While some factors that affect happiness are out of our control, (yes, genetics does play a role as do current life circumstances), there are always actions we can take to amp up our good vibes. Consider trying a few of these — or all of them! — and you’re guaranteed to give your day a little boost.
1. Laugh Every Day
Do you spend time each day laughing? Do you purposefully find happy things to laugh about?
When you laugh, you release happy hormones called oxytocin and endorphins. These are hormones that uplift us as we share experiences with others. Even just making yourself smile will put you in a better place.
It is thought that the fact that laughter releases these hormones in order to promote social bonding, so try getting together with friends for a good dose of laughter, as well as increased social connection.
2. Foster Good Relationships With Family and Friends
Happy people don’t spend large amounts of time alone. By spending time with people you like and love, you forge supportive relationships that help people feel better during times of stress.
3. Get outside
Just a few minutes of fresh air can give you a fresh perspective. Happiness is maximized at 13.9°C In The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Achor recommends spending time in the fresh air to improve your happiness.
4. Give yourself a boost
Of healthy nutrients! We’re talking fruit, veggies, and protein. When your body feels good your brain will follow
5. Help someone
Feeling down? One of the quickest ways to pick yourself back up is to do something kind for someone else. Bonus feel-good points when it’s random and not expected of you. Help others – 100 hours a year is the magical number One of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice I found is that to make yourself feel happier, you should help others.
In fact, 100 hours per year (or two hours per week) is the optimal time we should dedicate to helping others in order to enrich our lives.
6. Exercise more – seven minutes might be enough
You might have seen some talk recently about the scientific seven-minute workout mentioned in The New York Times. So if you thought exercise was something you didn’t have time for, maybe you can fit it in after all. Exercise has such a profound effect on our happiness and well-being that it’s actually been proven to be an effective strategy for overcoming depression.
7. Sleep more – you’ll be less sensitive to negative emotions
We know that sleep helps our bodies to recover from the day and repair themselves and that it helps us focus and be more productive. It turns out, it’s also important for our happiness.
8. Plan a trip – but don’t take one
As opposed to actually taking a holiday, it seems that planning a vacation or just a break from work can improve our happiness. A study published in the journal, Applied Research in Quality of Life 19 showed that the highest spike in happiness came during the planning stage of a vacation as employees enjoyed the sense of anticipation.
9. Meditate – rewire your brain for happiness
Meditation is often touted as an important habit for improving focus, clarity, and attention span, as well as helping to keep you calm. It turns out it’s also useful for improving your happiness.
Also read: 10 Indoor Plants That Will Absorb All The Negative Energy And Supercharge Your Surrounding
10. Think positive
No matter how bad things may seem, be grateful. Warm water on a cold day? Amazing! Coldwater on a warm day? Incredible! You really are very lucky when you get right down to it.
Also read: What Are The Health Benefits Of Pumpkin Seeds
8 ways to be happy alone and feel less lonely
Before getting into the different ways to find happiness in being alone, it’s important to untangle these two concepts: being alone and being lonely. While there’s some overlap between them, they’re completely different concepts.
Maybe you’re a person who absolutely basks in solitude. You’re not antisocial, friendless, or loveless. You’re just quite content with alone time. In fact, you look forward to it. That’s simply being alone, not being lonely.
On the other hand, maybe you’re surrounded by family and friends but not really relating beyond a surface level, which has you feeling rather empty and disconnected. Or maybe being alone just leaves you sad and longing for company. That’s loneliness.
1.Figure Out What Makes You Truly Happy
To figure out what makes you happy, you need to take the time to do some serious self-reflection and get to know yourself.
Now, you’re probably thinking, “I do know myself. How can you not know yourself?” But since you’re reading this article looking for tips to be happy and live a full life, then chances are, you haven’t yet found what really makes you tick.
2. Give Yourself a Fresh Start
Yes, it is healthy to have a routine. But when looking back, if you can’t distinguish 2018 from 2012, you’ve taken the “routine” thing a bit too far. You have to keep yourself stimulated with things happening in your life and give yourself opportunities to grow and evolve.
It’s time to take an inventory of your bucket list and look more closely at new places you want to explore, skills you want to learn, and goals you want to ultimately reach in your life. Turn off your autopilot and get excited about the possibilities that are available to you.
3.Avoid comparing yourself to others
This is easier said than done, but try to avoid comparing your social life to anyone else’s. It’s not the number of friends you have or the frequency of your social outings that matters. It’s what works for you.
Remember, you really have no way of knowing if someone with a bunch of friends and a stuffed social calendar is actually happy.
4. pend time with nature
Yes, another cliche. But seriously, get outside. Lounge in the backyard, take a walk in the park, or hang out by the water. Absorb the sights, sounds, and smells of nature. Feel the breeze on your face.30 minutes or more a week spent in nature can improve symptoms of depression and lower blood pressure.
5. Develop a relationship with yourself
Being alone gives you the chance to nurture your relationship with yourself. However, it’s not always easy to do this.
“Alone time might be difficult for people for different reasons,” says Lyons. “Use the discomfort as an opportunity to learn about yourself. Reflect on what comes up for you when you are alone,” For example, you can do this by thinking or jo.
6. Exercise
Being active can go a long way towards happiness. “Partaking in a daily, mindful walk, or engaging in some form of physical activity could alleviate anxiety,” says Leela R. Magavi, MD, a psychiatrist and regional medical director at Community Psychiatry in Newport Beach, California.
In a large 2018 study, researchers found that people who worked out regularly experienced 43.2% fewer days of poor mental health in the previous month than those.
7.Take a break from social media
While social media may seem like a chance to connect with others, it can actually cause stronger feelings of loneliness.
A large 2019 study of students aged 18 to 30 years old found an association between social media use and a sense of isolation. For every 10% increase in negative experiences on social media, users reported a 13% average increase in feelings of isolation.
8. Meditate
Meditating not only improves mindfulness, but a 2010 review found the practice can increase the amount of gray matter in the brain. This part of the brain is responsible for perspective-taking and emotional regulation.
While the idea of meditating may sound intimidating, the actual practice is accessible to anyone. You can try meditating solo or with the help of apps or Youtube videos.
What is the happiest thing on earth?
1. They devote a great amount of time to their family and friends, nurturing and enjoying those relationships.
2. They are comfortable expressing gratitude for all they have.
3. They are often the first to offer to help hands to coworkers and passersby.
4. They practice optimism when imagining their futures.
5. They savor life’s pleasures and try to live in the present moment.
6. They make physical exercise a weekly and even daily habit.
7. They are deeply committed to lifelong goals and ambitions (e.g., fighting fraud, building cabinets, or teaching their children their deeply held values).
8. Last but not least, the happiest people do have their share of stresses, crises, and even tragedies. They may become just as distressed and emotional in such circumstances as you or I, but their secret weapon is the poise and strength they show in coping in the face of challenge.