Of course, pretending to be happy does not count as happiness; it does not provide all of the positive benefits that genuine happiness does. But when you put on a smile, there is something pretty amazing at work: facial expressions can actually make us feel.

Here are few signs that you are faking happiness

• You try very hard to show others how great your life is. Constantly bragging on social media, boasting about your achievements actually shows deep insecurities and sadness.
• You’ve lived your life just to please others. When you pursue a career, degree or other important life choice just to fulfil what other people expect you to do, you often find that you life had been wasted.
• You rarely open up about your sadness. When you adopt happiness and success as an identity, you feel pressured to keep it up which is why you rarely talk about your true feelings with others.
• You have giant mood swings. Genuine happiness does not mean that you are happy 100% of the time, which is impossible. But if you swing form boss to despair and misery, it’s a sign that you aren’t truly happy yet.
• You have no idea who you really are. Everyone acts a little differently in different situations, but if you’re a completely different person say, at work and at home, it indicates that you have yet to find a constant self-image.
• You’re tired all the time. Chronic fatigue means that despite being happy on the surface, you are either overworked, don’t enjoy what you do or are living a facade 24/7. It could also indicate depression or anxiety.
• You’re isolated from others. There is a difference between being alone and loneliness. Many people can be happy alone, but if you’re lonely despite having a “perfect” life, then it shows you lack crucial social connections.
• Your happiness is propped up by self-destructive behaviours. Short term pleasures like gambling and alcohol or other forms of drug abuse can make you feel good in the moment but usually bring long term pain.
• You feel chained to the life you have built. Many times we pursue new life paths, only to discover that we are as chained to it as we were in our old life. Instead, true happiness lies in creating new systems that give us the joy and ease that we didn’t have before.

Are you faking happiness?