What are some ways to improve my happiness?
Well, whoever said ‘being happy is easy’ was a liar. Being happy is hard work. So how do you pick yourself up when life has you down? Here are few simple things to do each day to boost your inner spirit.
Keep a happiness journal
One of the first steps you should take towards a better life is to invest in a happiness journal. This is a small investment in terms of both time and money. But boy, does it have an impact on your life! The purpose of the journal is to keep a daily list of the things you feel thankful for each day. Keeping a visual list of your daily blessing is great positive reinforcement and a needed ego boost on bad days.
Connect with friends
As time goes on more and more friendships start to slip away. This by itself can cause sadness and a feeling of hopelessness at times. Fight this in a proactive way by arranging meetings with friends both old and new. The strengthened connections will improve your mental wellbeing and give you more people to discuss your struggles with.
Rebel against the societal diet
Each day a large portion of our time is spent ‘saving time’. However, the things we do to save time don’t always make sense. This is most apparent when it comes to our diet. Out of convenience we turn to a wide variety of chemical laden products that do more harm than good. Turn this modern diet on its head and let’s go back to our vegetarian roots. Cutting meat and processed snacks out of your diet will help give you more energy and motivation, and this will help improve your overall happiness. Remember, going natural is the key and these superfoods can help.
Get outside
The repressive nature of the corporate office can have a direct and disastrous impact on mood, say numerous researchers. Getting outside can help alleviate the unwanted stress and tension and improve your mood. So get out there and let your skin start soaking up vitamin D. Most people don’t get enough sunshine and even a few minutes spent outside each day can work wonders.
Develop your inner chi
If you find yourself unhappy or lacking energy, then meditation may be what you need. Balance is important for both your mind and inner-spirit. Not spending enough time balancing through meditation can have serious long-term consequences. If you don’t have time for meditation you should try this one simple tip; Wake up 15 minutes earlier than usual. Spend this part of your early morning in meditation. You should see immediate results in the day ahead! I have found this to be one of the most effective ways to improve my happiness.
Do what you love
This should be common sense but, with today’s busy world, may seem impossible. Devoting a section of your life to a passion or hobby can be one of the most rewarding feelings. If you like reading, join a book club. If you like hiking, join a hiking group on the weekends. Finding others who share your passion is key as they will give you much-needed encouragement and support.
Find the source of unhappiness
If you want to truly find happiness you need to eliminate the source of your problems. For example, if you struggle with money issues much of your unhappiness may come from that area. Setting a budget and cutting out unneccessary expenses will help you slowly take control of your financial situation. This will help you gain confidence and improve your life. In any situation unwanted triggers will continue to hold you back unless they are dealt with. Remember, only you have the power to make changes in your life.
[…] Once you have an idea of where you stand it would be a good idea to make a budget. Your budget should be reasonable but strict if you want to increase your savings. Working for a salary and saving money will probably never help you make a million dollars, but it will help you build the capital needed for future wealth-building investments. In addition, keeping a budget can actually have positive health benefits as well. […]