All of us want to be happy. But is it really realistic to become happier? These five tips will teach you how to get out of life with more joy and satisfaction.
The keys to happiness
Do you have a mental list of things you think you need, like many people, in order to be genuinely happy? Our culture teaches us to seek many externalities: popularity, money, fame, strength, good looks, romantic love. But are they the keys to happiness, really?
The study says no, at least when it comes to happiness in the long term. A prestigious award, a major boost, an exciting new relationship, a fancy new car, losing weight, can make us feel amazing at first, but the excitement doesn't last long. Human beings adapt easily to new environments, a quality that has enabled us to survive and prosper. But it also means that the good things that make us happy initially will soon become our new standard and we will return to our old baseline of happiness.
1. To be more optimistic, train your brain
Our brains are wired to identify things that are wrong and remember them. It's a mechanism of survival that helped keep our cave-dwelling ancestors secure in a world where many physical threats were present. But this biological predisposition to concentrate on the negative is leading to tension and unhappiness in today's comparatively healthy world.
Although our personality can not be modified, we can train our brains to be more optimistic. No matter what is going on, this doesn't mean putting on a smiley face and whistling a happy melody. And when they're not, you don't have to deny reality or pretend that things are wonderful. But just as focusing on bad stuff fuels unhappiness (and plays a major role in depression and anxiety), it is a strong booster of happiness to choose to note, enjoy and expect goodness.
Express gratitude
It can make a big difference in your overall happiness to teach yourself to become more grateful. The study shows that gratitude allows you to experience more positive feelings, minimize stress, feel better about yourself, boost relationships, and improve the immune system. A recent study found that appreciation also makes you smarter about how you spend your cash.
To raise and develop an attitude of appreciation, there are a variety of simple exercises that you can practice.
Give sincere thanks to others. Be quick to verbalize your gratitude and appreciation when someone goes above and beyond or does anything to make your day easier. Not only will it make the individual feel good, it will also give you a boost to happiness. Seeing how showing appreciation makes a positive difference in someone else's day is an immediate gratification. It makes you know we're all related and that it matters what you do.
Keep a gratitude journal. It might sound cheesy, but it really does work to write down the positive stuff that happened to you during the day. Research demonstrates that it is an effective technique to keep a gratitude journal that automatically helps you feel happier, more linked with others, and truly appreciative.
Count your blessings. Make it a routine to concentrate on the things you have to be grateful for on a regular basis. In your life, both now and in the past, bring to mind all the good people, memories, and stuff. From the people who love you, to the roof over your head and the food on your table, reflect on the blessings, both big and small. You'll soon see that this is a fairly long list.
Write a letter of gratitude. Think of someone who has done something that has changed your life for the better and you have never thanked them properly. Write a thoughtful letter of thanks expressing what the entity has done, how you have been influenced by it, and what it still means to you. Deliver the letter then. For the most drastic rise in happiness, positive psychology expert Martin Seligman suggests reading the letter in person.
Find the positive in a negative event from your past. We may learn positive lessons from even the most difficult situations. With an eye on what you have gained or how you have become smarter, wiser, or more caring, re-evaluate a negative incident from your history. You would be happier and more grateful when you can find value in all the negative stuff you've encountered.
2. Nurture and enjoy your relationships
One of the greatest sources of satisfaction in our lives is relationships. Studies that look at people who are happy bear this out. The happier the person, the more likely he or she is to have a big, supportive family and friendly circle, a satisfying marriage, and a flourishing social life.
That's why one of the best emotional investments you can make is to nurture your relationships. You will soon reap the benefits of more optimistic feelings if you make an effort to develop and establish your relationships with others. And you'll draw more individuals and higher-quality partnerships as you grow happier, leading to even greater positivity and happiness. It is the gift of happiness that keeps on giving.
Make a conscious effort to stay connected. It's easy to get wrapped up in our obligations in our busy society and neglect our relationships. But one of the most popular end-of-life regrets is losing contact with friends. Let it not happen to you. Make an attempt to remain linked to the individuals that make your life brighter. Take the time, in person, to call, write, or see each other. You'll be happier because of it.
Invest in quality time with the people you care about. What matters is not just the time spent with friends and family; it's how you spend it. Mindlessly vegging out in front of the TV together isn't going to get you closer. People who are in relationships that are happy talk a lot. In their lives, they share what's going on and how they feel. Follow their example and spend time chatting and enjoying each other's company.
Offer sincere compliments. Think of the things you admire and appreciate about the other person and then tell them. This will not only make the other person happier, it will encourage him or her to be an even better friend or partner. As a practice of gratitude, it will also make you value the relationship more and feel happier.
Seek out happy people. Research suggests that joy is infectious. You should capture the good mood literally (you can also catch a bad mood, but thankfully, sadness is less contagious than happiness). So, make an effort to look out for happier people and spend time with them. You'll be feeling pleasure before you know it, too.
