If You Can't Answer 'Yes' To These 10 Questions, You're Not Truly Happy

Let’s start by acknowledging life has its ups and downs. Things aren’t always consistent.

Some people move and some stay, some people get promotions while others get fired, some people get together (or perhaps they break up) and opportunities come and pass us by just as quick.

But this doesn’t mean you can’t take where you are in your present situation and find the good within it.

Sometimes, we just need a little motivation to make the changes necessary for us to be happy.

We all want contentment, so here are 10 questions you need to ask yourself to know if you’re truly happy with the position you're in in life:

1. Do you often find yourself wanting more?

To be truly content with your life at any stage, you must learn to work for higher goals, while still accepting what you currently have.

Welcome more, but don’t covet it.

2. Are you a perfectionist?

Although striving for the best is good motivation, setting a bar for perfection will set you up for failure.

This will inevitably leave you unhappy with your current situation.

3. Did you work your hardest to get to the point at which you're at right now?

A trick to being happy is being able to look back and realize that everything in front of you is a result of the hard work you did.

If this isn’t the case, it’s never too late.

Work hard today, and you’ll reap the benefits tomorrow (even if those benefits are just coming home to a clean house).

4. Do you have an end goal, and are you actively on the right path to achieve it?

Having a goal and desiring more are two different concepts.

If you’re actively on the path to achieving a goal, you’ll feel much more satisfied with every advancement you achieve.

Therefore, you'll be happy with every little difference, no matter how small it is.

5. Do you give yourself just as much time to relax as you do to work?

Stressing yourself out with work is a good way to spiral into dissatisfaction.

Remember to take time every day to unwind and reflect, and do something good for yourself.

6. If you were to meet yourself as someone else, would you be friends with you?

It’s hard to see yourself in someone else’s eyes, but take a step back.

Are you selfish? Are you a good friend? Would you trust yourself with secrets, and would you always stay reliable?

Reassurance (or simply adjusting to make yourself someone you’d associate with) are great ways to be happy with your current situation.

7. Can you accept that not everything is static, and can you welcome change?

Some people are unhappy because they’re too comfortable. But change is inevitable.

Although change can often be small, you need to be able to accept everything life throws at you.

8. Do you ever sit back and praise yourself for your accomplishments?

How can you be happy with how far you’ve come if you never acknowledge the good you’ve done?

Don’t wait for someone else to reward you. Reward yourself from time to time.

9. Do you laugh more than you cry?

This may sound obvious, but sometimes, we don’t even realize we’re overcome with negative emotion until there’s a profound absence of it.

Remember to allow more things in your life that will make you laugh or smile to override the few things that are bound to make you cry.

10. If your life were to remain the way it is right now, forever, would you be able to stand it?

Things will change. But this is the ultimate test to see if you’re content with your current situation.

This is the product of all the previous questions.

If you answer "yes" to this, you’re ready for anything life throws your way.

If you answer "no," it’s time to make some changes in your life that will help you grow as a person and allow yourself the opportunity to be comfortable with your place in the world.

Happiness is something we have to learn to welcome into our lives. We can’t just expect it.

That’s the problem we often face. We expect happiness to come without any effort.

Life is about perspective.

All of these questions can have positive answers regardless of your current situation, as long as you have the proper perspective and outlook on life.

Sometimes, all we need is a little attitude adjustment. I know I do.

Choose to be happy, my friends.

This article was originally published on Unwritten by Victoria Giansante.