Today marks International Day of Happiness, a global celebration when thousands of people around the world take action in their own lives and the lives of others to spread happiness. What an amazing celebration!

If you follow my blog, you know that I have a little obsession with happiness, and that I like to try out different tips and tricks to boost my happiness, whether it is getting outdoors, exercising, or even cleaning up clutter around the house. I love sharing these tips on my blog and hope that I inspire others to live a happier, healthier lifestyle, too! When I found out about International Day of Happiness, I was super excited!

I have been spending International Day of Happiness drinking mugs of tea while burrowing my nose in bridal books. Yes—wedding planning! Today has been chock-full of list making, budgeting, some small yet exciting purchasing, and of course, perusing Pinterest. What can be more of a happiness boost than planning a wedding?

When it comes to happiness, I do small rituals every day to help make sure that I go to bed with a smile on my face, no matter what trials and obstacles I may face during the day. One ritual is to write in my gratitude journal, where I reflect on things that bring me gratitude. Even if it is one sentence or a couple of bullet points, I find that I am able to find perspective and focus on the positives rather than the negatives. Studies find that being grateful produces positive emotions and fine-tune the ability to relish good experiences, and keeping a journal can help cultivate gratitude and boost your happiness.

Another ritual I follow each night is to read a page out of “Be Happy: 170 Ways to Transform your Day” by Patrick Lindsay. The volume is filled with happiness-boosting blurbs and advice about ways to be happy. Each page has a blurb and is followed by a famous quote. This book is superb. When I am at my lowest, I pull out this book and always find that I am happier and inspired to create change!

I wanted to take a moment out of my day to share one of my favorite excerpts with you —one that I read quite often to remind myself to follow one of my personal commandments: “Trust the process.”

Here is the passage:

Everyone has a different journey, and everyone has a different path to follow. Everyone has different goals, ambitions, and talents. It’s not fair to compare yourself to others or try to put a time stamp on your life. Enjoy the ride; take advantage of every opportunity that comes your way. The journey matters more than the destination —right? Learn from it. Grow from it.

Happy International Happiness Day! How are you celebrating?