It is crucial to be able to be happy for other people. Sharing in other people’s joy helps you live a more fulfilling life. When positive things happen for people around you, you can either allow yourself to be overcome with jealousy, which will cause you to be miserable. Or, you can learn to share their happiness.
So, if you find yourself struggling when your friends and family share the great news with you, you might need to practice some techniques for being happy for others.
Reasons You Should Be Happy for Others
There are many reasons you should be happy for other people, but it is not all about them. When you can put your feelings aside and make it about the other person, you benefit, too. You come across as a genuine person, and people will want to be around you.
You Want Others to Be Happy for You
When you have big news, you will want people to be happy for you. Things happen for everyone at different times. It might seem like everyone around you is having experiences you desire in your life, and you are in a perpetual state of waiting. However, when the time comes for you, you do not want others to mistreat you.
So, when someone shares something positive with you about their life, treat them the way you would want them to treat you if it were you sharing the news with them. Everyone wants to be able to share the important events in their life with the people they care about the most.
When you share with other people, it makes the experience more special. Plus, they are likely sharing with you because they care about you and your opinion.
Jealousy Hurts You More
When you are jealous of other people, it reflects on you. They are joyful at the moment, and while it might hurt them that you are unable to share in their happiness, being jealous will impact you more than it bothers them.
Many people watch every one of their friends get married before they meet the love of their life. If those people mistreat their friends when it is their time to get married, no one will want to be there for them on their special day.
By mistreating others, you might also miss out on opportunities to find happiness in your own life. Perhaps you will meet someone special during your friend’s wedding, but anyone worth being with won’t want to be with you if you are miserable.
A great example is when Kanye West was unhappy when Taylor Swift won the Video Music Award she won for Best Music Video by a Female Artist in 2009. West believed Beyonce should have won the award instead and he voiced that to Swift on TV and in front of a large crowd of people.
His actions resulted in significant backlash from his peers and the public. It was not his finest hour, and people still remember his actions today. People sympathized with Swift, whether they thought she should have won or not.
Your Relationships Suffer if You Are Not Happy for Others
Jealousy is an emotion that is never appealing. No one wants to be around a negative person. Your friends will move on with their lives regardless of the way you feel about them, but if you are not supportive, chances are, they will move on without you.
You do not want to lose a friend because you are unhappy when something positive happens in their life. Even if you do not show your friend that you are unhappy about things going right for them, they will sense it. So, the best thing to do is to learn how to be genuinely happy for other people.
You Will Not Attract Positive Situations to Your Own Life
You attract what you put out. So, if you want positive things to happen in your life, you should be joyful when good things are happening for other people. Being genuine is one of the best ways to build positive relationships and attract good things to yourself.
No Matter What You Say, People Know When You Are Not Happy for Them
If you have ever shared something important to you with someone jealous, you probably knew exactly how they felt without them saying anything to you about it. Your actions speak louder than your words. So, being genuinely happy about the things other people have is essential.
When It Might Be Difficult to Be Happy for Others
Anytime someone is the center of attention, you might feel a bit envious, and that is normal. When we see other people doing well, it makes us assess our own lives. Times, when people find it difficult to be happy for others, include:
- When someone falls in love
- A friend buys their dream home
- You see someone wearing beautiful clothes or jewelry
- Someone is getting married
- A friend has a baby
- Your ex moves on
- A co-worker gets a promotion
Things That Might Make It Difficult to Be Happy for Others
It is normal to see things other people have and want to enjoy those things yourself. It is even okay to feel a bit jealous at times. However, mentally healthy people can acknowledge the way they feel and still be happy for the other person.
If you are not able to do that, there might be something going on with you that is preventing you from having those feelings for others. It often means that you are miserable. You might even be suffering from depression.
There are some things you can do to make it easier to be happy for anyone. When you are happy yourself, jealousy is the last emotion you feel when other people share things with you. Even if you do not have everything, you want in life at the moment being in a good place within yourself helps you to realize you will get there one day.
Ways to Be Happy for Anyone
If you want to work on being happy for others. There are some things you can do that are easy. It might take some time to develop this trait in yourself. However, with some dedication, you will notice it is easier to share in the joy other people are experiencing instead of feeling negative emotions when people around you are in a good place.
Tell Other People You Are Happy for Them
It is essential not to be fake. However, telling people you are happy for them is an excellent way to foster those feelings. Just make sure you come across as genuine no matter what you say. Also, remember that if you do not have something kind to say, you should keep your feelings and comments to yourself rather than sharing them.
