How to find happiness in a turbulent world

In a world marked by constant change, uncertainty, and unexpected—and unrelenting—challenges, the pursuit of happiness can feel elusive. Yet, finding joy and contentment isn’t about escaping turbulence; it’s about learning to navigate it with resilience, perspective, and an open heart. Or, as my friend likes to ironically remind me every time I bemoan my latest grievances, “Life isn't about waiting for the storm to pass...It's about learning to dance in the rain.” It’s easy to mock the hackneyed saying; it’s akin to “Live, Laugh, Love” in its prevalence, appearing on everything from oversized coffee mugs to questionably decorated wall hangings and scatter cushions, but the sentiment is…kinda true. What else can you do when faced with mounting violence against women and girls, regressive reproduction rights, and a cost of living crisis but push forward in search of a brighter and more equitable future?

Of course, being happy—or even the slightly less elusive ‘content’—isn’t always easy, no matter how much we want it to be.

Religious leaders and philosophers have mulled over how to be happy for hundreds of years in the quest to find peace. Plato thought it boiled down to a life committed to knowledge and virtue, while Aristotle reckoned happiness meant living each day with courage, generosity, justice, and friendship. On days when happiness is within my grasp, it might look as simple as a coffee at my favourite cafe before work. On other days achieving something that vaguely resembles balance painfully evades me.

Wiser people than me say true happiness often comes not from our circumstances but from how we respond to them. By cultivating a mindset rooted in gratitude, self-compassion, and flexibility, we can create a sense of peace within ourselves—even when the world around us feels unstable and unpredictable.

While there’s no secret formula or algorithm (sorry) for how to be happy and create a life sprinkled with joy, sometimes, looking at how others find theirs can be inspiring. Take SunLife's Life Well Spent report, which surveyed 2000 over 50's and found that the happiest people spent time holidaying, in the garden, and in the great outdoors.

Below, we spoke to 17 different life coaches, psychologists, and editors to hear how they find happiness every day, in the hope that it'll inspire a smile the next time you're feeling down, or at least give you the tools to move through life with a little more grace—for yourself, others, and the world around us. Whether through mindfulness, nurturing relationships, or setting small, meaningful goals, there are ways to anchor ourselves in what truly matters — read on to find out how.

How to be happy — 17 tips for finding happiness

Visualise your dream future

Lydia Kimmerling, life coach at The Happiness Explorer

I find happiness by... “Visualising my future. Never underestimate the power of visualisation. You don’t need to be able to create the perfect picture in your mind — it’s more about being clear on what you want and then feeling the feeling before you get there. Give yourself permission to dream big but remember it’s not actually about this vision becoming a reality, it’s all about how this changes you in the present moment. You can only shape your future from the moment you are in and when you feel happier, you draw more of what you want in the future, into your present life right now.”

Ask yourself: “If I wasn’t worried about failing and I knew it would all work out, what change would I like to see in my life?”

Try this: Invite your friends around, gather lots of different magazines and start to cut out the images or words that inspire a good feeling for your future. Then, stick it all to a big piece of card and put it somewhere you can see it daily. Doing this uses creativity to shift you from a state of anxiety into excitement and helps you stay motivated to your vision because you can see it daily. Your vision board doesn’t have to just be things that you want. It’s more about feelings than things.

Find joy in the small things

Laura Greenwood, Accredited Psychotherapist and Maternal Mental Health Coach

I find happiness by... “I know it is cliché but happiness really is an inside job. So many of us look to external people, situations, and experiences, even to the achievement of goals or attainment of things to make us happy, thinking “I will be happy when…”. But once you get to these desired destinations, you may find that you feel good only a short period - then you're onto the next thing.

What you really want to be seeking is not happiness but joy, contentment, and a sense of peace — a sense of acceptance for who we are and what our life is in each given moment (yes, even the rubbish parts). Being able to see that they can all teach you something and support you to find who you truly are is key, as is building our resiliency to life’s inevitable challenges.”

Get moving

Dean Shaw Aroma Energy CEO and Founder

I find happiness by... “Going for walks, especially in the spring and summer. Not only does this make me happy, but it also sparks inspiration that I carry with me through my working life. I love visiting the gym and playing sports — I find exercise to be a great release and a good way to get into a clear headspace.”

Find balance

Lois Spencer-Tracey. Founder of Shebang Digital and Bunnipunch blogger.

I find happiness by... “For years, I thought my career was the secret to happiness, but now, I think it’s about balance and appreciating the simple things. Walking the dog, doing yoga, answering emails and then booking tickets for the theatre work for me. Mixing up my day is key for variety and to avoid any boredom spells, too. Balancing life and work and learning to like myself have also made me happier than I could have imagined.”

Work on your self-confidence

Lee Pycroft, psychotherapist at Goldster.

I find happiness by... “Much of my happiness comes from an emotional state I’ve learnt to cultivate over time which consists of happiness and self-confidence boosting skills, like managing stress and reframing negative thoughts. These help me maintain a feeling of contentment and satisfaction.