Take delight in the good fortune of others. One of the factors that really distinguish stable, satisfying relationships from the rest is how the partners react to the good fortune and success of each other. Do you express sincere excitement and curiosity when something positive is encountered by your friend or family member? Or do you ignore the success, criticize or downplay it, feel envious or threatened, or say "That's great" quickly, and then move on? If you would like closer partnerships, when the other individual is excited, pay attention. Ask questions, relive the moment with the other person, and show your enthusiasm for him or her. Know, happiness is infectious, so their joy can become yours when you share the experience.
3. Live in the moment and savor life’s pleasures
Think about a time when you were depressed or anxious. Chances are, you were either dwelling on something negative from the past or worrying about something in the future. In contrast, when you focus on the present moment, you are much more likely to feel centered, happy, and at peace. You’re also much more likely to notice the good things that are happening, rather than letting them pass by unappreciated or unobserved. So how do you start to live more in the moment and savor the good things life has to offer?
Meditate
Meditation on Mindfulness is an effective tool to learn to live in and appreciate the moment. And to enjoy its advantages, you do not have to be religious or even spiritual. No needed pan flutes, chanting, or yoga pants.
Meditation, simply speaking, is exercise for the brain. Meditation tends to reduce activity in the regions of the brain associated with negative emotions, anxiety, and depression when done daily. At the same time, in the areas associated with joy, contentment and harmony, it increases activity. It also improves regions of the brain in charge of regulating feelings and maintaining attention.
Notice and savor small pleasures
If you follow a meditation practice of mindfulness, you will naturally begin to appreciate and savor the pleasures of life more. But to improve your knowledge and enjoyment, there are other things you can do.
Adopt enjoyable daily rituals. With pleasurable routines, create moments of pleasure into your day. It can be very easy stuff, such as lingering in the morning over a cup of coffee, taking a quick walk in the sun during your lunch hour, or playing with your dog when you get home. As long as you love it and value it, it does not matter what you do.
Minimize multi-tasking. Savoring takes your full attention, which when you try to do several items is difficult. For instance, if you eat a delicious meal while browsing the Internet distractedly, you're not going to get as much satisfaction out of the food as you should have. In order to fully optimize your happiness, concentrate on one thing at a time.
Stop to smell the roses. It may be an old cliché, but the advice is strong. If you leave whatever you're doing for a moment to enjoy and luxuriate in them, you can appreciate good stuff more. This will increase your happiness, even though you can only spare a few seconds. And it's even better if you can share the moment with others. Pleasure shared is strong.
Replay happy memories. You don't have to restrict your palate to the stuff that's going on now. In the present, recalling and reminiscing about good memories and events from the past contributes to more optimistic feelings.
4. Focus on helping others and living with meaning
In helping people and feeling that your efforts are making a difference for the better in the world, there is something truly satisfying. That is why it appears to be easier for individuals who support others in need and give back to others and their communities. They also tend, however, to have greater self-esteem and general psychological well-being.
Here are some ways to live a meaningful, more altruistic life:
Volunteer. Happiness is just one of volunteering's many advantages. By volunteering for an organisation that you believe in and that encourages you to participate in a meaningful way, you can get the most out of the experience.
Practice kindness. Look for ways in your daily life to be more kind, caring, and giving. This can be anything as tiny as brightening the day of a stranger with a smile or going out of your way to do a friend a favor.
Play to your strengths. The happiest individuals recognize what their specific strengths are and grow their lives around activities that allow them to use those strengths for the greater good. There are several different kinds of qualities, such as compassion, curiosity, sincerity, imagination, learning affection, perseverance, allegiance, optimism, and humor.
Go for the flow. Research demonstrates that flow, a state of full immersion and involvement in an activity, is closely related to happiness. Flow arises when you are actively involved in something that is inherently rewarding and daunting, but still achievable. Anything that totally captivates you and draws your full attention can be a flow.
5. Take better care of your health
And when you suffer from sickness or poor health, you should be happy, but that does not mean that you can neglect the aspects of your health that are under your power. When it comes to happiness, exercise and sleep are especially important.
Make exercise a regular habit
Exercise is not just beneficial for the body. It also has a strong mental well-being influence. People who exercise on a daily basis are happier on the whole. Plus, they are less tired, frustrated, nervous, and depressed as well.
So long as you do it daily, it doesn't really matter what sort of workout you do. For the best results, strive for at least five days a week for an hour of exercise. You'll be more likely to stick to it if you find something you like. But don't think you're either going to the gym or lacing up your shoes for jogging. Find something that fits your tastes and lifestyle. Shooting hoops, walking in nature, joining a group sports team, playing tennis, running with your dog, swimming laps at the beach, hiking, biking, or practicing yoga in the park may be taking a dance class. If you have difficulty thinking about things that you like, think back to when you were a kid. What activities or games have you been playing?
Get the sleep you need
Every night, having quality sleep directly affects your daytime satisfaction, vitality, and emotional wellbeing. You're much more prone to depression when you're sleep deprived. Being active, thinking creatively, and making good choices are harder to do. How much sleep are you going to need? The average person wants at least 7.5 - 9 hours per night, according to sleep scientists.
My son is my happiness in life.