How to Be Happy-Go-Lucky (11 freaking tips)
Everyone is fretting about everything, all the time; the money is inflating, algorithms are changing and AI is shaking things up.
But not you and I. We’re off to the side, blissfully watching with a smiley grin and a laid-back gaze.
So, welcome. This is my guide on how to be happy-go-lucky.
Let’s do this!
Table of Contents Show
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What Does Being Happy-Go-Lucky Mean?
Happy-go-lucky is a positive state of being, unconcerned with what is and what will be. It’s the art of being carefree and optimistic.
But staying chill doesn’t mean not caring about anything, ever. Some things will always warrant attention and a few heavy roars.
But most things, they can fade away.
Why Bother?
Feel more confident
Experience less stress
Process struggles better
Become more optimistic
Support your mental health
Boost your self awareness
Improve your sense of control
Attract more positivity in your life
How to Be More Happy-Go-Lucky (11 tips)
1. Stop Time Traveling
We can’t time travel, so you’d think it would be easier to stay (and live) in the present. And yet, we replay and rehash all of our past and stress about the future like nobody’s business. This is not helping our cause.
The solution? Stop time traveling — start living in the now.
In Eckhart Tolle’s book ‘The Power of Now’, he writes about this very topic (of course, much more eloquently than I).
One of his core arguments is this: stay aware of your present moment rather than getting lost in the anxiety of the past or future. It’s simple — almost too simple. I’m insulted, really! Of course, stay grounded in the now.
This starts with awareness and catching yourself when you slip into past or present consciousness.
Meditation helps.
2. Stop Watching So Much Dang News
A lot of sad-go-bad-lucky feelings come from too much negativity and feeling a lack of control. So a shift in focus helps here.
Stop watching the news.
Anytime I find myself slipping away from carefreeness, I realize the news is usually a common denominator. It’s have you believe the world is literally on fire and all hope is lost.
You must care and fight about everything, all the time.
I’m tired.
So I stopped watching it.
This can be hard to do — especially if your inner circle loves feasting on world affairs and political caviar.
But you know, the news always highlights the worst of the worst. We’re constantly misrepresenting humanity and life in general. I guess fear and survival sell better.
So I stopped watching. The truly major events will find their way to me.
I’m much happier without a constant stream of nightly negativity in my life.
3. Do More of What You Love
You now have one job: to do more of the things that make you feel most alive. This is your destiny, after all.
The more you lean into the things that you’re naturally good at or drawn to, the closer you get to living with purpose and authenticity.
This naturally segues to living a more happy-go-lucky life.
When you only make time for other people’s values and goals, you end up ignoring your own callings — your hear. It’s hard to stay positive, happy or fulfilled in this context.
So what drives you? What makes your heart pump and your energy pop?
Define your dream life — then start living it. It really is that simple. Start with 10 minutes a day. And make it a habit.
Explore more:
➤ Do More of What Makes You Happy
4. Laugh
Laughter is food for the happy-go-lucky spirit.
So watch more funny movies or get lost down some rabbit holes of standup clips on YouTube. Jest with friends – or alone by yourself.
Whatever you need to do, just add some more humor into your daily life.
Because it works like a charm.
No joke.
5. Start Observing More
You are not your thoughts, your body or your emotions. You are simply the awareness of the awareness of them.
I know, deep — but stay with me.
If I were truly my emotions, thoughts or feelings, then I too would disappear after any one of them left. But I do not disappear. I remain.
This perspective (of observing, not embodying) separates you from things like stress, conflict and sadness. You’ve fully mastered this art of observing when you can recognize a negative emotion and not judge it or try to stop it. Instead, you can can sit back and just observe it, understand it — see it and feel it.
So I like to study negative states as if I were a researcher — an observer. I say something like, “ah hah, it appears my body and my mind are stressed again; but I am not”.
I suppose my consciousness sits above it all (whatever consciousness is).
So relax, and observe.
6. Look / Live Inward
Finding inner calmness can’t be reached by living externally. Because external stuff is ephemeral and creates a separation dogma (i.e., the belief that you need to close some gap to be happy).
Separation bolsters anxiety and doubt — definitely not the goal here.
Calmness is a key characteristic of the happy-go-lucky personality. And I find more tranquility by living inward.
So here are some ways I practice:
Avoid external approval
Practice regular self reflection
Shine a light on limiting beliefs or thought patterns
Practice and sharpen intuition
Do more expressive things (like art and music, for me)
Reach a state of creative flow more often and more consistently
7. Stop Outsourcing Your Happiness
We have a tendency to outsource our happiness — to an idea, a person, a result, a metric…a whole society.
So take back control and realize that all you need (all you will ever need) is within.
Just as the wave forgets that it is also the ocean.
This is truly punk — happiness anarchy. Don’t fall for the marketers or the people persuading you that some thing external to you will bring you sustainable joy. Most things are diminishing returns.
This is not to say that things aren’t nice. But they’re best when you don’t need them, they’re just bonuses to be appreciated.
This is the basis of life autonomy. The more autonomy I achieve (in every major aspect of life — but not all at once), the happier I am.
So don’t delay your happiness by waiting for permission.
8. Reframe Problems
Most problems have more than one solution.
We tend to place so much attention on what went wrong or problems at hand. But what if you started noticing more of what went right and the true benefits of struggle?
Every problem is an opportunity to grow. A piece of wisdom waiting to be unwrapped.
A shift in focus is needed.
Turn your negatives into positives. Focus on the solutions and next steps rather the problem being some final destination. And appreciate the problems for what they really are (tests for advancing to the next level).
This is what happy-go-lucky means.
While everyone else is so concerned with how things are going wrong, you can offer objectivity and problem solving.
Good stuff.
9. Build Something
“Nobody is more anxious than the ambitious person who creates nothing.”
You, as a human, are creative. And creativity sparks joy and is a source of pride and fulfillment.
Being able to step back and say “Look at this, I built this.” is an amazing feeling (especially if you’re ambitious).
The moments I feel happiest are when I’m building something — creative projects. And then sharing them to help others in some way. This is the foundation of modern creatorship.
So build something — have a project. For example:
Create Art
Make Music
Build a brand
Get into woodworking
Create a digital tool or software
10. Make Your Own Money
If you hate your job and want to make your money, you can. If you love your job and have no interest in this, then skip to the next tip.
You have social media and a phone. The only thing standing in your way is clarity, commitment and self-belief. I know this because I was there.
Start where you are and slowly chip away. Don’t try to make 10K in your first three months online. Just try to make your $100. Learn your market, define your audience, share your perspectives and life experiences.
Learn an in-demand skill. Learn about branding, marketing and human psychology.
Taking back control of how you make money (and how much you make) is pure confidence and a source of pride — of happiness.
Don’t let anyone ever tell you that it’s not possible. It takes work, but it’s a hell of ride that makes me freaking stoked everyday (even on the sh*t days).
11. Stack Your Cards
Let’s say you’re implementing all of the tips above and you’re absolutely crushing.
Nice.
But your environment – the places, people and things in your life – are constantly in direct opposition to your happy-go-lucky goals.
Well, it’s going to be hard to maintain things (unless you’re a zen master).
So let’s stack the cards in your favor. Here’s how I stack my deck:
My inner circle
The people in my life
My outer circle
The content I consume
My environment
The places I spend most of my time
Even changing just one of the three areas above to a more happy-go-lucky status will have a big impact.
So take a look at your cards, and choose a few that you can stack differently.
Want More? Nice. Here’s More.