Say You Are Happy for Other People to Yourself
A great way to start sharing in other people’s success is to say you are happy for others to yourself. Say you see someone driving a car you like, and you feel a bit jealous about it. Instead say something to yourself like, “I like that car, and I would like to have one like that one day, I am happy for them. It must be incredible to own that.”
You can do this anytime you want something someone else has. Try it every time you feel unhappy for others. It is the perfect way to retrain your brain and to start thinking positive thoughts.
Try Being More Grateful
When you are grateful for what you have, it is easier to be happy in general. If it is difficult for you to think of things you are thankful for, start writing down little things. It is also a good idea to think of all of the reasons you are grateful for others.
When you think about how other people enrich your life, you will want them to be happy too. Many people do not realize how much people in their life do for them. So, when you practice gratitude, it helps to open your eyes and to replace negative emotions with positivity.
Focus on Others
When someone is successful or happy, that does not take away from what is going on in your life. So, put yourself aside and take time to celebrate them. It does not make your life less meaningful or mean that you cannot have what you want.
Focusing on them instead of thinking about what you are lacking is a great way to have a positive attitude about the situation. It is also important in relationships to be able to make other people the center of attention sometimes.
When someone is talking to you about something that they feel good about, do not change the subject. People feel upset when they are sharing parts of their life with you, and you change the focus to yourself.
Focus on Ways to Make Yourself Happy
Focusing on making yourself happy is one of the best ways to be happy for other people. If you are content with your own life, you can celebrate for other people without thinking about the things you are lacking.
When it is difficult to be happy for others, think about something you can do to make yourself feel better. If you need to, do something for yourself. Or, think back on all of the positive things you have in your life.
Make a Plan to Achieve Your Goals
Working towards your goals is the perfect way to feel good about where you are in life. Think of all the things you want in life and make a plan to attain those things. Creating a dream board is a great way to visualize your goals.
Be Clear On What You Want in Life
A lot of people are jealous over things they do not even want. When you know what you want out of life, you can realize that a lot of things other people have are not things you want. You might find that being happy for others is easier when you see that you do not even desire what they have.
For example, if your friend gets a new car, you might be jealous that you are still driving your older model vehicle. However, they might be working extra shifts to pay their car payment, and they might not be able to enjoy other things you like to do because it is not in their budget.
Realizing that other things matter more in your life will help you see that you do not want to have the extra responsibility they have. You can then be happy about where you are in life and where they are.
Remember Your Time Will Come
If someone else reaches a goal that you are working toward, it is an excellent reminder that it is possible. So, you can use other people’s lives to motivate yourself to achieve your dreams.
Everyone is at a different pace in life. Just because one person seems to have everything they want at a young age does not mean that is the way things will always be for you or them.
Remember that Things are Often Not What They Seem
People often share their successes and their good times, but they are less likely to tell people about the struggles in their lives. So, what you see is not always the full picture. You never know what they had to go through to get where they are. You also do not know what they will go through in the future.
Many people see a person with beautiful things, and they think the person does not deserve what they have. They wonder what the person did to get them or believe they must be “lucky.”
There are indeed some people who just seem to have everything, but everyone has complicated things to deal with in life. A rich person might be rich in material possessions but lack a relationship with their parents.
Take Opportunities to Be Happy for Others While You Can
Life is uncertain; you never know what will happen in the future. You might hear about a friend of yours going on a vacation you dream of with someone they love only to learn that they do not make it back.
Imagine how much worse you would feel if that happened if you were jealous of them. No one is guaranteed tomorrow. You might not have long to be happy with your friends. So, take every opportunity to appreciate them and their ability to enjoy life.
Acknowledge How You Feel
It is okay to have desires and to feel whatever feelings you have. However, it is not okay to act on them. If you feel jealous, acknowledge that. Then, reflect on why you think that way. When you dig deeper, you will often find that the way you feel might be because you are unhappy with your life.
You can use your feelings to grow as a person. If you do not like something, change it. You can be happy in any situation if you work on yourself. Each experience you have is an opportunity to grow and become the person you want to be.
Ways to Be Happy for Your Ex
Being happy for an ex is one of the most challenging things to do, especially if you are not over the person, and they are moving on with their life. However, if you love your ex, you should want what is best for them. Even if things didn’t work out with the two of you, you should want them to be happy and live a fulfilling life.
Think About the Way You Feel About Them
If you love someone, you should want them to be happy no matter what that means for them. There are certain things that every person deserves to experience in life. For example, everyone that wants to get married and have children should be able to do that.
When things do not work out with someone you care about, you should still want them to be able to have those experiences. Maybe the two of you were not right for each other, but that does not mean your life or their life should end there.
