Happiness is a state we all want to achieve, but it often seems frustratingly elusive. By consistently practicing certain actions, we can increase our happiness. Here are 10 ways to find more happiness in your daily life.
- Take Time to Reflect at the Beginning and End of Each Day
Give yourself private time in the morning. Stretch, exercise, meditate, or simply enjoy a quiet cup of coffee before the hustle of your day begins. In the evening, reflect on your day’s achievements. We often feel as if we didn’t achieve all we wanted to do in our day, but after mentally replaying the day’s events, we find we have actually accomplished quite a bit
- Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle
Establish a daily routine. Get plenty of sleep and wake up at the same time every morning. Eat a well balanced diet and exercise daily to release endorphins that will improve your mood.
- Meditate
Meditating (even as little as 10 minutes a day) can lead to physical changes in the brain related to managing stress and regulating mood. Bring the joy and peace you feel during meditation into your daily life by relaxing, practicing deep breathing, and releasing tension throughout the day.
- Appreciate the Small Things Â
Simple pleasures can bring great joy. Take a moment to be thankful for silly jokes, the warm sun on your face, eating your favorite treat, or relaxing with friends and family.
- Practice Gratitude
Focus on gratitude and appreciation. The more grateful you are about what you have, the happier you’ll be. Keep track of your thoughts with a daily or weekly gratitude diary or write letters of appreciation.
- Surround Yourself with Positive People
Be with others who make you smile. Surround yourself with positive energy and people. Nurture the positive relationships you have and seek out relationships that uplift you.
- Let Go of the Past
We’ve all made mistakes and bad decisions, but our pasts do not define us. How we choose to deal with the negative things in our lives is what makes us who we are. Don’t replay negative events. Take the lessons from those bad decisions and begin your new future.
- Be Generous
Simple acts of generosity, without expecting anything in return can bring happiness to you as well as the recipient. Let someone go in front of you at the store or take time to help a friend in need.
- Collect Affirmations and Inspirational Quotes
Keep affirmations and inspirational quotes on hand to remind you of specific happiness goals or to help keep you focused during a tough day. Jot these quotes in a journal, save them in an app, or add them to a physical or online vision board.
- Begin with Small Steps
Ask yourself what makes you happy and find ways to do more of those things. Start with the little things you know you can do each day and steadily increase to find more happiness every day.
Finding happiness is not always simple. If you or a loved one is struggling with finding happiness, we are here to help. Please give us a call today at Georgia Psychiatric Consultants.