4 keys to finding happiness in your home

Da Paolo Tessione - February 18, 2020

Check with these tips to find joy wherever you hang your hat.

Relax at home
“Being happy at home is the end result of all ambitions,” said 18th-century English poet Samuel Johnson. To me, this means that whatever we do, whether at work, in friendships or in the community, is ultimately an investment in the essential and fundamental happiness that comes when we feel comfortable and content at home.

Happiness at home means something different for each of us. But there are four important things that are always useful for checking if you are doing everything you can to open the door to a happy home.

1) Gratitude La
gratitude is a healthy habit and can take many forms at home. You can be grateful for the simple comfort of having a home to return to every day, the pleasure you get in the morning sun through a particular window, or your neighbor's skill in the garden. Whether young or old, noticing the things to be thankful for will guide you to happiness at home.

2) Shared social values
Some people's idea of a perfect evening at home is a welcoming gathering of friends and family. Others are allergic to board games and small talk, craving peaceful solitude at home. Whether you are the only person living in your home or if you share your space, it is crucial for your happiness to be clear about what satisfies and soothes you and to listen to what others may want and need in a shared house.

3) Kindness and compassion
A happy home is an emotional as well as a physical sanctuary. Pay attention to how you talk to others and to yourself in your home to make sure your attention is on compassion, empathy and love. This is a skill worth cultivating, especially when you share your home with another person and don't always get along. As our friend Samuel Johnson also said, "Kindness is in our power, even when it's not."

4) Set priorities
No individual can keep everything at home all the time. There are bills to pay, chores to do, appliances to maintain - too much for a to-do list to ever be complete. You will maximize your happiness if you prioritize what is most important, like processing your bills and eliminating the "aromatic" junk, and let the rest go. If necessary, add a straightforward instruction to your to-do list to do something that makes you happy so you can be sure you are doing the priority work of caring for yourself.