People have to move on, and the best way to move on is to be happy for others. So many people do not want to get back together with their exes, but they are jealous when an ex finds love with someone else. That is just selfish.
There are not many people who can genuinely be happy for the love of their life when that person is with someone else. However, you do not want your ex to fall into a deep depression after the two of you break up.
Consider How You Would Feel if You Were Them
When things end on bad terms, it can be tough to move on. So, it is essential to know that moving on might have been extremely challenging for your former flame. Even if they seem to be happy in a new relationship, they might still miss you.
Imagine how you would feel if you worked hard to find love again, and they were unhappy for you. That would likely hurt. You do not want to make things more difficult for them. Just be glad that they are okay enough to give love another chance and do the same.
You Have No Way to Know the Future
You never know what the future holds. If you are still in love with someone and they move on, that does not mean that things will not change in the future. When you treat your ex well despite them being in a new relationship, they will remember that.
If you mistreat them, they will never want to be with you. Just because they are with someone else does not mean that you are any less of a person or that they do not still care about you. Being with someone else might make them realize how much they care about you.
When you are happy for them, that shows how deeply you care about them. Furthermore, it is hard not to respect and care about someone that shows you that they care about you no matter where you are in your life.
If you treat your ex well when they are with someone else, and things do not work out between them, you can bet you will be one of the first people they contact if things do not work out. Even if things do work out, they will never forget how you feel about them.
Be Thankful That You Were Able to Help Your Ex Become a Better Person
It is very hurtful when an ex mistreats you and seems to treat their new partner well. However, if this is the case, you can feel good about helping them become a better version of themself.
They might have been so upset about losing you that they resigned themself never to treat anyone else badly. If this is the case, you should pat yourself on the back and be happy that your ex is a better person because of the experience with you.
Think About the Reasons You Two Broke Up
Just because you and your ex did not get along does not mean that they are a terrible person. Many people are just better apart than together. That does not mean they should be alone for the rest of their life.
Remembering why you two are not together any more is an excellent way to feel better about them moving on. There is a good possibility you do not even want to be with them. If you were the reason you two did not work out, you should be happy that you did not damage them so severely they decided not to give anyone else a chance.
How to Be Happy for Your Co-Workers
Being happy for a coworker when they get a promotion is not always easy, especially if you feel you are better suited for the position. However, the way you handle that can either hurt you or help you.
If you act out or treat that person negatively, management will feel that they made the right decision putting someone else in the role. If you are professional about it and you work to develop yourself further, they will likely notice that too.
Evaluate Why the Other Person Received the Promotion
Often when you take a look at things from an outside perspective, you can see things more clearly. After considering the reasons your co-worker received the role you wanted, you will be able to decide to help you further your career. If the other person received the promotion because of politics, you might want to consider moving on to another company, but know you will need a reference when seeking a new job, so you are better off handling the situation professionally.
However, there is probably something your co-worker did that helped them. When you are happy for them, you can learn and grow. If a sense of entitlement overcomes you, you will not be open to learning from the situation.
Your Co-Worker Might Help You
If your co-worker receives a promotion and they receive the authority to mentor others, you can bet that they will show their appreciation to you if you treat them well. They will also remember if you were jealous of them, and they will likely make your work life miserable or, at the least uncomfortable.
Ways to Be Happy for People Who Treat You Badly
It is never easy to be happy for someone who mistreats you. However, it is possible. You do not have to lower yourself to another person’s level. Some people need to see that someone is capable of being happy for them despite the way they act to make a positive change.
Additionally, people will justify their actions if you treat them the same way. Taking the high road is the best way to handle a difficult person. They will not understand how you can be kind to them when they are incapable of doing the same for you.
Know You Hold the Power When You are Happy for Them
You take power away from a nasty person when you are happy with them, no matter how they treat you. A problematic person does not want you to be satisfied or treat them kindly. They would rather make you miserable, or they would not be ugly to you. You take the wind out of their sails when you diffuse the situation by showing them you are capable of treating them better.
Your happiness for them might make that person change for the better. Being genuine is the best way to create positive change in any relationship. Often people will try to bring you down to their level, but eventually, if you do not give in, they will stop their bad behavior.
Be an Example
Being an example of the way other people should treat you is always a good idea. That does not mean that you should allow other people to treat you badly. However, if you want people to be happy for you, no matter who they are, you should do the same for them.
Final Thoughts
With so many reasons to be happy for others, it is worth the effort. If you feel discouraged, know that it is reasonable to feel some jealousy. However, the more you work to overcome negative emotions, the more positive experiences will arise in your life. You will start to feel good when you celebrate your friends, family, exes, and co-workers, and you will realize being happy for others is just as beneficial to you as it is to them.