The search for happiness is not a new one. When you end the day wishing you could just feel happier, you’re not alone. It’s easy to think that you’ll be happy once you reach a certain milestone.
Maybe it’s when your retirement is fully funded, you graduate college, or get married- or perhaps you think when your kids are finally potty trained, you’ll feel it. Happiness. Unfortunately, once your last child is potty trained, the happiness train doesn’t just pull in. Then you pick another day. Another time when you’ll be happy.
Thankfully you don’t have to wait until that elusive day to feel happier. You can start today by building habits into your daily routine that can help you feel happy, no matter your life circumstances.
Here’s a look at some daily, monthly, and yearly habits to help kickstart your quest. Just remember that everyone’s version of happiness is a little different, and so is their path to achieving it.
If some of these habits create added stress or just don’t fit your lifestyle, ditch them. With a little time and practice, you’ll figure out what does and doesn’t work for you.
Daily Habits
1. Smile
You tend to smile when you’re happy. But it’s a two-way street. We smile because we’re happy, and smiling causes the brain to release dopamine, which makes us happier.
2. Exercise
Exercise isn’t just for your body. Regular exercise can help to reduce stress, feelings of anxiety, and symptoms of depression while boosting self-esteem and happiness.
3. Get plenty of sleep
No matter how much modern society steers us toward less sleep, we know that adequate sleep is vital to good health, brain function, and emotional well-being.
4. Eat with mood in mind
You already know that food choices have an impact on your overall physical health. But some foods can also affect your state of mind.
5. Be grateful
Simply being grateful can give your mood a big boost, among other benefits. For example, a recent two-part study found that practicing gratitude can have a significant impact on feelings of hope and happiness.
6. Give a compliment
Research shows that performing acts of kindness can help you feel more satisfied. Giving a sincere compliment is a quick, easy way to brighten someone’s day while giving your own happiness a boost.
7. Breathe deeply
According to Harvard Health, deep breathing exercises can help reduce stress.
8. Acknowledge the unhappy moments
Acknowledge the feeling of unhappiness, letting yourself experience it for a moment. Then, shift your focus toward what made you feel this way and what it might take to recover.
9. Keep a journal
A journal is a good way to organize your thoughts, analyse your feelings, and make plans. And you don’t have to be a literary genius or write volumes to benefit.
It can be as simple as jotting down a few thoughts before you go to bed. If putting certain things in writing makes you nervous, you can always shred it when you’ve finished. It’s the process that counts.
10. Face stress head-on
Instead of letting yourself get overwhelmed, try to tackle the stressor head-on. This might mean initiating an uncomfortable conversation or putting in some extra work, but the sooner you tackle it, the sooner the pit in your stomach will start to shrink.
Weekly Habits
11. Declutter
Decluttering sounds like a big project but setting aside just 20 minutes a week can have a big impact.
12. See friends
Humans are social beings and having close friends can make us happier.
13. Plan your week
Feel like you’re flailing about? Try sitting down at the end of every week and making a basic list for the following week. Even if you don’t stick to the plan, blocking out time where you can do laundry, go grocery shopping, or tackle projects at work can help to quiet your mind.
14. Ditch your phone
If you haven’t unplugged in a while, you might be surprised at the difference it makes. Let your mind wander free for a change. Read. Meditate. Take a walk and pay attention to your surroundings. Be sociable. Or be alone. Just be.
15. Get into nature
Spending 30 minutes or more a week in green spaces can help lower blood pressure and depression, according to a 2016 study.
16. Explore meditation
Meditation doesn’t have to be complicated. It can be as simple as sitting quietly with your own thoughts for 5 minutes. Even the deep breathing exercises mentioned earlier can serve as a form of meditation.
17. Consider therapy
If you feel like you’re hitting a brick wall, consider speaking with a therapist on a weekly basis. You don’t need to have a diagnosed mental health condition or overwhelming crisis to seek therapy.
Therapists are trained to help people improve coping skills. Plus, there’s no obligation to continue once you start.
18. Find a self-care ritual
Maybe it’s unwinding your workweek with a long, hot bath. Or adopting a skin care routine that makes you feel indulgent. Or simply setting aside a night to put on your softest jammies and watch a movie from start to finish.
Monthly Habits
19. Give back
If you find that giving daily compliments provides a needed boost to your mood, considering making a monthly routine of giving back on a larger scale.
20. Take yourself out
Go to your favourite restaurant, take in a movie, or go on that trip you’ve always dreamed of.
21. Create a thought list
Take control of your thoughts during these brief windows of time. At the start of each month, make a short list of happy memories or things you’re looking forward to on a small piece of paper or on your phone.
Yearly Habits
22. Take time to reflect
The start of a new year is a good time to stop and take inventory of your life. Set aside some time to catch up with yourself the way you would with an old friend. But try to avoid the pitfall of judging yourself too harshly for your answers. You’ve made it to another year, and that’s plenty.
If you find that your mood hasn’t improved much over the last year, consider making an appointment with your doctor or talking to a therapist. You might be dealing with depression or even an underlying physical condition that’s impacting your mood.
23. Re-evaluate your goals
People change, so think about where you’re heading and consider if that’s still where you want to go. There’s no shame in changing your game. Let go of any goals that no longer serve you, even if they sound nice on paper. 24. Take care of your body
As you build habits to improve your happiness, make sure to follow up with routine appointments to take care your body:
See your primary care physician for an annual physical
Take care of any chronic health conditions and see specialists as recommended
See your dentist for an oral exam and follow up as recommended
Get your vision checked
25. Let go of grudges This is often easier said than done. But you don’t have to do it for the other person.
Sometimes, offering forgiveness or dropping a grudge is more about self-care than compassion for others.
Take stock of your relationships with others. Are you harbouring any resentment or ill will toward someone? If so, consider reaching out to them to bury the hatchet. This doesn’t have to be a reconciliation. You may just need to end the relationship and move on.
If reaching out isn’t an option, try getting your feelings out in a letter. You don’t even have to send it to them. Just getting your feelings out of your mind and into the world can be freeing.
Sources:
Comments