How to Be Happy and Not Compare Yourself with Others

Live in the present. Don't dwell in the past, don't dream of the future; instead, live in the present. Keep yourself busy with tasks at hand because an idle mind is liable to lead to comparing your lot with others. You will feel much better when working on things you love rather than thinking of yesterday or tomorrow, which aren't under your control. Simply be in the present moment.

Volunteer. When you look at the condition of people living on the footpath, having a few morsels to eat and not being able to provide their children with education, you will feel lucky. Instead of just wondering about your luck, think about ways how you can help others less fortunate than you, not all but at least a few. Think of the poor and the downtrodden, think about their misery and hardships. When you do your part in helping them, you will feel fulfilled and happy to contribute.

Give time to people who love you. Spend some time with people who love and care for you. For example, you can start with writing a simple thank you note to your teacher or a mentor.

• Make a friend feel special.
• Give your mom a handmade card on mother's day with a few cookies.
  

Question yourself. When you see someone who seems successful, you assume and interpret that success through your own filters. It is then easy to believe that interpretation and make more of it than you truly know. For example, you might think "He/she is so rich, must be really happy". Yet, how do you know for real? Are you sure he/she is happy? Are you sure that the interpretation you are coming up is valid and unerring? The truth is you don't know. Coming up with a self-initiated Interpretation of something is only going to make you unhappy and most likely will keep you unhappy.

• Do you think so little of yourself that you let a nonsense and illogical interpretation make you unhappy? Ground your understandings in fact, not imaginings!