.

Here are 20 habits of happy people, what they do daily, how they think, and what you too can do in order to feel happier in your everyday!

1. Practice gratefulness daily. Appreciate people around you, what they do for you, what you have and all the little things. Don’t take things for granted.
2. Don’t compare your journey with other people’s one. We all have our struggles, and the fact that you don’t see someones pain, doesn’t mean they don’t struggle too.
3. Find something good in every day. Because while not every day may be good, there is something good in everyday.
4. Look at struggles and problems as challenges to overcome, rather than unchangeable and crushing life events.
5. Ask for help and accept it.
6. Express your emotions! Be sad, just don’t over pity your self, be angry but then move on, admit to your fears, but don’t ket them control you.
7. Don’t pretend to be perfect and have it all together. Nobody does.
8. Admit to your mistakes. Learn from them.
9. Try to learn something new often.
10. Learn to let go. Sometimes it’s the people and relationships who hurt you too much, sometimes it’s the projects and plans that are just not coming together. Knowing when to stop and leave is as important as following through.
11. Forgive people. Don’t carry around hatred. It will only hurt you in the long run, and not the person that did hurt you in the first place.
12. Take time off regularly to recharge. Go on vacation, or a mini break, and  unplug.
13. Give yourself the right to dream, put your fears aside and think about what you really want to do with your life.
14. Turn your dreams to goals, and goals in to plans.
15. Don’t expect perfection.
16. Nurture relationships with people – spend time with people who are important, and give them your attention.
17. Don’t expect other people to make you happy. Only you can make yourself happy.
18. Try to look at things in a 5-10-20 years perspective – always ask yourself a question: will this struggle, problem, or results of this decision, be important in 5-10-20 years?
19. Start and end the day with a calm ritual – a coffee, a book, or a hug.
20. Assume you’ll be failing sometimes – just always find a way to get back up.

Of course, not all of this is easy. I myself had to work hard to forgive and to let go. Sticking to a calm ritual with kids around is a challenge on it’s own, and unplugging for a blogger is nothing short of a miracle. But nevertheless, I do try to practice all of these in my daily life, and since I do, I truly feel happier and calmer. Which is what I wish for you too!

And to help you put these points in practice, I’ve prepared this infographic with the most important points, that you can print and keep in your sight!