Self-confidence comes from a trust in my skills and abilities and an understanding that no matter what is happening, I will be ok and can surf any feelings of uncertainty. Happiness, for me, is resiliency — having the ability to bounce back while acknowledging difficult, strong emotions.

Being self-aware and observing your behaviours and emotional states is key. When I do this, I can identify what it is that might be ruining a happy moment and instead, move with the ebb and flow of feeling happy.”

Journaling

Christie Hitchens, Beauty PR professional.

I find happiness by... “Journaling is an amazing way for me to take some time for myself and bring a little bit of joy into my day. I recently discovered a book called My Five Year Story, where I write down one good thing that happened each day. It only takes a few minutes and I try to focus on the most positive thing that happened, even if it was just a small moment. It’s such a powerful reminder to be present and grateful, which is a truly wonderful feeling.”

Meditation

Kate Hollowood, Journalist and Editor.

I find happiness by...“I find that even just ten minutes a day of meditation makes a huge difference to my mood (I highly recommend Headspace as one of the best self care apps).

It helps me to appreciate the small joys in life — they’re easy to miss if you're not living in the present moment. It also helps me separate myself from difficult emotions, allowing me to be less reactive and more calm. Meditation can help you to let go of all that and stay in the present.”

Inspire others

Jennifer Mo, founder of Pura Collagen

I find happiness by... “Surrounding myself with people I want to inspire — it keeps me focused and reminds me that I’m doing it for them. My daughters Madison and Harper have grown up with a working Mum — I took a career break when they were very little and loved every second, but also knew when it was time to resume my career. I’ve always wanted them to see that if you try hard and have a dream and a vision, you can achieve whatever goals you set for yourself.”

Get creative

Jules Kay, Senior Library Assistant and blogger.

I find happiness by... “Getting creative with my makeup — it’s long been used by many marginalised communities to boost self-esteem.

I consider myself a creative and painting my face with new looks is definitely one way I express myself and boost happiness. Occasionally, I try something more out there, like a blue lip or red eyeliner. I like reminding myself that makeup doesn’t always have to look a certain way.”

Spend time with loved ones

Kath Temple, psychologist at digital healthy living platform Goldster

I find happiness by... “I love connecting with my family and friends, sharing time together, enriching each other’s lives, and laughing together — you know, the simple pleasures. The combination of meaningful relationships and meaningful work, is what brings me the greatest happiness.”

Go for a morning walk

Pauline Cox MSc, functional nutritionist, nutritional adviser at Wiley's Finest and author of Hungry Woman.

I find happiness by... “A morning walk, no matter the weather. When light enters your eyes first thing in the morning, it helps to stimulate serotonin. Serotonin is a key neurotransmitter that arouses you from sleep and provides feelings of happiness and contentment ready for the day ahead. If going for a walk first thing in the morning is not possible, try and sit by a large window for breakfast or stand outside for five minutes in the garden before going to work.”

Gardening

Ann Summerhayes, CEO of social enterprise Inside Job Productions

I find happiness by... “Gardening. I love gardening, watching things grow, being outside, using my body, and just seeing hard work quite literally grow into something spectacular.”

Cuddles

Adrian Bethune, primary school teacher putting wellbeing at the heart of schools with Teachappy.

I find happiness by... “Savouring time with my family while reminding myself that my time with them is limited and fleeting. What I mean by that is, I try and remind myself regularly that everyone’s time on this earth—including mine—will come to an end at some point. And none of us know when. So, we could get bogged down with things that don’t matter and we could stress about inconsequential things, or we could finally wake up and savour each precious moment we have with the people that really matter and who you'll really miss when they're no longer here.”

Say no more often

Raakhee Stratton, founder of Easy Peasy Greeny.

I find happiness by... “Saying no. Sometimes it can be hard to navigate requests from friends, family, and colleagues, but saying yes to everything can lead to anxiety and mental exhaustion. I don’t want to disappoint anyone or let them down, but advocating for myself and putting my own needs first is a priority. Saying no to the things I don't want to do makes me a much happier person.”

Need help learning to say no? Read our guide on how to say no.

Embrace change

Stacey Brass-Russell, life and business coach.

I find happiness by... “I believe the secret to true happiness is knowing when to call it quits on a career and follow a new dream. Change is never a sign of failure. Every time I pivoted, it was because my current experience wasn’t feeling good. A lot of people get to a place in their life where they are not happy but they are afraid to do anything about it, but I believe everyone has what they need inside themselves to fulfil their dreams.”

Find a role model

Katie Queue, life coach and motivational speaker.

I find happiness by... “Always having a role model. You want a few select individuals who represent the good parts of you, whether they are now or in the future. I look up to people who have kind hearts. Having these people in my mind allows me to stay focused.”

Running

Ally Head, Marie Claire UK Health and Sustainability Editor Ally Head.

I find happiness by... “Surprise, surprise — I find happiness by lacing up and heading out for a run, whether that's an easy 5km around my local park or a speedwork session on a treadmill. Running for me provides headspace, calm, and contentment, reminds me of who I am, and continues to remind me that I can do hard things.”